Getting into the ring for a boxing match requires a lot of strength, skill, punching ability and courage. In order to have a chance to win a fight, you must have done the proper preparation prior to the fight and you need to be in superior condition. Your training prior to the fight will also give you confidence when you enter the ring. If you have worked hard, followed your trainer's instructions and done well when you have had sparring sessions, you have prepared to compete and win the fight.
Step 1
Come out with an aggressive state of mind. If you have fear--most fighters do--put it to work for you. If that fear manifests itself in not wanting to be hit, make sure you do the hitting. When you come out for the fight, your state of mind should be to attack. This attack is not a reckless one, because you don't want to leave yourself open to getting hit. However you are looking for any hole in your opponent's defense that you can expose.
Step 2
Establish your left jab. For any right-handed fighter, the left jab is the most important punch. Throwing a left jab needs to come as naturally to most fighters as taking a breath. Your left jab is the lead punch throughout your attack. Any combination you throw will almost always come off the left jab. The punch can do plenty of damage all by itself and throw it to establish dominance in the fight and show your opponent that you are the aggressor. For left-handed fighters, the right jab is the equivalent punch. Hall of Fame fight trainer Angelo Dundee said the left jab is the most important punch in boxing.
Step 3
Move as you throw punches. Most fighters can find their openings when they circle their opponents. Right-handed fighters will circle to the left and left-handed fighters will move to the right. Your movement in the ring is not done to run away from your opponent or to overwhelm him with your speed. It is to help you seek out and exploit openings. As you move, he is forced to move. His defense is likely to suffer or at least change as you move and that will help you throw effective punches.
Step 4
Throw combinations to hurt your opponent. Freddie Roach is considered one of the top trainers in professional boxing. In 2010 he trains champion Manny Pacquiao and highly regarded prospect Jose Benavidez and has been given the World Boxing Council lifetime achievement award. Roach teaches all of his fighters to move their feet so that they can throw combinations. Boxing requires you to be aggressive if you are going to be successful and a combination shows you are willing to engage your opponent, throw two punches or more and defend yourself from his punches at the same time. When you throw your combinations, you are going to have to slow your movement because you want the punches to come from your legs, glutes and core muscles and not just your arms.
Step 5
Defend yourself at all times. Those are the prefight instructions delivered to each fighter by the referee. They are winning instructions. You may be winning the fight or possibly even dominating it because your left jab has been solid, your movement has been good and you have thrown combinations. That does not mean you are not vulnerable to a big punch or combination from your opponent. You must respect your opponent and realize he is a talented fighter as well. You do that by defending yourself from his blows with your movement and your ability to block his shots with your arms.
Posted in: Boxing