Many professional boxers use the same techniques to dominate their competition. While some of these techniques are complicated and require more time to master, others are fundamental ones all boxers should know.
This article will list 11 boxing techniques you must know, as the best boxers use them to have the advantage alongside them.
I know what you may think: you want a unique fighting style, but you’re not imitating them; you’re simply taking what you know to be working and using it in your game. That’s all it is.
That’s why I highly recommend reading this article and taking every technique, one at a time, and mastering it. You’ll skyrocket your boxing skills if you don’t work on 12 different techniques simultaneously.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
#11 – Jab, Jab, Cross
The first technique we’ll discuss is the jab, jab, and cross. If you’re unfamiliar with the basic boxing punches or movements, follow the link to read about the complete beginner’s guide to boxing.
Most professional boxers know this combination as the 1,2, or the jab followed by a cross. However, we can add a second jab after the first one.
This has one primary effect: it confuses the opponent since one expects the cross to come after the first jab.
However, you can throw another jab faster than you can throw a cross. That will confuse the opponent and ensure you gain the advantage.
You might even cause more damage while surprising the opponent if you finish the technique with another cross. That’s why the jab, jab, followed by a cross is a technique many professional and amateur boxers use to get the upper hand.
#10 – Jab, Hook, Uppercut
Next up, we have the jab, hook, and uppercut. The previous technique mentions that boxers expect the cross to follow the jab. That’s why you’ll see numerous fighters try to slip after you throw the jab.
That’s why the hook can be your ace in your sleeve you pull out to cause massive damage to the opponent. But, of course, ending the combination with an uppercut—has a high chance of finishing the fight.
The uppercut is a lethal weapon to end a fight in the later rounds.
Now, if you could land both the jab and the hook, the uppercut will 100% make the other boxer dizzy.
Of course, the hook has to be a right hook as you throw the jab with your left hand. However, if you throw your jab with your right hand, you will throw the hook with your left hand. So it all depends on which hand is your dominant one.
And, the uppercut will be with the same hand you threw the jab. That way, you can maximize the speed at which you throw the combination and cause the most damage in the least amount of time.
#9 – The Sidestep
The next technique we’ll discuss is the sidestep. Frankly, you can probably imagine what it looks like.
The sidestep is when you step to either side to dodge the opponent’s hit or create an angle, so you’ll be able to hit the opponent. Executing the sidestep won’t require as much practice as the other techniques, such as the pivot.
If you’re trying to find a beginner’s footwork drill that’ll ensure you boost your defensive game instantly, I highly recommend starting with the sidestep.
Creating angles—is a crucial aspect of boxing. Inexperienced boxers will see their skills drastically improve, as it’s an underrated skill many fighters don’t know how to defend against. So, working on it by learning the sidestep—is something you should consider.
#8 – The Counterpunch
Many professional boxers use the counterpunch to ensure they have the advantage, as it can surprise the other fighter and get you the upper hand.
Throwing a counterpunch isn’t as complicated as it might sound. However, there’s one condition you need to meet before you perform this technique. As the name suggests, you must counter the opponent’s punch.
So, to clarify, you must first avoid the opponent’s punch and then throw one. If you don’t avoid it first, you will put yourself in an awkward position.
Floyd Mayweather is known for baiting his opponent into throwing a punch by closing the distance between him and his opponent. Then, he avoids the opponent’s punch by leaning his head and body backward.
Of course, he finishes the move by throwing a fierce punch. This is something that grants him the advantage in many of his fights. Just look at how he performs the counterpunch and try to imitate that.
#7 – Right Hook + Right Uppercut
The following technique is one that Mike Tyson is known for using. He finished many fights by throwing a right hook to the body and following it with an uppercut.
The entire point of this move is to bait the opponent into defending his body. That’s what the right hook to the body does. As a result, the other boxer will feel high pain levels in his body, leading him to lower his guard.
Then, you finish the move by throwing a fierce uppercut; that ensures you cause massive damage quickly and relatively safely.
Other professional boxers use the right hook + right uppercut, too; that ensures they cause massive damage, giving them the advantage in the later rounds of the fight.
You can use your left hook + left uppercut if you think it has more chance of landing. However, using your dominant hand will allow you to put more power into the combination.
You want to increase your punching power if you’re anything like me. I wrote a complete guide on how to increase your punching power; do give it a read!
#6 – The Pivot
Pivoting will help you create angles to attack the defend your position. The pivot is one of the basic footwork drills you should perform, especially if you’re an inexperienced boxer.
The number of beginner boxers who skip their basic footwork drills—amazes me each time I step into a new boxing gym.
You must learn how to pivot and sidestep before you step into the boxing ring, as it’ll help you both for the offense and defense.
