Boxing has four main types of punches: the jab, cross, hook, and uppercut. Each type has different variations, techniques, and outcomes. These punches are used in different ways to achieve various results.
Keep reading to learn more about each punch, how they’re used, and tips for effective technique.
List of Best Boxers and Types of Punches
| Punch | Best Boxers |
|---|---|
| The Jab | Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Sonny Liston, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Joe Louis, Benny Leonard |
| The Cross | Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Carlos Monzon, Julio Cesar Chavez, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua |
| The Hook | Joe Frazier, David Tua, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones Jr., Tommy Morrison, Mike Tyson, Gerry Cooney, Henry Cooper |
| The Uppercut | Mike Tyson, Earnie Shavers, George Foreman, Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Rocky Marciano, Manny Pacquiao |
Each of these punches has variations and techniques that can give a boxer an advantage, whether on offense or defense. Understanding and mastering these moves can be the difference between winning or losing in the ring.
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The Jab
A famous saying goes, “The right hand can take you around the block, but the jab will take you around the world,” showing just how important the jab is. It’s the most essential and widely used punch in boxing, often called the lead hand since it comes from the front shoulder in a boxer’s stance. Because it travels a shorter distance, the jab needs less energy and power and doesn’t leave the boxer off-balance or exposed.
Boxers use the jab for multiple purposes: to gauge distance, gather information, create openings, inflict damage, and defend against opponents. It can be thrown in different ways, each serving its purpose:
- Basic Jab: The standard jab thrown while standing still, easy to execute without compromising defense.
- Step-in Jab: Adding power by stepping forward while punching. This jab can surprise opponents but involves a risky move from a distance.
- Backstep Jab: Used defensively when the opponent moves forward, allowing the boxer to maintain distance. However, it lacks power.
- Throwaway Jab: This punch helps set up the next move. Boxers like Naoya Inoue use this technique to follow up with powerful punches. Canelo Alvarez used a throwaway jab to set up his knockout over Amir Khan.
- Pawing Jab: A defensive move where the lead hand is extended to distract the opponent, disrupting their vision and making it hard to counter.
- Flicking Jab: Also called the ‘up jab,’ this punch is thrown from a low position near the hip and snapped upwards. It is hard to defend against due to its sudden upward motion but leaves one side exposed.
- Corkscrew Jab: This jab involves extra wrist rotation to penetrate a tight guard, adding a snapping motion and extending reach.
The Cross
The cross is a straight punch from the rear hand, thrown across the body. Among the types of punches, the cross stands out for its power, especially when used by an orthodox or southpaw boxer, as it comes from the back hand. This punch involves full body rotation to maximize power through shoulder and hip movement. The types of punches that include a cross benefit from this body torque, making it significantly stronger than the jab.
A well-executed cross gains its strength from the combination of body torque, timing, and speed. It is one of the types of punches that is often paired with a jab, forming the classic ‘one-two’ combination, but it can also be thrown alone to surprise the opponent.
However, while the cross is powerful, it requires commitment, which can leave the boxer exposed. Among various types of punches, the cross poses this risk, but keeping the lead hand in position helps to minimize exposure.
The Hook
Known for its power, the hook is one of the types of punches thrown at a 90-degree angle with a bent arm, attacking from the side. To maximize the punch’s power, the boxer rotates the hips and transfers energy from the legs, creating a powerful strike.
The hook, as one of the types of punches, demands full commitment, which can leave the boxer exposed. The rear hook, requiring extra rotation, is riskier than the lead hook. Typically, boxers incorporate hooks into combinations or follow them up with a roll to return to their stance.
Mike Tyson is famous for his devastating hooks, a key example among types of punches. He used full body rotation and a bobbing and weaving style to unleash powerful punches.
The Uppercut
The uppercut, one of the types of punches, is thrown upwards, usually at close range, making it an exciting move to watch. This punch requires the boxer to bend their legs and twist their body in the direction of the punch for proper execution.
Mastering the uppercut, which is among the key types of punches, takes technique due to the significant movement and rotation involved, which can lead to a loss of balance if not performed correctly. It’s most often used when two boxers are close to each other, and straight punches aren’t practical, creating opportunities for uppercuts and hooks.
Mike Tyson made the uppercut, a standout among types of punches, famous with his trademark move of leaning low to one side, delivering a hook to the body, and following it with a lead uppercut in the same motion.
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