Right Handed Southpaw

[Happy Slapper]

Just started training for my first amateur bout and I am fighting southpaw even though I am right handed. I have always done this through my life with various bits of pad work etc but some of the guys in the gym are saying that I need to change to orthodox or I won't have any power in the later rounds.

Thing is, it feels so alien to fight orthodox and I lose a lot of speed - my biggest weapon.

Anyone had this problem and did they just continue to fight the wrong way around or train themselves to fight correctly?

I think I remember someone telling me once that De La Hoya was a left handed orthodox.

[Counter-puncher]

successful right-handed southpaws of (relatively) recent years would include, in no particular order, Ryan Rhodes, Victor Ortiz, Juanma Lopez, going back a bit you could cite Michael Moorer, Paulie Ayala. those are just names that I definitely know are righthanded southpaws. personally i box both ways and if anything find southpaw marginally more comfortable. you will need to work very hard on getting your left hand up to scratch, though.

when you say you are just starting training, but have 'done this though my life with bits of padwork etc', am I correct to assume this (now) is the first time you have started formally training in a gym environment?

basically i don't think there is a 'right' answer, here. I certainly don't agree that being a right-handed southpaw will necessarily mean you 'won't have any power in the later rounds'. but if 'all' you have done in the past is a bit of pad/bagwork and this is the first time you have done 'proper' training, it certainly isn't too late to switch back to orthodox. apologies if i have misread any of that.

i sometimes wonder if trainers etc say stuff like that because they aren't as comfortable training southpaws.

[Sklar]

Marvin Hagler did okay. Rigondeaux and Lomachenko are both right-handed and fight southpaw.

[Counter-puncher]

Marvin Hagler did okay. Rigondeaux and Lomachenko are both right-handed and fight southpaw.

duh, I forgot the best one of all!

I assumed Loma was right-handed from watching him but Rigondeauz surprises me a bit. he throws the left 'like a left hander', where most right handers there's something just a little off with the left in terms of a power punch.

[Ezzard]

Ayub Kalule...I'm sure he was a right handed southpaw... Or was he a lefty who fought orthadox?

[Counter-puncher]

Ayub Kalule...I'm sure he was a right handed southpaw...

yup

[housesecond]

A lot more common than you'd think.

[expe]

Miguel Cotto's left handed and fights orthodox, others have been listed in this thread. I can't see it really being an issue, power isn't a big thing in the amateurs and there are no later rounds there.

[dalcumly]

Most on here will be too young to remember but Dave Charnley was a right handed southpaw. In his day there were only TV highlights of boxing and he caught many an unsuspecting opponent with a right hook as they moved in and most didn't beat the count.

[stujones]

Just do what you feel comfortable with. A lot of amateur coaches ignore the importance of the legs and balance and I think that it very important when it comes to fighting stance.

[Rexob]

..

[Rexob]

Just knock his block off in the 1st and F! what your mates say.

[handsofstone]

Ive never had a fight but ive done a wee bit of training and im left handed so i used to automatically start in a southpaw stance because i thought i had to but whenever sparring or on the pads my feet switched to orthodox and my dad who boxed and trained boxers told me to to stay orthodox and that feels most natural for me now

The only time i do anything boxing related now is when im standing in the livingroom with a quick burst of shadowboxing and the mrs looking at me like im a fanny

[DougieCampbell]

Kevin McIntyre (former British Champ) is a right handed southpaw. Am sure he was anyway.

[SAPFO]

Nail that right hook properly, and watch your oppo fall to bits when he's felt one. I personally throw a lead left (back hand), into a right hook. Not the way it says in the 'book', but feels good to me.