Pivoting is changing the direction in which your body faces. It allows you to stay active and moving if you pivot and move fast. Here’s how you do it:
To pivot to the left, you move your back foot to the left while lifting your front foot and changing directions. You can do the same on the right side as well.
I highly recommend watching the video before you begin practicing. It’ll help you understand how it looks.
#5 – Jab. Cross, Hook
The jab, cross, followed by a hook, is a classy combo every boxer should learn and practice.
It’s one of the basic yet highly effective offensive combos boxing offers. So naturally, it’ll be more potent if you land at least two hits out of the three. But, of course, it’ll be best if you land them all.
While the jab and cross is the most popular technique (which we’ll discuss later in this article) boxing has to offer, you can follow it up with a hook.
A hook is one of those hits you can throw to finish a fight quickly, especially with your dominant hand. You’ll notice how many professional fights end with a single hook to the face, leading to a knockout—if you start watching professional boxing matches consistently.
In conclusion, the jab cross followed by a hook is a simple but highly effective offensive combination you should learn to hone your boxing skills.
#4 – The Slip
Before we move forward, I wanted to discuss the slip, a popular defensive boxing combination all professional boxers use. The following section will also discuss the jab, slip, and cross. First, however, let’s examine how you can start learning the slip today.
You move your head from one side to another to perform the slip. This will help you avoid punches effectively. Likewise, it helps create offensive opportunities, as we’ll see in the next section.
It is that simple. However, you’ll need to start practicing if you want to be capable of using it whenever you wish to avoid punches swiftly.
I highly recommend starting with shadowboxing and beginning to use the slip once in a while. Then, you can move to use a rope once you feel comfortable. Here’s how it looks:
You hang a rope from one side of a wall to another at about your shoulder’s height. Then, you move from one side of the rope to another only by moving your head (that’s the slip!) You can even step forward when you feel more comfortable and sure of this technique.
That’s how you can learn the slip faster and more effectively.
#3 – Jab, Slip, Cross
Once you know how to slip, you can combine it with offensive moves.
Before we discuss this technique, what’s the impulse most boxers will go for when you throw a jab at them? They try and dodge the attack and throw a counterpunch.
Well, you can use this knowledge to your advantage now. For example, if you throw a jab, consider expecting the opponent to throw a hook or a cross at you. That’s when you use the slip to avoid the punch.
Do you understand what you just did? You created an angle for you to attack the opponent. That’s when you throw a cross and make the opponent dizzy.
The jab, and slip, followed by a cross, is a powerful technique many professional boxers and that you must learn to boost your skills.
#2 – Creating Angles
I decided to include this section although creating angles is a broad topic. However, it’s an extremely underrated skill you can develop to progress much faster than your training partners.
Many inexperienced boxers focus on offensive moves, specifically punching combinations and techniques. However, working only on offensive combinations isn’t worth as much as working on both your offensive and defensive games.
You can create angles by using all the defensive footwork drills I mentioned in this article; the slip, sidestep, and pivot. I recommend working on each technique one at a time because it’ll help you learn them faster and master all of them swiftly and more effectively than if you were to learn them all simultaneously.
If you learn how to create angles effectively, you’ll be in a much better position than all your training partners will be in the near future; do give it a try.
Creating angles is both an offensive and defensive move. Hence, you’ll avoid punches while having more opportunities to go on the offense. So, when you sidestep a punch your opponent threw, you both avoided the hit and can now throw a cross, hook, or an uppercut to make him dizzy.
You essentially caught two birds with one stone.
#1 – Jab + Cross (1,2)
The last technique ALL professional boxers use is the jab followed by a cross. You probably know it as one-two, if you’ve been learning to box for more than a week.
You’re fine if you have yet to attend a boxing class. You’ll learn all about the 1,2 in your first boxing session, as it’s the classiest boxing technique out there.
If you manage to land both the jab and cross, you’ll cause massive damage to the opponent; perhaps making him dizzy.
To perform the 1,2, all you need to do is throw a jab and a cross. This two combine perfectly together, as each uses another hand. For that reason, your opponent will get confused over the speed this combination offers if you have practiced it for long enough.
I believe the jab followed by a cross is the simplest, highly effective technique you can learn in the world of boxing. Consider practicing it if you haven’t yet done so.
Of course, there’s more to it other than simply throwing a jab and a cross. You’ll need to master the footwork behind it, which isn’t as complex as all the other offensive combinations in this list.
Here’s how you do it:
Final words
Bettering your boxing abilities—isn’t as hard as some boxers may initially think. The best way you can approach it is to take one technique and work on it one at a time.
You’ll be much better if you don’t mix everything up. Instead, working on one technique each time—is critical in skyrocketing your boxing skills. In addition, you can significantly increase your progression if you’re an inexperienced boxer who works on these techniques one at a time.
You’ll also enjoy reading about the 7 ways you can box without a punching bag. If you want to learn how you can do that, follow the link!