Right handed Southpaw

[Powellm]

Long time boxing fan who's decided to take up the sport but I'm confused about which stance to take. I started in orthodox as I'm right handed, but found myself trying out southpaw and feeling more comfortable in it. I started to do this after some training drills when I noticed I can throw a cross faster and more accurately from southpaw. It has a snap to it, whilst my right cross feels ponderous, but is probably the heavier of the two. My movement and stance in southpaw is also a lot more fluid and feels more comfortable, I move more quickly and square up less.

I'm a short fighter but strong for my size, so when orthodox I want to close the distance and throw powers shots in close. The problem is I have mild asthma so this saps my stamina quickly, I can't keep up a pressure style very well, and on the outside my reach puts me at a disadvantage. When I'm southpaw I feel like I can get in and out with my movement, the range on my jab feels less of an issue, since it's my power hand so I can throw it faster and harder, and the right hook, my favorite shot, is now a lead and easier to use. I also feel the right hand jab and having better movement will allow me to control the pace of a fight better, which I think will be key for me.

All this is hypothetical right now as I haven't got into full sparing yet, but till I find a stance I'm comfortable with, I don't feel I can progress, as I feel like two different fighters in each stance.

As you can probably tell I tend to over think things, so am I just another beginner who is doing what is easy rather than what is right, or are the reasons I've given valid ones to consider converting?

Finally, what are your thoughts on converted fighters in general? I've read some coaches saying it should never be done, but converted fighters have won world titles, so it can't all be negative?

[Counter-puncher]

Watch some Winky Wright, Paulie Ayala, Victor Ortiz in his relatively rare better moments at the top level, for some right handed southpaws doing their thing. Lomachenko is a righty, too.

[Counter-puncher]

there's no 'should' or 'should not' with this

there are successul lefties who fight orthodox (DLH for example) and righties fighting southpaw. if it feels comfortable, especially with footwork, I;d say thats how you should go, as there are pros and cons to having your strongest hand leading.

[Cent0089]

Hello. Ive had similar problem. I feel more comfortable in southpaw stance (better foot movement). But problem was, power in my left is maybe 60% of my right :( . It was good feeling to have strong jab, but if you are´nt Joshua or Klitschko, you hardly knock people with jab . So i am working to be better in orthodox stance . Anyway i am not active boxer, only few sparrings in month. But if you feel you left is similar powerful as your right, southpaw stance seems good idea for me. Good luck man

[pablothunder]

M.A. Barrera was a left handed righty.
Me too, (actually a switch hitter, so I was told but, I take up an orthodox stance initially) only not so effective as the Baby Faced Assassin

[Kalan]

The reason most righties fight orthodox and most lefties fight southpaw is the way your brain is wired from birth... It feels much more natural for a right hander to box in an orthodox stance. His left jab is actually stronger, quicker, and more accurate and he has better timing on it... his straight right power shot destroys people... and his left hook clips people's chins off. You're either left handed or right handed. Each hand is naturally much better at different tasks -- so don't rewire your brain -- because you CAN rewire it, but it generally leads to a less than optimal results.. Hagler started the Leonard fight in an orthodox stance and gave away a few rounds -- switch hitting is not the greatest idea either.

Oscar De La Hoya was superbly talented, but he never did develop a dominant jab. His straight right was always weak -- and he lost most of his fights to the world's top names.. I believe he would have had a better career as a southpaw and with fewer psychological problems.. Messing with your brain's wiring is actually known to lead to various psychological problems..

It's fine to practice in a southpaw stance so you can use it strategically on occasion if you're determined to do that, but do most of your boxing out of your natural stance until you can get out of your bed and box. Boxing is all about instincts. A master boxer's instincts are so finely developed that he believes his body reacts before he even thinks. That's why you hear trainer's say "If you have to think it's too late." I don't think that's true. You're really thinking faster than you even realize. "How did I slip that punch?" It's your brain that did it. It's very finely programmed and calibrated.

[IKSRTFO]

Watch some Winky Wright, Paulie Ayala, Victor Ortiz in his relatively rare better moments at the top level, for some right handed southpaws doing their thing. Lomachenko is a righty, too.

Along with Marvin Hagler, who was also right-handed and a bit short for his weight class as well.

[IKSRTFO]

The reason most righties fight orthodox and most lefties fight southpaw is the way your brain is wired from birth... It feels much more natural for a right hander to box in an orthodox stance. His left jab is actually stronger, quicker, and more accurate and he has better timing on it... his straight right power shot destroys people... and his left hook clips people's chins off. You're either left handed or right handed. Each hand is naturally much better at different tasks -- so don't rewire your brain -- because you CAN rewire it, but it generally leads to a less than optimal results.. Hagler started the Leonard fight in an orthodox stance and gave away a few rounds -- switch hitting is not the greatest idea either.

