Webster’s definition of “heart”: “THE CAPACITY FOR COURAGE AND DETERMINATION"

Nice.

Of course there are a multitude of paradigms where people use this word in everyday chit-chat: -from mocking the "bleeding-heart" liberals -to enraging an angry vein of the Conservatives all the way over to Tom Petty singing "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" when we hear the word "heart", our initial notion is to think of anything but a FIGHTER’S HEART.

I started fighting in 1982 and my dad held the reigns in front of me, all the while shadowing each and every one of my steps. Never one to stand by as an onlooker, it wasn't long however before he began orchestrating the majority of shows on the coast acting as trainer, judge & timekeeper. As much as dad hated keeping time for "each round" in the boxing gym, he eventually was licensed to keep time for "each fight" at the shows. (Remember, 1982 we're talking the HAMMER & BELL here!) Dad didn't like it. In fact, he hated it.

No matter where you're from or just how "silver" the spoons were in the mouths around you - chances are there were fights in school. At some point on any given day, an insensitive-bulldozer will bump heads with someone who really doesn't feel like being pushed around on that particular day. Tempers erupt, beads of sweat form over the brow, fists clinch and within minutes a chaotic-blend of 4-limbed-missiles take flight.

Throwing either a jab or a straight right to the body is easily followed up with a hook to the head - your body will be positioned for it - if you get low with your jab to the body then the chances of your landing an explosive right hook back over the top increases - the same goes with a straight right to the body and a follow up left-hook to the head - you may want to slightly telegraph your straight shot to the body in the hopes of having them drop their hands a bit (which opens up a head shot).

UNDERSTAND:  A TRAP is:  *an abrupt punch which systematically interrupts your opponent's defense* - KNOW THIS - most KO's we see in big fights were not landed by a "lucky" punch - rather, the punch doing the damage was a "trap" which had been set up by a technician in the ring - sell the opponent into thinking that you are doing one thing - then, hit them with a trap - this is the science of the sport - this is BOXING - study this video - KNOW THIS - and then create your own personalized Traps.

Turn your body into your straight right - turn your arm over like a drill - your straight right as with your jab should end with the palm of your hand facing downward - the palm is not to face to the right - the palm is not to face left - it faces downward with your shoulders, back, torso and leg twisted into the punch - your straight right is a power punch, throw it like one!

UNDERSTAND: Your leg turns as-a-result of your torso and waist turning into the right hand - your right hand is NOT a result of your leg turning, it's the opposite - thus, it is not imperative that the leg twists upon throwing your right hand - it is however important that as much of your body is delivered into the explosive right hand as possible - as a result, your leg may twist - be careful not to lunge too much into the right hand which may leave you off balance and vulnerable.

Body shots are always as hard as you can throw them - this is always the case - thus, if an opportunity to "drag" this punch arises {which it oftentimes will when delivering a right hook to the body}, take it.

KNOW THIS:  we don't shift our bodies to the right side (when throwing a right hook to the body) in the same manner that we shift our bodies to the left (when throwing a left hook to the body) - rather, when throwing a right hook to the body we "drop straight down" - shifting to the right will not allow you the proper positioning to drag the punch while being thrown.

Outside of your jab, it's relatively easy to get your body behind your punches - turning your hips, extending your shoulders and twisting your torso into a straight-right are key - doing so naturally positions your body to be cocked and loaded for a left-hook - the left-hook is the most "technically-detailed" punch in boxing - the most opportune moment to unleash a left-hook is immediately after a right hand (any right hand punch actually) - in the same manner you twist your feet, shoulders and torso into a straight right, the same is done with a left-hook.

There are two different styles of fighting - Inside & Outside - tall, rangy, sometimes wiry boxers usually like to keep the fight on the outside where they can use their sizable reach advantage - short, squatty, lumberjacks with short, explosive arms will beg to fight inside - the outside fighters are referred to in boxing circles as "boxers" - the inside fighters are referred to as "bangers" - a larger size ring which allows the fighter to move around more is referred to as a "boxers" ring - a smaller sized boxing ring is a bangers ring - fighting in a "phone booth" is what bangers beg to do - if a shorter, hard-hitting banger can get a boxer to BANG with them then, they are commanding what's called "ring generalship" over the boxer - the same goes for the sometimes thinner, more elusive boxer who intentionally-commandeers a banger into fighting the entire boxing match from long range -- Ring Generalship - 

NOTICE: I say *sometimes* because quite often you will see a tall, thin, wiry fighter who should by all means be a "boxer", actually like to BANG (think Thomas Hearns, Robin Blake) - one rarely, if ever sees a shorter fighter who chooses to box the entire fight from the outside - it happens, but it's rare.

Upper-cuts are thrown with full force, as hard as you can throw them - there is no such thing as an easy upper-cut - a torking motion ensues on each side of your body with each upper-cut thrown - I like to verbalize this torking motion as "turning your chest to the sky" - there is also a slight explosion
which may or may not take place with your legs upon throwing your upper-cut - although, many fighters choose to explode so much that their feet leave the ground when throwing them - be certain you can follow your upper-cut up with preferably a hook coming from the other hand.

Make certain your front hand remains above their front hand (their jab hand) as much as possible - this will allow you to knock the jab down when they throw it - it may be wise to cheat away from your face when you (an orthodox boxer) is facing a southpaw - Your left hand should be above their jab hand (their right hand) - Granted, if you yourself are a southpaw and you are facing another southpaw then, of course, it will be your left hand knocking away their jab (their right hand).

