In boxing and some other sports, a southpaw stance is where the boxer has the right hand and the right foot forward, leading with right jabs, and following with a left cross right hook. It is the normal stance for a left-handed boxer. The corresponding boxing designation for a right-handed boxer is the orthodox stance, which is generally a mirror-image of the southpaw stance. In American English, "southpaw" generally refers to a person who is left-handed.
Al McCoy, world champion in the 1910s, displaying southpaw stance with right hand and right foot to the fore.
Left-handed boxers are usually taught to fight in a southpaw stance, but right-handed fighters can also fight in the southpaw stance for many reasons such as tricking the opponent into a false sense of safety. Fighting in a southpaw stance is believed to give the fighter a strategic advantage because of the tactical and cognitive difficulties of coping with a fighter who moves in a mirror-reverse of the norm. Left-handed fighters are often taught to fight in orthodox stance despite their dominant side being their left, either because of the overriding need to best counter a fighter who uses an orthodox stance, or because of the (real or perceived) limited number of trainers who specialize in training the southpaw stance. Moreover, the southpaw stance may leave fighters more vulnerable to blows to the liver.
A skilled right-hander, such as Roy Jones Jr. or Terence Crawford, may switch to the left-handed (southpaw) stance to take advantage of the fact that most fighters lack experience against lefties. In addition, a right-hander in southpaw with a powerful left cross obtains an explosively different combination. The converted southpaw may use a right jab followed by a left cross, with the intention of making opponents slip to the outside of their left side. Then the converted right-hander can simply turn one's body left and face the opponent, placing the opponent in orthodox, and follow up with an unexpected right cross. If the southpaw fighter is right-hand dominant with a strong left cross, this puts the opponent in danger of knockout from each punch in the combination, as jabs with the power hand can stun or knock out (KO) in heavier weight classes.
While rare, the reverse is also true for left-handers; left-hand dominant fighters like Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto who fight from an orthodox stance give up the so-called "southpaw advantage" strategically, but are gifted with heavier lead hands. Consequently, in MMA if one stands in a southpaw stance (strongside forward), one must train one's cross and left low kick to make them fast, hard and dangerous.
While rare, cross-dominant MMA fighters and kickboxers could also benefit from fighting from a southpaw stance.
Previous uses of the term southpaw
The "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language" cites the conventional wisdom that the word "southpaw" originated "from the practice in baseball of arranging the diamond with the batter facing east to avoid the afternoon sun."[1] Though many claim that the term originated due to the orientation of baseball playing fields in order to keep the sun out of the players' eyes and the resulting alignment of a left-handed pitcher's throwing arm causing the pitcher to have his left hand on the south side of his body,[2][3] the term had been used decades prior to that to indicate "not-usual".[4]
^Wilton, Dave (July 5, 2012), Southpaw, Word Origins
January 14, 2023
southpaw, stance, other, uses, southpaw, disambiguation, boxing, some, other, sports, southpaw, stance, where, boxer, right, hand, right, foot, forward, leading, with, right, jabs, following, with, left, cross, right, hook, normal, stance, left, handed, boxer,. For other uses see Southpaw disambiguation In boxing and some other sports a southpaw stance is where the boxer has the right hand and the right foot forward leading with right jabs and following with a left cross right hook It is the normal stance for a left handed boxer The corresponding boxing designation for a right handed boxer is the orthodox stance which is generally a mirror image of the southpaw stance In American English southpaw generally refers to a person who is left handed Al McCoy world champion in the 1910s displaying southpaw stance with right hand and right foot to the fore Ruslan Chagaev in southpaw stance Contents 1 Strategy 2 Previous uses of the term southpaw 3 Notable southpaw fighters 4 See also 5 ReferencesStrategy EditLeft handed boxers are usually taught to fight in a southpaw stance but right handed fighters can also fight in the southpaw stance for many reasons such as tricking the opponent into a false sense of safety Fighting in a southpaw stance is believed to give the fighter a strategic advantage because of the tactical and cognitive difficulties of coping with a fighter who moves in a mirror reverse of the norm Left handed fighters are often taught to fight in orthodox stance despite their dominant side being their left either because of the overriding need to best counter a fighter who uses an orthodox stance or because of the real or perceived limited number of trainers who specialize in training the southpaw stance Moreover the southpaw stance may leave fighters more vulnerable to blows to the liver A skilled right hander such as Roy Jones Jr or Terence Crawford may switch to the left handed southpaw stance to take advantage of the fact that most fighters lack experience against lefties In addition a right hander in southpaw with a powerful left cross obtains an explosively different combination The converted southpaw may use a right jab followed by a left cross with the intention of making opponents slip to the outside of their left side Then the converted right hander can simply turn one s body left and face the opponent placing the opponent in orthodox and follow up with an unexpected right cross If the southpaw fighter is right hand dominant with a strong left cross this puts the opponent in danger of knockout from each punch in the combination as jabs with the power hand can stun or knock out KO in heavier weight classes While rare the reverse is also true for left handers left hand dominant fighters like Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto who fight from an orthodox stance give up the so called southpaw advantage strategically but are gifted with heavier lead hands Consequently in MMA if one stands in a southpaw stance strongside forward one must train one s cross and left low kick to make them fast hard and dangerous While rare cross dominant MMA fighters and kickboxers could also benefit from fighting from a southpaw stance Previous uses of the term southpaw EditThe American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language cites the conventional wisdom that the word southpaw originated from the practice in baseball of arranging the diamond with the batter facing east to avoid the afternoon sun 1 Though many claim that the term originated due to the orientation of baseball playing fields in order to keep the sun out of the players eyes and the resulting alignment of a left handed pitcher s throwing arm causing the pitcher to have his left hand on the south side of his body 2 3 the term had been used decades prior to that to indicate not usual 4 Notable southpaw fighters EditBoxing Manny Pacquiao Oleksandr Usyk Karl Mildenberger Vasyl Lomachenko Edwin Valero Marvelous Marvin Hagler Hector Camacho William Bendigo Thompson Pernell Whitaker Joe Calzaghe Vicente Saldivar Tiger Flowers Young Corbett III Gabriel Elorde Sergio Martinez Ivan Calderon Freddie Miller Sultan Ibragimov Naseem Hamed Lucian Bute Zab Judah Gervonta Davis Khaosai Galaxy Ruslan Chagaev Otto Wallin Adonis Stevenson Shakur Stevenson Errol Spence Jr Josh TaylorMuay Thai Kickboxing K 1 Mirko Filipovic Saenchai Giorgio Petrosyan Raymond Daniels Petchpanomrung KiatmookaoMMA Dustin Poirier Colby Covington Dan Severn Conor McGregor Stephen Thompson Luke Rockhold Anthony Pettis Darren Till Nick Diaz Nate Diaz Anderson Silva Holly Holm Robbie Lawler Matt Mitrione Vitor Belfort Benson Henderson Sam Alvey Marcus Brimage Valentina Shevchenko Marvin Vettori Andrew TateJeet Kune Do Bruce LeeSee also EditList of left handed boxers Orthodox stanceReferences Edit Why are left handers called southpaws History com Aug 12 2015 I read somewhere that all major league baseball stadiums must point in the same direction 3rd base line north Is this true Info Please Southpaw Free Dictionary Wilton Dave July 5 2012 Southpaw Word Origins Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southpaw stance amp oldid 1130688733, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
