Tired of chasing your opponent around the ring only to have him slip away again and again? Instead, learn how to cut off the ring!
To cut off the ring, recognize your position in the ring, don’t follow your opponent, move sideways and with angles, and choose your punches wisely.
By using this strategy, you’ll control the fight, save your energy, and trap your opponent against the ropes or in the corner!
Keep reading for our tips on how to cut off the ring against an opponent.
How To Cut Off The Ring
To cut off the ring against your opponent,
- Recognize Your Position In The Ring
- Don’t Follow Your Opponent
- Move Sideways And With Angles
- Choose Your Punches Wisely
Recognize Your Position In The Ring
The first step to cutting off your opponent is to recognize your position in the ring.
At any time, ask yourself: “Is my opponent closer to the ropes than me?”
- If the answer is neither, maneuver your opponent to the ropes by applying pressure with your footwork and punches.
- If the answer is yes, then cut the half you control into quarters and choose one to direct your opponent towards.
- If the answer is no, you could be in trouble. Find a way back to the center of the ring.
Don’t Follow Your Opponent
The next step to cutting off your opponent is to not follow your opponent.
By blindly stepping where he goes, you could be walking into a trap.
This trap can be a combination or a counter. For example: your opponent can lean back on the ropes to launch a punch and then circle towards the middle of the ring.
It could also be an angle change so that you’re now the one being cut off in the ring.
So don’t get too excited if your opponent seems willing to back herself up against the ropes!
If you choose to follow your opponent, use some tact. Try feinting with your feet and jabs to test the range and get a feel for what your opponent is planning.
Move Sideways And With Angles
The next step to cutting off your opponent is to move sideways and with angles instead of moving forward.
This has multiple purposes:
- First, it ensures that you don’t walk into a trap.
- Next, it helps you control the range and inch towards your opponent’s perimeter without making it too obvious.
- Lastly, it helps you maintain and grow your ring advantage.
This last purpose is essential if you want to trap your opponent in a corner.
If you control half a ring and push your opponent towards the ropes, your angles will dictate which corner you push him towards.
Once you choose a corner, continue to use angles to keep him from escaping and to set up your best combinations.
Choose Your Punches Wisely
The last step to cutting off your opponent is to choose your punches wisely.
Once you have your opponent on the ropes or in the corner, you don’t want to swing widely, miss, and let him escape. Then you have to start all over again.
Even worse, if you punch out of control, your opponent can change the angle on you so that you’ll be against the ropes or trapped in the corner. Avoid this at all costs!
Aim to use body shots instead of head shots; your opponent is looking for an opportunity to roll under and escape.
When you use body shots, you’ll be hitting something even if your opponent blocks with his arm or glove. This stops your opponent from going in that direction.
Practice combinations that you’d use in this situation by using the wall bag; your footwork and power shots should mix up angles.
You should also keep your weight on the backfoot so that your body can’t be easily manipulated when you’re fighting close range.
Reasons You Should Cut Off The Ring
You should cut off the ring against your opponent because:
- Cutting Off The Ring Sets The Rhythm Of The Fight
- Cutting Off The Ring Saves Your Energy
- Cutting Off The Ring Traps Your Opponent
Cutting Off The Ring Sets The Rhythm Of The Fight
First, cutting off the ring sets the rhythm of the fight.
If you don’t cut off the ring, your opponent will do it against you and will control the tempo of the fight.
Putting pressure on your opponent isn’t always about throwing punches.
Often taking small, sure steps towards your opponent is enough to have the same effect.
Since space is limited in the boxing ring, every step matters. This is why it’s important to control the center of the ring as soon as possible and for as long as possible.
Cutting Off The Ring Saves Your Energy
Next, cutting off the ring saves your energy.
If you want to survive more than one round, you have to use your energy sparingly.
Chasing your opponent and walking straight into counters and traps is a sure way to gas out and give your opponent the upper hand.
By using angles, you’ll move efficiently instead of chasing your opponent around the ring.
Cutting Off The Ring Traps Your Opponent
Lastly, cutting off the ring traps your opponent.
Doing so not only traps your opponent physically, but also mentally.
Sometimes a well-placed step is enough to drive your opponent back and assert your dominance in the ring.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to cut off the ring, you won’t be chasing your opponent around anymore.
Plus you’ll have more energy since you’ll move efficiently!
Three minutes in the ring is a long time, so do whatever you can to save energy and use that time wisely to break down your opponent.
So what should you do when your opponent is successfully cutting off the ring?
If you find yourself in this situation, try:
- Using footwork and punches that “attacks” his lead foot. This can break her balance so you can create an opportunity to get back to the center of the ring.
- Baiting your opponent to throw a head shot so you can roll out and escape.
- Manipulating your opponent’s weight to get him against the ropes or in the corner.
If you’re having trouble applying this concept, do your shadowboxing warm-up and cool-down inside the ring so that you’ll have better awareness of your position.
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