Feet never come closer than shoulder width (EVER!) whilst standing in front of an opponent - our bodies are all designed to be top-heavy and must be centered between our evenly spread legs - when moving in a boxing ring, practice "sliding & gliding" - to do this, step with your front foot first and lightly drag your back foot next, returning back home - same rule applies when sliding & gliding backwards:  step back with your hind leg first, while lightly dragging the front leg back to HOME.

Shadow Boxing is an art in itself - practice this art in front of a full-body mirror with careful attention paid to every aspect of your arsenal - watch your hands and make certain they are protecting your chin and temple while throwing punches - keep an eye on your head-movement and make for certain that it is doing just that, moving - watch your feet as they move in sync with your punches and upper body motions - make Shadow-Boxing look smooth and effortless in the very same manner that you want the judges grading your performance when you are fighting - think of the boxing ring as a stage that YOU own and when the dust clears after your fight, it is YOU that will be shining brighter than your opponent - so pursue your Shadow-Boxing routine with extra vigor and attention.

Ideally, we want to "drag" this punch - this is the way to get the most out of the shot - notice however, if you are standing directly on top of the opponent, say in a clinch, then dragging the shot may be impossible due to his or her proximity - at that point make it a point to turn your hips into the punch (and maybe even your back leg into the shot) - remember, the palm of your hand is facing inward (towards you) as opposed to facing downward - this punch may be thrown over a lazy jab or at random but know that it is easy to see coming - and it may even stray behind the opponent's head - so be careful.

For some, this is their strongest punch - the torking motion in the shot is more natural for some yet, most people have excellent leverage in throwing this punch - shift over your front leg enough to be able to get your left arm behind the opponent's elbow - do not attempt to pull your weight back onto your back leg as you would do while throwing a left hook to the head - remember, this is a body shot, so shift and tork into the shot - most of your weight remains on your front leg.

Ideally, we want to "drag" this punch - this is the way to get the most out of the shot - notice however, if you are standing directly on top of the opponent, say in a clinch, then dragging the shot may be impossible due to his or her proximity - at that point make it a point to turn your hips into the punch (and maybe even your back leg into the shot) - remember, the palm of your hand is facing inward (towards you) as opposed to facing downward - this punch may be thrown over a lazy jab or at random but know that it is easy to see coming - and it may even stray behind the opponent's head - so be careful.

Straight-rights to the body are relatively easy punches to land - these punches are usually thrown from the outside so, stepping "in" while doing so is key - since the best way for your opponent to defend against a straight-right to the body is by them simply "stepping or pulling back", following up with a lunging left-hook to the head could be ideal - allow your forward-momentum from this hook to propel another right to the head - in the case they throw a retaliatory jab upon backing up, offer them a pullback-right hand to finish off the combo.

"THE #2 JAB" –  This jab has us leaning far and very low to the right while throwing in an upward motion to the opponent's head - in turn, in order to offer another tool for defense, while throwing this jab upward (since your body is so far, low and to the right), as a means of defense you may opt to "cross-cheeks" with the right hand and place it on your opposite cheek - this #2 jab is usually incorporated with a double or triple jab - all for the purpose of getting inside or negating a reach advantage the opponent may have - thus, this jab works well for a shorter boxer who is attempting to get close (or inside) of an opponent who has a much longer reach than them.

"THE #3 JAB" – This jab is also called a "fall-away jab" - it is usually thrown the first punch of a round to meet the opponent as each boxer exits their respective corners of the ring - lean far to the left and pick the front "knee" up, while falling in that particular direction which you lean (to the left) - throw your jab - Your body will naturally lean and fall precisely in the direction to where your front foot needs to land (which will be far outside of the opponent's shoulder) - this fall-away jab has a bit more weight behind it given the fact that there is a slight explosion off of the back leg into it as the punch is being thrown.

Think of your jab as a drill - when you throw your arm out, it will naturally turn into the position it needs to be in order to have the most power in it - you do not have to "over" turn the jab - you must be mindful also to turn the jab "over" where the palm of your hand is facing the ground (rather than facing the right or left).

Shadowboxing in this manner is a very casual yet, purposeful display of what we want to do and how we need to look as a boxer - "flow" is very common in a boxer's vocabulary because it must be the engine behind all of the combinations we deliver - with continuous practice on the delivery and flow of our punches, we are mindful that one of the goals in the ring is to look good in the eyes of the judges - a boxer's punch output must be polished and impressive. 

Understand, the very best time to throw a punch is when your opponent is swinging at you & immediately after - a counterpuncher will systematically wait, with incredible patience, for the opponent to throw at them before punching back - their ultimate goal is to "counter" their opponent with whatever punch they throw - catching your opponent's jab with your dominant hand will always create a window of opportunity (albeit small, given the speed & power of the jab) for them to be hit.

Make for certain the shoulders are cocked before throwing a left hook - in turn, the best time to throw a left hook is after a straight right is thrown - also, I've noticed a 50/50 split on how to position the hand upon throwing a hook, palm facing down OR palm facing inwards (towards you) - I like to teach with the palm facing in because it seems it's less stress on your shoulder, it offers more of a whipping motion and doing so provides a longer reach - twist your hips when throwing a hook, dip your front knee inwards toward your opposite heel & slightly fall back onto the back leg as your upper body turns into the hook.

Many shorter boxer's use weaves to make themselves multi-demensional when fighting taller opponent's - upon weaving one's upper body in an aggressive fashion (either coming forward OR as a means of defense while standing in punching range of their opponent) it can be a catalyst for cocking the body for a left hook - Bobbing (moving the head up and down like a piston) and weaving are primarily (not exclusively) used by shorter fighters.