Why did the straight left die out?

[AlexKid]

So for an orthodox boxer.

He has a straight right, and a left jab, but once apon a time he also had a straight left.

A straight left is like a jab but more powerful because it has hip rotation and weight transfer. It is fired immediately from the boxing stance stance, you dont have to suare up first like we sometimes see the way modern boxers like pacman use it.

Anyway I can throw this punch quite easily can you? I dont see how you cant throw it if you can throw a left hook you should be able to throw a straight left!

Its a powerful punch not as much power as a straight right or left hook but plenty more than a jab.

Why isnt it used much?

Why did it die out?

STraight punches are so important in boxing and so is the jab so im surprised a straight punch like this died out!?

Bruce Lee does something simlar with his straight lead.

[wmute]

So for an orthodox boxer.

He has a straight right, and a left jab, but once apon a time he also had a straight left.

A straight left is like a jab but more powerful because it has hip rotation and weight transfer. It is fired immediately from the boxing stance stance, you dont have to suare up first like we sometimes see the way modern boxers like pacman use it.

Anyway I can throw this punch quite easily can you? I dont see how you cant throw it if you can throw a left hook you should be able to throw a straight left!

Its a powerful punch not as much power as a straight right or left hook but plenty more than a jab.

Why isnt it used much?

Why did it die out?

STraight punches are so important in boxing and so is the jab so im surprised a straight punch like this died out!?

Bruce Lee does something simlar with his straight lead.

Most converted lefties seem to be sometimes throwing the punch you describe (eg: Miguel Cotto's jab often looks more like a power punch than a jab). Don't they?

[billeau2]

Most converted lefties seem to be sometimes throwing the punch you describe (eg: Miguel Cotto's jab often looks more like a power punch than a jab). Don't they?

Interesting tidbit...Dempsey wrote a text on boxing and advocated using a straight left as a type of jab.

There are a lot of reasons i will give you a few observations I have made over the years.

the original boxing stance was all encompassing. It looks and actually functions a lot like a classic Ju Jutsu fighting position. You have the arms held in front with a side fowards, weight on the back leg, to equal balance, with the hands held palm up. This position guards against any attack because with the hands held palm up, weight ready to be distributed from the back, it is easy to make a quick untelegraphed.....straight left. You simply transfer the weight and extend the hand. This is actually a ko blow because when done right it catches the button of the chin slamming the brain stem gsainst the back of the skull with no give in the neck to take the concussive force.

When gloves got bigger though this punch was not as effective. You lose the point of contact and the pure weight transfer of the punch when the glvoes get bigger. This is why boxing has become less a combat endevour as it hasd modernized. the originsl mechanics were designed to make punching quik, untelegraped and to the right spots....

The new square up style is more about brute strength, arm punching (no weight transfer) and pure offense. In the days of the straight left if you were too offensive you would get countered with weight fowards and could get creamed.

[billeau2]

Continue:

Just wanted to say. The straight left works on a different principle than punches which turn over from the shoulder. You keep the hand straight, as you say similar to a one inch punch. Point of fact: a one inch punch is for all practical purposes the same blow.

The old style of throwing punches like this is very good for self defense because the hand and wrist is protected. When thrown properly the hand is totally supported by the wrist and the wrist is in a straight line to the tucked in elbow which is supported by the shoulder right through to the spine. As a matter of fact, something like a shoulder roll is used to make the punches happen from a straight left and a right cross. By dropping and rolling the shoulders properly, alighning the spine properly the punches become very quick movements that can be accomplished with the flick of a shoulder....This means that even the idea of counter punching when done a certain way with proper body dynamics can be accomplished simultaneously!

Try it some time. Set up like one of the old timers and have a buddy throw at a slow speed a stepping right (once you get the hang of it you can do it against a lead and at a faster pace) to avoid the blow rock your weight fowards, twist the spine and turn the shoulders...while turning avoid the rightand deliver the front lead hand at the same time. It is pretty easy because you do not have to turn the hand over everything is essentially where it should be to start and finish, all that is needed is the right timing, angle, and weight distribution.