BoxRec

I am naturally right handed, but a southpaw stance feels normal to me.

Is this correct or am I just compensating for the fact I don't have much of a left hand by direct everything through my right and front hand?

Are there are any southpaws who are naturally right handed but box this way through choice, or vice-versa, lefties who box orthodox. I heard Manny is a right handed southpaw...

De La Hoya?

Yep, they've been plenty in history. The one that springs to mind is one of the top domestic lightmiddleweights a few years ago, Steve Roberts. He was right-handed but boxed as a southpaw. However, you also maybe be right that you are compensating for the fact that your left hand is weak. Especially if you're just starting boxing.

Try going orthodox and practice hitting the bag every other round solely with your left hand (jab). It will improve your left hand no end - though it will be hard going at first. For me even though I'm right handed after about 6 months boxing training my left hand became better than my right hand. I then had to work on my rightcross/straight right/right hook to get it up to par with my left hook/jab.

Erik Morales is a lefty who boxes orthodox.

As is Cotto

I'm left handed and naturally take up an orthodox stance, but then I'm no Morales or Cotto :)

i think it's about what feels comfortable - the Ingle camp (and some others) actually favour developing a style that allows you to switch stances, potentially giving you more options in certain fights eg if you're boxing a kid who seems to have you all worked out from the orthodox stance, swapping southpaw poses a new difficulty.

i'm a novice who only trains to keep fit, but like you when i spar i stand southpaw even though i am right handed because it feels comfortable and gives me a stronger jab - useful against stronger and better opponents (which when it comes to me means practically everyone i ever train with!)

I am south but convert to ortho to help others spar. Now my right hook is my best punch.

And I am a Morales or Cotto.

Hagler was too.

I had a southpaw stance despite being right handed , and it felt more natural that way , but my coach drilled me into an orthadox stance , i was never anything great but when i train with my white collar fighters nowdays i think southpaw feels really odd

Marco Antonio Barrera (who seems to be the name I keep posting about this week -- see also the "middle class boxers" & "greats with no amateur experience" threads) is another lefty who boxed orthodox.

Winky Wright

Henry Cooper, Dean Francis - left handed authox.... Its no bad thing.

My advice, what you feel comfortable with stick - don't change no matter who tell you. Cause its not only the hands thats this involves. Your fighting stance is as much, if not more, about your legs. So if your comfortable there, stick at it. At a later date you might be a switcher hitter, but cross that bridge later. You'll have a mean jab - nowt wrong with that.

Handedness is a strange thing - not everyone is best in every sport in one hand. For example, I play darts as a lefty, throw as a lefty, write as a lefty, play tennis and cricket with the right hand (and useless as a left). I'm a authodox, but felt very left handed when fighting. Had so many so called coaches telling me to switch - as a naive youngster I would listen.... stick to what your comfortable with cause your legs are involved also. Natural comfort is what I would recommend.... and tell anyone who is adamant to switch to f off.

Henry Wharton was a left handed orthordox.

In a couple of the more modern martial arts - 'jun fan' and 'jeet kun do' the proponent uses their stronger hand closer to their foe. Some of the left handed boxers who boxed orthodox had incredible power in their lead hooks and very strong jabs.

billy bessey wrote:

Poncey wrote:I am south but convert to ortho to help others spar. Now my right hook is my best punch.

And I am a Morales or Cotto.

tut tut tut come on poncey you know what happens in sparring stays in sparring just ask no 1 southpaw

bill why don't you grow up that wind up was a long time ago, i know for a fact that if we boxed i would stop you in a couple of rounds, you was cr^p as a pro but i dont go on about it do i ??

Right Handed

Manny Pacquiao
Sergio Martinez
Paul Williams
John O’Donnell
Guillermo Rigondeaux

Left Handed

Andre Ward
Oscar De La Hoya
Andre Dirrell
Curtis Woodhouse
Mikkel Kessler

Right Handed

Chad Dawson

Left Handed

Nonito Donaire

MachoMan09 wrote:

DIRT SUGAR wrote:Hagler was too.

Yep, that's the first name that sprung to my mind and then Oscar as a left handed orthodox.

As were Tony Sibson and Henry Cooper. Hence the booming left hooks. Tyson may be left handed too? Anyone confirm that?