Let's say you're scoping out an opponent...

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

...what do you look for?

If you go to an 'away' show to prepare for an upcoming bout with some particular fighter, what kind of notes do you take?

Obviously, you're gonna make a note of stance, height, reach, all the basics... but what else should you look for?

Anyone ever done this??

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

i guess the question implicates obvious answers (look for weaknesses in the opponent, see how they react to various moves, figure out how to exploit any weaknesses you see, etc.) or maybe people are holding out on me, keeping all that beautiful knowledge to themselves

looking for tips people can give me

I can usually see the way a fight will go as it progresses, sometimes before it even starts. But I'm talking here about scouting an opponent, like if you were a trainer and your guy was going to fight this opponent, what are the things you especially would look out for?

Football/baseball/hockey scouts have certain things they look out for, just wondering if people here have similar quirks

[Damn Wicked]

i guess the question implicates obvious answers (look for weaknesses in the opponent, see how they react to various moves, figure out how to exploit any weaknesses you see, etc.) or maybe people are holding out on me, keeping all that beautiful knowledge to themselves

looking for tips people can give me

I can usually see the way a fight will go as it progresses, sometimes before it even starts. But I'm talking here about scouting an opponent, like if you were a trainer and your guy was going to fight this opponent, what are the things you especially would look out for?

Football/baseball/hockey scouts have certain things they look out for, just wondering if people here have similar quirks

I'd watch them to see where their comfort zone is. Are they someone who like to work slow and steady? Are they a fighter who likes to avoid war, or are they a constant grinder with good stamina. If they're someone who like to pot shot and conserve their energy then I will make it my mission to increase my work rate, so that I can make them as uncomfortable as possible. If they typically have a high work rate then my mission would be to ruin their usual game plan by making them miss and slowing down the action in our fight. This is the first strategy that comes to mind but there are many others.

[Holler]

It could be helpful to be in earshot of their corner. That would give you an insight into what concerned their trainer, that could point to underlying weaknesses?

[GhostofDempsey]

Look for patterns. This is how you telegraph a read a fighter. If you notice he brings his feet too close together has he is moving side to side, try to time him with a shot so he'll be off balance when you hit him. If you notice he paws with his jab or always drops his left after throwing a left jab, immediately counter with a right hand because he'll be open.

Eddie Futch studied Ali. What he noticed was that Ali would drop his hand too low when throwing an uppercut. So he worked with Frazier to counter Ali's uppercuts with a hook, since Ali dropped that uppercut too low it left his jaw wide open. The strategy worked in that first fight and that's how Frazier scored the knockdown.

[Luilun]

You look to see if he drops his hands like say he throws a right does he drop his left. You look to see what combos he throws , You vision yourself boxing him and when he throws a certain punch what counter you will deliver that works . you check his stamina if it's great or does he burn out . You check to see if he's a fast starter or does he start slow but finishes strong

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

...see where their comfort zone is... make them uncomfortable... ruin their usual game plan...

Yes, I like this. I guess we could say to categorise the fighter here: brawler/boxer/puncher, etc

...be in earshot of their corner...

Good shout. Of course, the most interesting stuff won't be audible tho...

Eddie Futch studied Ali....

Thanks for that, I knew that Futch had studied Ali but I didn't know they had practised the uppercut counter so much

...see if he drops his hands... see what combos he throws... envision yourself boxing him... what counter you will deliver.... you check his stamina ... You check to see if he's a fast starter...

I like this, see how they handle themselves over the course of the fight. "Undisciplined in later rounds" is exactly the kind of scout-info that can win a fight. Also, yeah, noting their favourite combos is a great idea too (e.g. Eubank's uppercut lol)


thanks for these responses, please keep 'em comin'. I guess I want a mental checklist i can tick off, addressing main characteristics of a fighter. i can get a bit OCD and miss the bigger picture sometimes

[jas]

Which punches they like to throw the most

Whether they take chin or body punches well or not

Speed, boxing iq, power, defense, stamina

[Redd Foxx]

What is your context here? Are you talking about preparing for an opponent?

[HeadBodyBodyBody]

What is your context here? Are you talking about preparing for an opponent?

Yeah, exactly but with the caveat that it might not be me personally fighting the guy. I mean, I think we all 'shape people up' all the time just naturally, watching how people move and how we would deal with that. I'm talking a little more objectively, so that you could pass on the information to someone else if you had to

a bit like a scout report or something like that