From time to time you will come across this guy: he is less skilled than you, he does not believe in defense, he has no patterns or combinations; it only comes head on with quick machine gun style swipes. I’m not talking about high volume, fast punchers like Pacquiao or P. Williams, these guys have style and head movement and footwork to complement their onslaught. I’m talking about the ignoramus who just comes straight ahead. The problem is that he probably has a decent amount of stamina and speed, and if you’re not sure how to handle this guy, you might have to wait until the third round to really get his number, if you’re having a bad day, even that might not happen. These guys can make you look bad while they unleash a rage on you, and even more so if they brought their girlfriend to impress.

I’ve handled these guys three ways, not all of them will work the same depending on your opponent’s speed and your current level of fitness. These are fighting strategies, general strategies that you will find work especially well against lesser skill machine gun fighters.

1) Strengthen your defense and squeeze him. The rapid fire puncher usually has no idea how to move back, let alone fight moving back, they expect you to follow the game plan that if he’s going to get ahead, you’re going to either back up or stay where you are. This is perfect for him, as he can measure distance (as he does on the bag) and use momentum to chase you as you retreat. The other thing he loves is a fight, he brings you down to his level and negates the finer points of your game. So here’s what I recommend, adopt a Winky Wright defense, hands up, elbows to ribs, forearms as pillars. Make sure your hands are slightly open and palm facing in a bit to prevent uppercuts from finding their way easily (see picture below, I’ve left a glove on so you can see hand position ).

Once you’ve got into this stance, move towards your opponent, walk into their punching range, and when he starts shooting, move one step closer. It helps if you can twist your body from left to right at the same time and absorb the blows, but it’s not necessary, try to make him feel uncomfortably close, if he tries to adjust the distance then move closer. Most of the time he will step back to gain space or catch his breath, and this is when you go on the attack. It’s very rare that I recommend throwing a straight right, but this is one of those times, the moment he steps back, you come in and land the straight right and left hook, if it lands, throw a few more punches and restart. . I recommend being close but walking to the right or left, don’t give him space, create angles. Above all, stay relaxed and keep your eyes on the upper chest or neck, don’t let his lunge take away your vision.

2) Go to the race. If your opponent has poor footwork and is having trouble chasing down a mobile opponent, use your lateral movement and quick ins and outs to run. Let him know that he’s going to have to take risks to catch you, that he’s going to time you perfectly and place you on the ropes or in the corner to have a chance. I’ve most often used this strategy in the first round of a fight when my opponent thinks he’s going to intimidate me with a barrage of snarls and snarls. Don’t let him fool you, your dexterity and ability to weather this storm is the mark of a true boxer, keep your cool and move forward with a steadfast defense, and don’t forget to return the favor one minute into the round. The beauty of knowing that you can outrun your opponent is that you can most likely catch them when you decide to go on the offensive.

3) Hit when he is hitting. This is a bit of Jeet Kune Do theory here, and boxing already has it incorporated. For the quick shooter, I would avoid shooting if he is in the middle of his attack, the best time to shoot is when he starts.

Stay light on your feet and measure the distance and keep moving from side to side, when he’s in range and about to shoot then YOU shoot. However, there are some rules for this:

Keep your head off the center line when you throw, this means slip and jab and follow through with more punches, or slip while throwing your right hand, or drop lower and throw to the body. Don’t go straight in with your head in the middle, that’s where you’ll be shooting.

DO NOT stand still when you throw, or move your shot forward and intercept it, or step back and left hook as you back up. Don’t be a sitting duck.
This applies all the time, but be especially aware of your chin and non-hitting hand. If you’re going to walk into a punching fire, hold your ground, this is not a time to be loose and slippery.