Oscar De La Hoya was superbly talented, but he never did develop a dominant jab. His straight right was always weak -- and he lost most of his fights to the world's top names.. I believe he would have had a better career as a southpaw and with fewer psychological problems.. Messing with your brain's wiring is actually known to lead to various psychological problems..

It's fine to practice in a southpaw stance so you can use it strategically on occasion if you're determined to do that, but do most of your boxing out of your natural stance until you can get out of your bed and box. Boxing is all about instincts. A master boxer's instincts are so finely developed that he believes his body reacts before he even thinks. That's why you hear trainer's say "If you have to think it's too late." I don't think that's true. You're really thinking faster than you even realize. "How did I slip that punch?" It's your brain that did it. It's very finely programmed and calibrated.

Hagler is a right handed southpaw so he was rewired from the start. When he took up the orthodox stance in the Leonard tance, which by your standard would be technically correct with his weak hand (left) as a lead, he wasn't as effective.

DLH not developing a dominant jab is more of a personal issue. Manny doesn't have one neither and he is left handed and southpaw which is correct. Cotto like Oscar is a left handed othodox and he has a pretty good jab. It depends on what makes the fighter more effective.

[Kalan]

You need to pay better attention when you read my posts IKSRTFO

I said you CAN rewire your brain... Many do.. If you box 95% of the time as a southpaw, say from the time you're 12 to the time you're 32, you're GOING to have far greater skills from the southpaw stance.. What Hagler's reasons for boxing orthodox versus Leonard were -- only he and his trainers know them.. But it took them a while to realize it wasn't working and go to plan B... The orthodox stance strategy possibly cost them the fight.

I will also say -- although he was making his first start as a Middleweight and carried 3 years of ring rust -- Leonard showed a better stance, movement, jab, straight right, footwork, and combination punching... which allowed him to beat the favorite.

[walshb]

Right handed or left handed or a bit of both doesn't matter. Whatever you feel more comfortable with and coordinated with and balanced with is what decides your lead foot-stance.

[Kalan]

The problem with that is many converted southpaws had coaches who decided their stance for them -- because they were used to training right handers.

Also, occasionally there are coaches who think southpaws are much more difficult to fight (how many southpaws has Joshua fought for instance?) because nobody faces the style with regularity... Ali was the first Heavyweight Champion who ever fought a southpaw challenger because they would convert so many of them.

There was a top Cuban coach who had all his new kids fight southpaw. He thought it would give them a big edge in international competitions based on the lack of familiarity and the trickiness of the style. That strategy back fired -- because for a while their domestic competitions had so many southpaws facing each other it negated the advantage southpaws get.. But the top Cuban boxers Rigondeaux, Ortiz, and Lara are all southpaws, so they produced a lot of them

[Stuarty]

Always felt I had a very good right jab whereas my left was ok. I'm right handed. When I stood southpaw (never in a bout) I found my right hand had far more snap but more importantly I could bring it back quicker and it seemed natural. Footing was all wrong though. On the other hand my left hand was always naturally too low and it seemed an effort to remember something that happened naturally in reverse!

Dunno if there's anyone else that has experienced this?

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

[Kalan]

Always felt I had a very good right jab whereas my left was ok. I'm right handed. When I stood southpaw (never in a bout) I found my right hand had far more snap but more importantly I could bring it back quicker and it seemed natural. Footing was all wrong though. On the other hand my left hand was always naturally too low and it seemed an effort to remember something that happened naturally in reverse!

Dunno if there's anyone else that has experienced this?

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

You have to remember that Boxing seems awkward for a lot of kids because there's so few natural boxers... There's fewer natural gymnasts, because Gymnastics, if you want to be an all around competitor, is about 10 X as difficult to learn if you're talking about becoming world class. Some of the most basic skills can take you years to master. Of course they have a great many quality coaches and Boxing doesn't have so many.

Wladimir Klitschko was a very awkward and clunky boxer for many of his amateur fights... He didn't have natural talent... He had so much desire and energy that he started winning anyway.. Losses did not effect him except they made him work harder than ever.. When you start making the national teams the coaching is better and more consistent -- and the environment is better and more organized.

As long as you're an amateur or a green pro, you're bound to have various problems with your stance, hand placement, footwork, feints, punch execution, and various defensive skills.. Learning and perfecting skills isn't something everyone doesn't go through.. But the reason you always fought out of an orthodox stance in all your fights -- is it felt more natural with your stance and footwork, and you could throw your right hand power shots a lot better. You had to give up something to gain those advantages and it was an immediate proficiency with your right hand punches and right hand guard.

