Learn how to pull to dodge a punch!
While many people focus on the offense of boxing, the defense and footwork is just as important.
A good pull helps you avoid getting hit, takes away your opponent’s momentum, and sets up your counterattack.
Keep reading for our guide on how to pull to dodge a punch.
How To Pull To Dodge A Punch
To pull to dodge a punch:
- Start With A Boxer’s Stance
- Imagine A Punch Coming Towards You
- Take A Step Back With Your Rear Foot
Start With A Boxer’s Stance
First, start with a boxer’s stance.
The boxer’s stance will be the beginning and endpoints of the pull.
Keep your hands up, chin and elbows tucked, and eyes up.
Your weak foot should be your lead foot and your body should be tilted slightly off center. This will make your body smaller as a target.
Relax and breathe. Don’t clench your hands and forearms.
You are now ready to pull back to dodge a punch.
Imagine A Punch Coming Towards You
Next, imagine a punch coming towards you.
Learning how to pull back to dodge a punch is mental: imagine a jab, cross, or hook coming towards your face.
When the time comes for you to dodge a punch, your mind will be ready and your body will not flinch and freeze.
This technique of mental visualization is undertrained by beginner boxers.
Your mind should make the movement first before your body does.
Take A Step Back With Your Rear Foot
Lastly, with your lead foot planted, take a step back with your rear foot to create distance between you and your opponent’s punch.
The lead foot stays planted so that you can keep your range if you throw a jab or cross. If you pull back and remove your lead foot, you have to find your range again.
With the back foot holding your body’s weight, your body is coiled and ready to throw a sharp jab or powerful cross.
Common Mistakes While Pulling To Dodge A Punch
Some of the common mistakes that beginners make while pulling away from punches are:
- Pulling Too Far Back
- Dropping The Hands After
- Not Going On The Attack After
Pulling Too Far Back
The first mistake that beginners make while pulling away from punches is pulling too far back.
Keep in mind that your head contributes to a lot of your body’s weight. If you pull too hard and move far off center, you will be off balance.
A good pull will make a punch miss the side of your head by a distance of less than an inch (or a distance of a couple of centimeters).
Keeping your pulls sharp and controlled will also allow you to counter easily right after making your opponent miss.
Dropping The Hands After
The next mistake that beginners make after pulling away from a punch is dropping the hands after.
We don’t know why this happens, but we’ve seen it enough times to notice and call it out.
If it works for you, then great, but if you’re a beginner, we recommend using your gloves to block punches as well.
Not Going On The Attack After
The last mistake that beginners make after pulling away from a punch successfully is not going on the attack.
After you slip or roll to dodge a punch, you’re usually in a good position to launch your attack.
The pull is no different.
If your timing is on point, you can even launch your attack as your opponent’s hand is coming back to his face.
It’s hard to execute, but extremely effective.
Why Should You Learn How To Pull?
The pull is a simple way to create distance between you and your opponent without having to give up your position.
Next, it allows you to box in the pocket longer and opens up opportunities for counter punches.
This is another great example of how footwork creates options.
Lastly, knowing how to pull allows you to control the range and know the exact limit of your opponent’s reach.
Conclusion
If you want to set up a counter jab or cross with a simple step, the pull is a great tool.
When you are shadowboxing as a beginner, make sure to visualize a jab coming towards your face.
On offense, try combining the pull with throwing a jab or a throwing a cross counter.
See how Floyd Mayweather, one of the best counter punchers in boxing, uses the pull to set up a strong counterattack with his cross.
In this video, Mayweather baits his opponent by leaning his head forward. He does this to give the illusion that he is closer to his opponent than he actually is.
Then his opponent falls for the trap by throwing a jab, leaving him open for a counterattack.
Note that his back foot is light so there’s no windup with his body. Instead he shoots his cross straight out like a cannon.
One possible way to defeat this move is to follow up the jab with a quick cross before Mayweather’s counter attack is thrown.
This is where the pull can become multi-dimensional:
Combine the pull with a slipping a punch on the back foot while lowering your height.
From here you can drive out backwards to increase the range and escape your opponent’s attacks.
Next, you can pivot your back foot out to change the angle.
Canelo Alvarez uses this technique regularly in his fights.
At 0:33, see how the last pivot of the back foot makes his opponent’s cross miss and changes the angle at the same time.
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