The Sweet Science: Like a game of chess, a boxing match has an infinite number of combinations and different ways a fight can play out.
In the beginning of your development, I find it much more important to understand themes (changing levels/speed, countering and feinting, fighting on the inside vs the outside, etc) than to just memorize combinations. Just like in chess you learn basic strategies and tactics (center control, when to castle, forks, pins, discovered openings, etc) before memorizing openings.
Yes, at a certain level it becomes necessary to memorize combinations (or chess openings). But that’s all for naught if you don’t understand the underlying reasons WHY that set of punches (or moves) works. Without that understanding, you could literally use a random number generator and you’d have your endless supply of combos to throw.
So I don’t post any videos like “100 combinations to try at home!” Instead, I have a library of boxing drills segmented by theme on my website. I hope to teach young fighters the sweet science – and how to have the situational awareness to know what combinations will be effective in which scenario. In the beginning, a fighter may have less combinations to work through (for example, a go to strategy against a smaller fighter, a different one against a taller fighter, and another one for a southpaw). Over time, that arsenal will get deeper and deeper, with the fighter knowing how to pick his or her spots throughout the fight to set something up in the later rounds. But that’s developed over time – and once the fighter commits to understanding the “sweet science” of the sport.
As you may know, I am currently donating my time to host outdoor classes and virtual online boxing classes for the members of our 501c(3) non-profit boxing gym, Dreamland Boxing. As an active member of Dreamland, you will receive the materials and video recaps of each lesson through my website under the “Premium Drills” section.