Although your left jab will start out way behind your right jab -- after you box for 5 or 6 years your left jab will be as good as your right jab could ever have gotten to if you went with that stance -- and after you box for 10 years your left jab will be better than your right jab could ever have gotten to because your overall proficiency aids the development of each skill. The boxers with the greatest jabs, such as Tunney, Pep, Holmes, and Mayweather, weren't converted right handers or converted southpaws.

[Controversial]

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

I'm left handed (write) and boxed orthodox, although I could also switch to southpaw (albeit I couldn't box as good), but I kick right footed, hold a tennis racket, pool cue etc... right handed, use a mouse right handed. However I throw a ball left handed and play darts left handed. Strangely even though I'm left handed I'm actually stronger with my right, when it comes to lifting anything heavy I use my right arm. Not sure if that makes me ambidextrous because I can't write with my right hand.

[Kalan]

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

I'm left handed (write) and boxed orthodox, although I could also switch to southpaw (albeit I couldn't box as good), but I kick right footed, hold a tennis racket, pool cue etc... right handed, use a mouse right handed. However I throw a ball left handed and play darts left handed. Strangely even though I'm left handed I'm actually stronger with my right, when it comes to lifting anything heavy I use my right arm. Not sure if that makes me ambidextrous because I can't write with my right hand.

You're doing it correctly.. It makes sense for you to box orthodox if your right hand is your strong hand or your power hand... And it also makes sense if your striking things with your right hand -- which you do with a tennis racket and pool cue -- you're using a striking motion with your right hand when you do those things... It's a little unusual to throw left handed and bat right handed, but that DOES happen.. As a batter faces a pitcher, that's the way you want to face your opponent as a boxer.. with your left hand forward..

It really doesn't matter if you throw left handed, as weird as that sounds -- and that is fairly unusual but brain wiring is unique to the individual.. There're 7 billion people on Earth and I can guarantee you their brains are all unique.. If you take a bat and swing at a baseball with the most powerful and accurate swing possible -- and the way it feels the most natural to you -- that's your best boxing stance.. Since you write left handed -- that's a pretty intricate thing that you can't do with your right hand -- you might have an even better jab because of that.. Since the jab is the most intricate and skilled punch there is... and the punch used the most often... and also the one with the least power.. but the one that does all the setup work and the majority of the leading.. You don't want your stronger hand leading of course.. Since the left creates the opportunity and your pile driver right is the clean up hitter.

Now people are going to say, but isn't the left hook the most powerful punch in Boxing? ... It's certainly a KO punch and extremely powerful, but the hardest driven shot is the straight power shot -- and that's not delivered with you lead hand.

[Controversial]

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

I'm left handed (write) and boxed orthodox, although I could also switch to southpaw (albeit I couldn't box as good), but I kick right footed, hold a tennis racket, pool cue etc... right handed, use a mouse right handed. However I throw a ball left handed and play darts left handed. Strangely even though I'm left handed I'm actually stronger with my right, when it comes to lifting anything heavy I use my right arm. Not sure if that makes me ambidextrous because I can't write with my right hand.

You're doing it correctly.. It makes sense for you to box orthodox if your right hand is your strong hand or your power hand... And it also makes sense if your striking things with your right hand -- which you do with a tennis racket and pool cue -- you're using a striking motion with your right hand when you do those things... It's a little unusual to throw left handed and bat right handed, but that DOES happen.. As a batter faces a pitcher, that's the way you want to face your opponent as a boxer.. with your left hand forward..

It really doesn't matter if you throw left handed, as weird as that sounds -- and that is fairly unusual but brain wiring is unique to the individual.. There're 7 billion people on Earth and I can guarantee you their brains are all unique.. If you take a bat and swing at a baseball with the most powerful and accurate swing possible -- and the way it feels the most natural to you -- that's your best boxing stance.. Since you write left handed -- that's a pretty intricate thing that you can't do with your right hand -- you might have an even better jab because of that.. Since the jab is the most intricate and skilled punch there is... and the punch used the most often... and also the one with the least power.. but the one that does all the setup work and the majority of the leading.. You don't want your stronger hand leading of course.. Since the left creates the opportunity and your pile driver right is the clean up hitter.

Now people are going to say, but isn't the left hook the most powerful punch in Boxing? ... It's certainly a KO punch and extremely powerful, but the hardest driven shot is the straight power shot -- and that's not delivered with you lead hand.