[Rexob]

Ive never had a fight but ive done a wee bit of training and im left handed so i used to automatically start in a southpaw stance because i thought i had to but whenever sparring or on the pads my feet switched to orthodox and my dad who boxed and trained boxers told me to to stay orthodox and that feels most natural for me now

The only time i do anything boxing related now is when im standing in the livingroom with a quick burst of shadowboxing and the mrs looking at me like im a fanny

Thank f I'm not the only one

[Counter-puncher]

Ive never had a fight but ive done a wee bit of training and im left handed so i used to automatically start in a southpaw stance because i thought i had to but whenever sparring or on the pads my feet switched to orthodox and my dad who boxed and trained boxers told me to to stay orthodox and that feels most natural for me now

The only time i do anything boxing related now is when im standing in the livingroom with a quick burst of shadowboxing and the mrs looking at me like im a fanny

Thank f I'm not the only one

[palooka]

Just started training for my first amateur bout and I am fighting southpaw even though I am right handed. I have always done this through my life with various bits of pad work etc but some of the guys in the gym are saying that I need to change to orthodox or I won't have any power in the later rounds.

Thing is, it feels so alien to fight orthodox and I lose a lot of speed - my biggest weapon.

Anyone had this problem and did they just continue to fight the wrong way around or train themselves to fight correctly?

I think I remember someone telling me once that De La Hoya was a left handed orthodox.

You could get hold of a copy of The Tao Of Jeet Kun Do, the author advocates having the strongest hand closest to the opponent, he goes into detail and there are lots of notes regarding speed, economy of movement and power generation.

[Boxing Prospect]

Didn't De La Hoya fight "wrong handed" as well?

[coneye]

Its in the feet mate . . If your more inclined to kick a ball with your left foot . or can kick with either foot just has well , Southpaw is the go , Learn one way and learn it good , but the main thing is your balance must be there , you must be able to move punching backwards, forwards , and sideways , and be comfortable ,. If you can move back and get your distance correct you will be ok . .

Switchitting , is not something you should be trying , it looks good when Hagler done it but can leave you terriblly exposed , if you meet a opponent with the timing to catch you when you switch . Only the real good guys can do it succesfully .

Personaly i was a right handed , southpaw , I kicked with my right foot has well , but I could /can use my left feet and hand just has well has my right ,I can write just has well with either hand , shit at typing though, suppose you could say i was that ambigibous or whatever its called word .

Good luck with it , work on the power with the left hand , don't leave the left foot too far behind and the power will come , Or just give it a while has a orthodox and see how it goes.

[nitro5912]

I'm the opposite, I'm left handed,left footed completely however everything I do I do orthodox. I use ad orthodox stance and have done since I was a kid when I first stepped in the gym, still do now when I train twice a week. I carry speed and power with my right hand far better than when I try southpaw.

But I also play golf right handed. I think wht lefties it's probably due to being forced to do things right handed as a child.

My wife I the other hand when she comes down the gym uses a southpaw stance and is completely right handed. If it feels natural then it's probably the best. If you can nail you technique then it will be a weapon in your armoury

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Just started training for my first amateur bout and I am fighting southpaw even though I am right handed. I have always done this through my life with various bits of pad work etc but some of the guys in the gym are saying that I need to change to orthodox or I won't have any power in the later rounds.

It will be 3 x 2's which is 6 minutes, it won't be a factor for your first 9 fights. I would stick to what you are comfortable with, some people can switch hit - southpaws are horrible to fight, it seems that you can only land on the back of their head unless you have a nice left hook.

[dookus]

I think Mike Tyson was another "wrong-handed" fighter - a natural left hander trained to fight orthodox. Just go with what you're comfortable with - the less time spent thinking about it the better while you're fighting!

[Rogers21]

im left handed and fight orthadox all though also feel comfortable in southpaw

[Gazmac81]

My Brother was Right handed Southpaw and won British title so done well also my sons the same and Scottish Schoolboy Champion,

i think most people turn up at gym and go with what there comfortable with although there are loads of southpaws about these days , i think it was encouraged from abck when the cubans were dominating and most of them were southpaw.

i think if your really young then you start with whats comfortable maybe if your bit older when you start you are already suited to a stance.

suppose alot of people are different though,

Just started training for my first amateur bout and I am fighting southpaw even though I am right handed. I have always done this through my life with various bits of pad work etc but some of the guys in the gym are saying that I need to change to orthodox or I won't have any power in the later rounds.

Thing is, it feels so alien to fight orthodox and I lose a lot of speed - my biggest weapon.

Anyone had this problem and did they just continue to fight the wrong way around or train themselves to fight correctly?

I think I remember someone telling me once that De La Hoya was a left handed orthodox.