24 PUNCHING COMBINATIONS THAT WORK

24 PUNCHING COMBINATIONS THAT WORK IN BOXING.

Written by Richard Davis owner at Ringsport.

Over the years as boxing has grown in popularity as a way to improve fitness. And so have the many personal trainers and boxing enthusiasts who have turned their hand to coaching boxing. I have watched some interesting punching combinations being taught, which would struggle to be effective in the real world. I have written some lead boxing combination that work in competition and will always leave you in a strong position to defend safely and not open to counter punches from your opponent or training partner.

There are 4 main punches in boxing, with an endless amount of variations of them.

When a combination is thrown, the second punch crosses over the first. When the first is halfway back from its starting position. To have your practice partner work best with you, get some good sparring gloves. if you need boxing gloves, visit the link.

Some of these combinations are advanced. Especially the Right-lead combination, in which you will need to be fast and confident. Or they would be used as a counter punch combination. If you are a coach or a boxer who wants to practice your punching combinations, it is a good idea to get a good pair of hand pad or focus pads. My favorite is the Ringsport Back Strap Focus Pad Model which will power absorption and stability.

All of these combinations are available on DVD. View our How To Box boxing video for all these and many, many more boxing skills.

Also there is counter punching blog I wrote which you may be interested in Boxing counter punches.

THE MOST COMMON PUNCHES

• Left Jab - inside jab

• Right cross - straight right - short right - over hand right.

• Hook - left hook - right hook - short hook - long hook - body hook.

• Upper cut - Left upper cut - right upper cut.

The most important thing to remember when creating a punching combination is that they must flow together with the weight of the body as it moves forward or backward. All good punching combinations help each individual punch deliver the power of the whole body as it moves through each punch and set your feet, hands and body weight for the next punch.

The feet must always be moving with the punches, not only to deliver the power to the punches but also to keep in punching range as the opponent moves away to evade being hit. For more boxing info read  Boxing book Modern Boxing For All by Richard Davis.

Below is a video of a boxer I coached for 7 years (Callum Cassidy) working on combinations that work (apart from double right hands) :)

Below is a list of punching combinations that work in the real world:

LEFT JAB LEAD PUNCH COMBINATIONS

• Left jab - right cross

• Left jab - right cross - left jab

• Left jab - right cross - left hook

• Left jab - right cross - left hook - right cross

• Left jab - right cross - left upper cut

• Left jab - right cross - left upper cut - short right

• Left jab - left hook

• Left jab - left hook - right cross - left hook

• Left jab - right cross to the body

• Left jab - right cross to the body - left hook to head

• Left jab - over hand right to head

• Left jab - over hand right to head - left uppercut.

• Left jab - right cross - left hook to the body

• Left jab - right cross - left hook to the body - right hook to the body

RIGHT CROSS LEAD PUNCH COMBINATIONS

• Right cross - straight left

• Right cross - straight left - right cross

• Right cross - left hook

• Right cross - left hook - right cross

• Right cross - left hook - right cross - left upper cut

• Right cross - slip inside to left, left upper cut in close

LEFT HOOK LEAD PUNCH COMBINATIONS

• Left hook - right cross to head

• Left hook - right cross to head - left hook

• Left hook - right cross to body - left hook to head

• Left hook - right cross to head - hook to body

Same boxer Callum Cassidy (grey top) sparring below using his combination effectively.

With all punching combinations make sure that the feet and bodies natural movement and flow forward or back is always followed. Example you could not throw a left jab followed by a left upper cut as you would have to break the power flow.

All of these boxing skill and punching combinations and more are here on How To Box, our instructional boxing video. 

For an excellent boxing tips and boxing skills instructional book, take a look at our Modern Boxing For All book.

Thanks for visiting the Ringsport Blog!