Yes I guess so. I did find it an advantage boxing as I found the jab the easiest punch to throw and although stronger with my right, my left isn't too far behind strength wise, in other words I can switch arms for a lot of things. I guess I had the best of both worlds in that regards as I'm comfortable throwing any punch.

[toxedo911]

My best mate is an ex pro and a southpaw. He writes with his left hand but when we all played football (soccer) he was right footed and played right mid!

I'm left handed (write) and boxed orthodox, although I could also switch to southpaw (albeit I couldn't box as good), but I kick right footed, hold a tennis racket, pool cue etc... right handed, use a mouse right handed. However I throw a ball left handed and play darts left handed. Strangely even though I'm left handed I'm actually stronger with my right, when it comes to lifting anything heavy I use my right arm. Not sure if that makes me ambidextrous because I can't write with my right hand.

You're doing it correctly.. It makes sense for you to box orthodox if your right hand is your strong hand or your power hand... And it also makes sense if your striking things with your right hand -- which you do with a tennis racket and pool cue -- you're using a striking motion with your right hand when you do those things... It's a little unusual to throw left handed and bat right handed, but that DOES happen.. As a batter faces a pitcher, that's the way you want to face your opponent as a boxer.. with your left hand forward..

It really doesn't matter if you throw left handed, as weird as that sounds -- and that is fairly unusual but brain wiring is unique to the individual.. There're 7 billion people on Earth and I can guarantee you their brains are all unique.. If you take a bat and swing at a baseball with the most powerful and accurate swing possible -- and the way it feels the most natural to you -- that's your best boxing stance.. Since you write left handed -- that's a pretty intricate thing that you can't do with your right hand -- you might have an even better jab because of that.. Since the jab is the most intricate and skilled punch there is... and the punch used the most often... and also the one with the least power.. but the one that does all the setup work and the majority of the leading.. You don't want your stronger hand leading of course.. Since the left creates the opportunity and your pile driver right is the clean up hitter.

Now people are going to say, but isn't the left hook the most powerful punch in Boxing? ... It's certainly a KO punch and extremely powerful, but the hardest driven shot is the straight power shot -- and that's not delivered with you lead hand.

Great post but answer this. I box south paw, but my dominant leg is my left, and I can fight from both stances, but my dominant foot has always been my left, even though I am right handed.
I move well with my left, I used to play soccer kicking with my left....my straight left is cool, and my jab is well, and this is from both stances.

[Kalan]

Hmm... You box from both stances, but you didn't say equally well. You seem to prefer boxing southpaw and absolute comfort and naturalness are big issues.

I'm not the greatest expert on dominant footedness and how it relates to a boxing stance, but here's what I know...

In MMA, Muay Thai, and Kickboxing there is a lot of striking with bare feet, knees, bare heel strikes, and even the shins are used as weapons. Both feet are deadly KO weapons, but you want your power foot to the rear with your lead foot feinting, probing for opening, scoring points, and starting most kick combinations. Your power foot is to the rear of your stance causing sheer devastation. The feet and legs are as important as the hands in those sports.. You put your power foot to the rear since most of your time is spent developing your kicking technique. In those sports you'd be a southpaw.

But in Boxing you only strike with the end of the fists -- so you want your power hand to the rear. Since you box from both stances and your left jab is well and your straight right is also cool as your straight left -- and I would guess it's a little more powerful than your straight left because you're right handed -- you need to figure out if it IS in fact more powerful.. If it is your best stance is orthodox.. Your left jab is not going to start out as adroit as your right jab, but as you master the jab over time it has far more potential. And you’ll have that right hand finisher that De La Hoya lacked because you’re right handed. In the sport of Boxing you're mostly likely best suited with an orthodox stance.

[Perseus]

I'm left handed (write) and boxed orthodox, although I could also switch to southpaw (albeit I couldn't box as good), but I kick right footed, hold a tennis racket, pool cue etc... right handed, use a mouse right handed. However I throw a ball left handed and play darts left handed. Strangely even though I'm left handed I'm actually stronger with my right, when it comes to lifting anything heavy I use my right arm. Not sure if that makes me ambidextrous because I can't write with my right hand.

You're doing it correctly.. It makes sense for you to box orthodox if your right hand is your strong hand or your power hand... And it also makes sense if your striking things with your right hand -- which you do with a tennis racket and pool cue -- you're using a striking motion with your right hand when you do those things... It's a little unusual to throw left handed and bat right handed, but that DOES happen.. As a batter faces a pitcher, that's the way you want to face your opponent as a boxer.. with your left hand forward..

