Intermediate Boxing
Now the real workouts start! MUST have completed at least 3 months of Beginners Boxing to partake. Our Intermediate Boxing classes will take your boxing skills, conditioning & core strength, and to the next level. What to expect? Our Intrmediate Boxing classes are generally formatted as follows: jump rope, warm up, partner combination drills, heavy bag work, intense conditioning drills, finish with core and final stretch. Each of your trainers have their own favorite boxing combinations, footwork drills, and will use your body weight, medicine balls, slam balls, battle ropes, dumbbell drills, tire workouts, TRX or partner drills for conditioning and core so that every class is different and your body will never have a chance to get used to the workout.
1. Flowing Right Hand
It is important for intermediate boxers to learn how to throw the right hand correctly. Timing the punch properly is key because failure to do so can lead to a boxer “falling in” and leaving themselves exposed and vulnerable to a counter shot. Unless you’re throwing a lead right hand (which is not advisable in the learning phase) the right hand must flow off the back of a good jab. If the jab is sloppy and poorly-timed then the right hand will be set-up incorrectly. The backhand, with practice, will flow effortlessly off the jab and make two separate shots mould into one fluent combination.
Pro Example: Watch Tommy “Hitman” Hearns land a right hand with laser precision on Roberto Duran for an example of power and technique.
2. Left Hook to the body
Body punches can slow down an opponent or even stop them outright if landed on point. A well-timed left hook to the solar plexus can be a game-changer, especially if landed at the end of a combination. Intermediate boxers will need to be wary of catching their hand on the elbow of the opponent, which could lead to an injury, or leaving themselves open to a counter right hand if they open up their body too much.
Pro Example: Ricky Hatton was excellent at pivoting to the side and slashing in a left hook to the body. Watch his finishing shot of Jose Luis Castillo and see as Hatton twists his body to the side to achieve maximum torque on the finishing shot.
3. Purposeful Blocking
There are three main ways to avoid getting hit with flush shots. Using your legs to move out of distance and rolling the shoulders and head are two of them. Getting the hands up high and blocking is another. Just blocking in itself, by getting the hands up high and cupping them like “earmuffs”, is a limited exercise. This can expose the body and a well-timed hook can find a way around it. Purposeful blocking is more of a parry that allows the intermediate boxer to push an opponent on to the back foot and enable you to stand your ground.
Pro Example: Legendary heavyweight Joe Frazier was able to absorb a number of shots on the gloves by maintaining a high guard and blocking.
4. Slip 3 Punches Comfortably
Slipping a single shot can be accomplished relatively simply when competing as an intermediate boxer, but whenever the opponent throws a second and third shot in a combination it is more difficult to avoid getting hit at least once. With practice and repetition slipping combinations will become almost second nature but it takes time to fine tune these movements.
Pro Example: Watch Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker for stellar examples of how to slip 3 punches. In fact, Whitaker could slip many more and then throw back with startling accuracy and speed.
5. Wrestling Skills
Working inside and being able to wrestle, grapple and clinch effectively are vital intermediate skills. There is a subtle difference between holding and grappling. Referees are needed to combat blatant holding but fighting on the inside by manoeuvring an opponent around the ring, hitting the body and using the elbows are key skills. Learn how to draw an opponent in, watch how they fall in to a clinch but always be wary of heads clashing, which could cause bruises or cuts.
Pro Example: Amir Khan was notoriously poor at fighting on the inside and needed American coach Virgil Hunter to tighten him up in this regard. Hunter’s main star, Andre Ward, is a master of employing wrestling skills into his game and is equally adept at handling himself on the inside. Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran were also excellent inside workers.
6. Fight Stalling
Better known in boxing parlance as ringcraft or ring generalship, experienced boxers are able to navigate the ring and take control of the fight through pace and momentum. When hurt or under pressure intermediate fighters can learn how to “buy time”. By employing this kind of movement, fighters are able to offset the opponent’s offensive capabilities and stop them from planting their feet and letting punches go effectively. Good ringcraft enables a boxer to close off angles and block and parry shots without expending huge amounts of
energy.
Pro Example: Watch heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko leave his lead hand hanging out to stop the opponent setting his feet. Middleweight James Toney could stall fights with upper body movement and ducking and weaving along the ropes to gain valuable seconds.
7. Shifting Density
Changing body weight is a good technique for intermediate boxers to learn and something that doesn’t always come naturally and needs to be worked on. Know when to plant your feet and throw with your opponent and/or use your strength to hold centre ground with them. Also know when to be light on your feet, move your opponent around and release fast counter punches. Shifting weight and shifting density is an athletic necessity to keep
your opponent guessing.
Pro example: Southpaw Michael Nunn was so accomplished at shifting body weight during his prime. Current super-featherweight Vasyl Lomachenko does it effortlessly. Watch his fights for an example of this.