How to neutralize a jab?

[mconstantine]

I've never cared much for that technique, but you can't argue with the results its given some of the top fighters . . . If you fight tall, have good upper body movement and a straight right like a freight train, it can work out pretty well for you.

But it takes away a lot of your left hand leads. I hate to say it becomes almost completely defensive, cause there are plenty of guys that can hurt you without getting full motion on the jab, but it does become almost completely defensive.

I like to keep as many offensive weapons available at all times.

I disagree. This was the technique I was referring to when I said it's very easy for a southpaw to neutralize the jab. You can still be offensive with this technique. In fact, I think it can enhance it. Here are some ways.

1. Slap their jab down and jab over it:
Probably one of the best things to with this technique. Plus if you do it right, your jab doesn't have to travel as far to hit the target.

2. Good way to set up lead hooks and jabs to the body:
If a guy gets used to you holding out your lead hand, tapping his lead hand, he'll come to expect it. This can set up lead hooks. Feint like your touching his lead hand, then turn it into a lead hook.

Also, I've found it easier to land jabs to the body when I hold my lead hand out, again, because it doesn't have to travel as far. Plus, it's held high so I think if you're quick enough, the combination of the lead hand already being closer to the target, than quickly changing levels to jab to the body catches guys off guard.

Watch Floyd Mayweather against Diego Corrales. He displayed BOTH of these offensive weapons in that fight REPEATEDLY...and he held his lead hand out front throughout most of the fight.

[F l i c k e r]

Floyd also threw right hand hooks(lead hook) at Cotto's left hand(jab hand) and it kept Cotto from throwing jabs.

[Ray Corso]

If the opponents jab isn't that good I won't do much to discourage him to throw it! I'll work around it and see if he's going to work off it!! Then capitalize on the 2nd 3rd & 4th punches/moves he tries!
If the jab is a good one I'll attack it by countering with combinations (threw it, over it, around it & under it! I will slip inside and bring an over hand right then follow with an inside left!

Its difficult to suggest what to do without a visual but you get my drift, if an opponents jab is a quality punch you have your work cut out for you! Ray.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

winky wright comes to mind as an example of that. he used to pick one angle or the other and jab guys high on the head to get over an opponent's left glove. he hit my boy JT consistently with some big jabs in that fashion, even as the shorter armed fighter with slower hands.


i'm gonna have to get my thinking cap on for other southpaws with tremendous jabs.

I'm glad you brought up Winky because he's a classic example of how a lefty can have a dominant jab vs a righty. There are so many people that say it can't be done and that's simply not true.

Now it's harder, I agree but it's in the footwork and angle you throw it.

[DIB42]

Watch Floyd Mayweather against Diego Corrales. He displayed BOTH of these offensive weapons in that fight REPEATEDLY...and he held his lead hand out front throughout most of the fight.

I rewatched the fight, which was quite fun, hadn't seen it in years. Floyd's best win in my opinion, but he was a beast before he moved up to 147. (He still is a beast, but I, like many others, don't think 147 is his best weight)

Floyd held his lead out a few times and pawed with it a bit, but I thought you were referring to fighters who leave that lead out for the majority of the round.

Also in fairness, its Floyd Mayweather, he can pretty much do anything with his handspeed, and footwork.

The klitschko's tend to hold that lead hand out as a measuring stick as well, and you can't argue with their success, but they're the type of fighter I usually see it work well for. Tall with devastating Straights.

I know this topic is mostly about neutralizing the jab, but leaving that hand out there as a shorter southpaw against an orthodox fighter, I'd be weary of eating 2,3,2 combos all day. Granted you'd probably neutralize the jab, but at what cost.

If you can think of a good fight of a left vs a righty where the lefty neutralizes the orthodox fighter while keeping the lead hand out, I'd love to watch it. I'm sure I've seen it several times, but never really paid attention to it.

[greynotsoold]

I'm glad you brought up Winky because he's a classic example of how a lefty can have a dominant jab vs a righty. There are so many people that say it can't be done and that's simply not true.

Now it's harder, I agree but it's in the footwork and angle you throw it.

When I first got started in boxing- following and participating- nearly 40 years ago I was told that the hardest guy to fight was a jabbing and stepping southpaw. In recent years that seems to have gone by the wayside and most southpaws that fight that way do so because they think it is easier and thus never really learn to fight as a southpaw.

[VG_Addict]

What would be some good fights to watch to learn about neutralizing the jab?

[DIB42]

What would be some good fights to watch to learn about neutralizing the jab?

Oddly, I think stuff like this is best seen in videos where an up and coming fighter is taking a step up fight.

When you watch two elite fighters going at it, they tend to go beyond the basics a bit and rarely make mistakes. When watching footage as learning tool, I like to watch footage where one guy is doing most things correctly, while the other guy is not. I find it helps for a good compare and contrast.

[mconstantine]

I rewatched the fight, which was quite fun, hadn't seen it in years. Floyd's best win in my opinion, but he was a beast before he moved up to 147. (He still is a beast, but I, like many others, don't think 147 is his best weight)

Floyd held his lead out a few times and pawed with it a bit, but I thought you were referring to fighters who leave that lead out for the majority of the round.

Also in fairness, its Floyd Mayweather, he can pretty much do anything with his handspeed, and footwork.

The klitschko's tend to hold that lead hand out as a measuring stick as well, and you can't argue with their success, but they're the type of fighter I usually see it work well for. Tall with devastating Straights.

I know this topic is mostly about neutralizing the jab, but leaving that hand out there as a shorter southpaw against an orthodox fighter, I'd be weary of eating 2,3,2 combos all day. Granted you'd probably neutralize the jab, but at what cost.

If you can think of a good fight of a left vs a righty where the lefty neutralizes the orthodox fighter while keeping the lead hand out, I'd love to watch it. I'm sure I've seen it several times, but never really paid attention to it.

Yea, I did qualify this by saying if you're quick enough.

Broner vs. DeMarco....Broner used this technique and took away Demarco's jab (Broner isn't southpaw obviously, but same logic applies just reversed). Rigondeaux vs. Donaire is another example.

As far as 2,3,2 combo...a southpaw's back hand should protect against the 2 and if you're in range for a 3 to connect, you shouldn't be holding that lead hand out like that. It's meant to be used at longer range, not mid range or too close. And again, this technique is meant to neutralize a jab, a long range punch, so you don't want to use it at closer ranges.

I broke down in this video how Broner took away Demarco's jab with this technique.

[DIB42]

Yea, I did qualify this by saying if you're quick enough.

I forgot or missed that part. If you're fast enough, you can do a variety of different things.

I can see where you're coming from now.