Trading in the pocket

[pain=gain]

What are some things one can do to be more comfortable staying/trading in the pocket? i know the slip bag gets your head moving. I spend endless hours on mine. i cannot fight moving backwards. I work on moving in for the kill as well as angles to keep my opponent in front of me. But, I have not reached my desired comfort zone being in the pocket by any means. What can i do to get there?

[Matty lll]

Sparring, Sparring and more sparring. You can do all the slip bag drills you want but you won't feel comfortable until you have been in there with a live opponent countless times.

If you meant comfortable as in comfortable in your skill level then the best things would to get your trainer to do some pad work geared towards infighting with you.

You should also do a lot of double end bag as it gets you used to reacting to something which is moving quickly and improves you're reflexes and awareness.

[King of Sting]

First off, when you say fighting in the pocket, do you mean fighting on the inside ?

I want to know what makes you feel uncomfortable fighting in the pocket.

And, once you're fighting in the pocket how do you deal with it.

One thing about being in the pocket(inside fighting) is that it's not so much about vision anymore, it's about using your other senses.

Another important thing when you're fighting on the inside is to check your stance. Alot of times boxers get squared up when they're on the inside, this a common bad habit. Being squared up on the inside is the worst thing, because on the inside is when uppercuts are used. Your stance has to be the uneven just like how you're when you're staying on the outside, in other words don't give the opponent a bigger target.

And last but not least, keep your hands up, don't get too close where you end up smothering your own punches and stay relax.

[Matty lll]

First off, when you say fighting in the pocket, do you mean fighting on the inside ?

I want to know what makes you feel uncomfortable fighting in the pocket.

And, once you're fighting in the pocket how do you deal with it.

One thing about being in the pocket(inside fighting) is that it's not so much about vision anymore, it's about using your other senses.

Another important thing when you're fighting on the inside is to check your stance. Alot of times boxers get squared up when they're on the inside, this a common bad habit. Being squared up on the inside is the worst thing, because on the inside is when uppercuts are used. Your stance has to be the uneven just like how you're when you're staying on the outside, in other words don't give the opponent a bigger target.

And last but not least, keep your hands up, don't get too close where you end up smothering your own punches and stay relax.

This is particularly important. This is why doing pad work geared towards this helps because it teaches to you too REACT rather than THINK.

Quality post mate

[pain=gain]

First off, when you say fighting in the pocket, do you mean fighting on the inside ?

I want to know what makes you feel uncomfortable fighting in the pocket.

And, once you're fighting in the pocket how do you deal with it.

One thing about being in the pocket(inside fighting) is that it's not so much about vision anymore, it's about using your other senses.

Another important thing when you're fighting on the inside is to check your stance. Alot of times boxers get squared up when they're on the inside, this a common bad habit. Being squared up on the inside is the worst thing, because on the inside is when uppercuts are used. Your stance has to be the uneven just like how you're when you're staying on the outside, in other words don't give the opponent a bigger target.
And last but not least, keep your hands up, don't get too close where you end up smothering your own punches and stay relax.

Thats it right there. Im squaring up. My stance is putting me in the punching lanes. Good lookin king of sting. Matty thanks for the collab bro.

[Rockin']

One thing about being in the pocket(inside fighting) is that it's not so much about vision anymore, it's about using your other senses.

.

excellent observation. I would estimate maybe 40% of the punches that I ever slipped or caught in my glove were never seen but sensed.

Part of that I equate to good training and part I equate to what I call "The lab rat and the light theory". ok, they put a lab rat in a cage and hook up an electric prod to the rat. Then they turn on a light and at the same time they shock the rat. The rat jumps from the shock of electric current every time. They probably do this hundreds of times to the rat.

So then they disconnect the prods from the rat so that the rat is no longer shocked when the light is turned on. So they turn the light on again and the rat jumps even though he is not being shocked.

Eat a right hand and your right glove instinctively covers the ear for the hook that usually follows, same thing. You don't even think to do it, it just happens. Can't learn that in no book. The only place that you will learn that is in the ring going to war......................Rockin'

[raf727]

read the book 'the art of in-fighting' by frank klaus, its old as dirt but he knew his boxing and he makes some good points.

his main point in the book is sparring as much as you can, with as many different opponents as you can.

[Rockin']

his main point in the book is sparring as much as you can, with as many different opponents as you can.

I agee 100%, if you want to truely learn to box you have to box , study it and make precise moves instinctively in the split second that it all goes down. Part is proper training and the other part is the what the fighter is doing on his own instincts and reactions.......Rockin'

[Kimo]

It's definitely something I have to work on as well, and the skill this takes is incredibly underrated.

People always talk about the boxing skill of guys dancing around on the outside, and see a guy like Rios as just a random brawler with an iron chin. Obviously not true! Look at the Antillon fight! Here we get that Corralles/Castillo phonebooth fighting and it's not easy!

The logical answer to most boxing questions is sparring, practice the skills in a realistic setting. During my training we also practice this, getting inside, receiving a few hooks and answering straight away.

[BTF]

IT really just takes hours and hours of sparring to get used to this.

Some tips:
Roll or slip after every punch or combination you throw.
Maintain a high guard.
Work on counterpunching.