It really doesn't matter if you throw left handed, as weird as that sounds -- and that is fairly unusual but brain wiring is unique to the individual.. There're 7 billion people on Earth and I can guarantee you their brains are all unique.. If you take a bat and swing at a baseball with the most powerful and accurate swing possible -- and the way it feels the most natural to you -- that's your best boxing stance.. Since you write left handed -- that's a pretty intricate thing that you can't do with your right hand -- you might have an even better jab because of that.. Since the jab is the most intricate and skilled punch there is... and the punch used the most often... and also the one with the least power.. but the one that does all the setup work and the majority of the leading.. You don't want your stronger hand leading of course.. Since the left creates the opportunity and your pile driver right is the clean up hitter.

Now people are going to say, but isn't the left hook the most powerful punch in Boxing? ... It's certainly a KO punch and extremely powerful, but the hardest driven shot is the straight power shot -- and that's not delivered with you lead hand.

Great post but answer this. I box south paw, but my dominant leg is my left, and I can fight from both stances, but my dominant foot has always been my left, even though I am right handed.
I move well with my left, I used to play soccer kicking with my left....my straight left is cool, and my jab is well, and this is from both stances.

Does the left side/right side dilemma stop at boxing and kicking or does it apply to life in general for you?

I write and eat with my left hand so that makes me left handed.
After that there is no consistency for me.


I boxed right handed and was never comfortable standing southpaw, nobody turned me around I did it on my own.(I am 49, haven't done any boxing since my teens)
My dominant foot is the right, I kick a football or soccer ball with the right leg.
For baseball I bat right but throw left.
Basketball, save layups I shoot left-handed. Dribble and pass equally well(or bad) with either hand.
A football I throw equally well with either hand.
I played tennis right handed.
I bowl and throw a frisbee with the right and can't even begin to do either with the left.
Darts and pool left handed.

Most hand tools I use with my right hand(wrenches, wratchets,hammers, saws etc.) but I hold a drill in my left hand.
I shoot a rifle left handed but hold handguns with the right.
tv remotes and cell phones, right hand.

Are you right-handed but use the left almost as much as the right?

[Kalan]

I write and eat with my left hand so that makes me left handed .... I boxed right handed and was never comfortable standing southpaw, nobody turned me around I did it on my own.(I am 49, haven't done any boxing since my teens) .... My dominant foot is the right, I kick a football or soccer ball with the right leg .... For baseball I bat right but throw left .... I played tennis right handed .... I bowl and throw a frisbee with the right and can't even begin to do either with the left .... Darts and pool left handed .... I shoot a rifle left handed but hold handguns with the right .... tv remotes and cell phones, right hand

Perseus you're another demonstration that human brains are wired uniquely at birth and we do various tasks better with different hands... You never felt comfortable at southpaw for a reason... What stands out for me is that you bat right handed and play tennis right handed... Those are both striking functions and that almost always means your best stance will be orthodox... There's more touch and finesse to darts, pool, writing, shooting a basketball, and even eating. You're not trying to drive a baseball out of the park with those tasks or smash an ace serve in Tennis.. The jab is the major finesse punch, so I would guess you had a good one.

Most of us do the vast majority of those tasks with one hand or the other.. When it's divided up like that your abilities are more evenly defined.. to where you're more likely to get opponents out with either hand -- are more likely to be a boxer than a puncher -- and take more interest in the craft than the KO.

[Perseus]

I write and eat with my left hand so that makes me left handed .... I boxed right handed and was never comfortable standing southpaw, nobody turned me around I did it on my own.(I am 49, haven't done any boxing since my teens) .... My dominant foot is the right, I kick a football or soccer ball with the right leg .... For baseball I bat right but throw left .... I played tennis right handed .... I bowl and throw a frisbee with the right and can't even begin to do either with the left .... Darts and pool left handed .... I shoot a rifle left handed but hold handguns with the right .... tv remotes and cell phones, right hand

Perseus you're another demonstration that human brains are wired uniquely at birth and we do various tasks better with different hands... You never felt comfortable at southpaw for a reason... What stands out for me is that you bat right handed and play tennis right handed... Those are both striking functions and that almost always means your best stance will be orthodox... There's more touch and finesse to darts, pool, writing, shooting a basketball, and even eating. You're not trying to drive a baseball out of the park with those tasks or smash an ace serve in Tennis.. The jab is the major finesse punch, so I would guess you had a good one.

Most of us do the vast majority of those tasks with one hand or the other.. When it's divided up like that your abilities are more evenly defined.. to where you're more likely to get opponents out with either hand -- are more likely to be a boxer than a puncher -- and take more interest in the craft than the KO.

I didn't box long enough or take it seriously enough to find out any of those things.