Is it true what Steward said...

Interesting topic. I'm right handed, but I feel my left is equally strong in terms of punching power. It's just not as accurate. One thing I don't understand though, is how fighters can convert stances. I fight orthodox, and would feel completely off balance fighting southpaw. I guess it's a learned behavior. What I heard , was that D'Amato converted Tyson to make his left hook more effective or something along those lines. I could be wrong though.

Southpaw is the stance, not which hand you favour. The term "southpaw" has long had the meaning of a person who uses hi/her left hand where the majority would normally use the right hand. Like even a baseball pitcher for instance, I've seen many references to left handed pitchers referred to as "southpaw". It' was rarely used in Europe as i was growing up being regarded as an American term.

a lot of people who are left-handed are forced to do things like writing right-handed because they live in a right-handed world. How right you are. I STILL remember the teacher tying my left arm behind my back to force me to write (with chalk on a slate) with my right hand. I was 3 years old.

That all the great southpaws were converted and in fact right handed? I never really paid too much mind to it, but then i started thinking about it. Wright wasn't really a southpaw, DLH was but fought in a conventional stance same as Cotto i believe. I remember reading that tyson was a southpaw. Steward said that Hagler wasn't. Is Pacquiao in fact the best, true southpaw in the game? Before Manny P. many experts had it that Lew Tendler Benny Leonard's greatest rival, was the best southpaw, since he was recognised as the best lightweight who never won a title and had Leonard on the verge of a KO. At least, so I've read, several times.

Ah props for clearing that up. It's crazy how many of the greats are converted southpaws, and even orthodox. I often wondered how fighters could throw vicious hooks like DLH (converted to orthodox stance) his left hook was solid. Yeah, always knew about DLH, Wright & Cotto but i never really gave it much thought until Steward brought it up during the Berto/Ortiz fight.

a lot of people who are left-handed are forced to do things like writing right-handed because they live in a right-handed world. I'm actually left handed, and my parents actually tried to force me to use my right, but that **** didn't stick. My right is a bit more useful i guess them most people's left but not by much, and it's cause i like to practice throwing with my right, also used to play the piano a little, which also helped my right. Boxing stance i do like orthidox cause it just feels a bit more natural to me for some reason, but i'm not a boxer.

a lot of people who are left-handed are forced to do things like writing right-handed because they live in a right-handed world. True, left handed people tend to be better at using their other hand than right handed people.

a lot of people who are left-handed are forced to do things like writing right-handed because they live in a right-handed world.

I think this was cleared up by somebody on his team, who explained that he was signing autographs with his right after his left became tired from signing too many. At any rate, I've seen him throw a baseball with his left, and he didn't look like a complete retard doing it, which leads me to believe he's a natural left-hander. Not to mention the fact that earlier in his career he was known for having a strong left, and virtually no right-hand whatsoever. Ah props for clearing that up. It's crazy how many of the greats are converted southpaws, and even orthodox. I often wondered how fighters could throw vicious hooks like DLH (converted to orthodox stance) his left hook was solid.

Felix sturm is a natural southpaw who fights in orrtodox stance

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere Pacquiao is not a natural southpaw...I am 95% sure he is right hander, he signs autographs with his right.I think this was cleared up by somebody on his team, who explained that he was signing autographs with his right after his left became tired from signing too many. At any rate, I've seen him throw a baseball with his left, and he didn't look like a complete retard doing it, which leads me to believe he's a natural left-hander. Not to mention the fact that earlier in his career he was known for having a strong left, and virtually no right-hand whatsoever.

Off the top of my head, Chad Dawson, Winky Wright, Marvin Hagler and Victor Ortiz are all converted southpaws. De La Hoya and Cotto were both southpaws fighting out of an orthodox stance. Pacquiao, Whitaker, Calzaghe and Martinez are all "true" southpaw fighters. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere Pacquiao is not a natural southpaw...I am 95% sure he is right hander, he signs autographs with his right.. Whitaker is the best southpaw of all time in my opinion.

Interesting thread. And I don't have any valid input cause I don't have much of a clue.... Who are these converted southpaws? I dunno, but I know Chad Dawson is naturally a right hander that fights in the southpaw stance. not sure who else.Off the top of my head, Chad Dawson, Winky Wright, Marvin Hagler and Victor Ortiz are all converted southpaws. De La Hoya and Cotto were both southpaws fighting out of an orthodox stance. Pacquiao, Whitaker, Calzaghe and Martinez are all "true" southpaw fighters. Wait a minute........ Isn't Pacquiao a natural right hander?No.

Wait a minute........ Isn't Pacquiao a natural right hander?

Interesting thread. And I don't have any valid input cause I don't have much of a clue.... Who are these converted southpaws? I dunno, but I know Chad Dawson is naturally a right hander that fights in the southpaw stance. not sure who else.

Pernell Whitaker is a natural southpaw and is also the greatest southpaw of all time, IMO.

Southpaw is the stance, not which hand you favour. yes but southpaw tends to be the stance... of southpaws, and vice versa. just wondering really how many fighters were in fact southpaw or conventional and how many were converted to fight in that stance.

Whitaker here looks like he's signing autographs with his left hand. https://www.authenticsigningsinc.com/product_images/boxing_pernell_whitaker_trunks_p.jpg Cool, good to know. he's probably the best there ever was. Pac's close though.

Southpaw is the stance, not which hand you favour.

Whitaker here looks like he's signing autographs with his left hand. https://www.authenticsigningsinc.com/product_images/boxing_pernell_whitaker_trunks_p.jpg