While most boxers opt to fight out of one stance there is a rare breed of fighter who prefers to switch between orthodox and southpaw to confound and confuse their opponents. Switch hitting is a tough skill to master but if perfected can be utilized to master effect. In this article we will look at our top 5 switch hitters in boxing who set a leading example. The top 5 switch hitters to study are:
- Marvin Hagler
- Tyson Fury
- Terrence Crawford
- Naseem Hamed
- Andre Ward
We will now review the unique switch hitting style of these boxers and how they used stance switching to their advantage in the ring.
- Marvin Hagler
Hagler is a must have on any switch hitter list, due to his flexible style, versatile moves and a deadly jab. Despite being a right handed fighter, Hagler was predominantly trained as a southpaw, giving his jabs a force which often helped him gain the upper hand. He takes full advantage of these heavy blows by combining jabs with a series of feints and fast movements, forcing nis opponent to stay guessing right up until the last moment, and landing a killer jab when it is too late to respond.
Hagler is also responsible for delivering an impressive sledgehammer jab, which he maximises by controlling the entire situation effortlessly. A precision fighter, he tends to favour a series of diversionary skills such as feints, waiting for an opening to appear, in order to land his sledgehammer jab. Working at the mid to short range, he is patient enough to wait for an opening, and then delivered with plenty of power.
- Tyson Fury
If we are looking for a multifaceted fighter, Tyson Fury is the man of the hour. He has a unique ability to switch his fighting style in the blink of an eye, keeping things fresh and versatile, and leaching his opponent constantly questioning his next move. He refuses to be simply labelled as a swarmer, a puncher or a brawler, but instead adopts an unorthodox hybrid style which incorporates all three – perfect for keeping the opponent on his toes.
By refusing to be pigeonholed into a particular style, Fury takes full advantage of his southpaw status, and ensures that the opponent is always on the defence. They are so busy trying to work out what he will do next, or the direction he will move in, that they do not have a chance to attack. Fury uses this discomfort to his full advantage, moving quickly and using the benefits of excellent agility to sweep in and take the jab, leaving the enemy reeling. Versatility is the true name of his game, and this ability to adapt, chameleon like, to his surroundings is what makes Fury a truly excellent switch hitter, and forms a major part of the secret to his success in the ring.
- Terrence Crawford
A natural southpaw, Crawford uses this to add an element of surprise to his fights which help him to emerge victorious. His natural stance is to keep his body weight over the centre line, with shoulders head on, and the head in line with the rear feet – a contrast to the preferred position of many boxers, who favour the head in a central position between both feet. This simple alteration can be enough to confuse more orthodox opponents, who will have a tendency to overcommit with their jabs, causing their balance to falter, their power to reduce, and creating an opening for Crawford to take full advantage of. His unique stance also helps to automatically keep his shoulders square – this, in turn, offers a shortcut allowing him to counter any incoming jabs before they have a chance to make contact.
There is also a certain stillness to Crawford’s style; he limits his head movement, and minimises his lateral movement when fighting at long range. He also keeps things simple, focusing primarily on a flawless execution of the basics consistently throughout the fight, rather than combining several complex moves to a lower standard. Despite this, he is not afraid to make the most of feints and dizzying combinations of these basic moves, and the simplicity of this grants him stamina. He keeps going, relentlessly delivering deceptively simple hooks, jabs and feints as the opponent is gradually worn down, allowing him to reach in and deliver the killer blow when it is least anticipated, ensuring a win.
- Naseem Hamed
Whenever in the ring, Hamed has long been compared to a snake in his fast, unexpected movements, sudden changes, and reflexive style. There is an unconventionality in everything he does, leaving his opponent constantly on the back foot and unsettled. He is known for a relaxed, almost casual fighting stance, which usually features his guard down and loose, but his body is coiled and prepared to strike at any moment. This confidence lends him power; cat-like reflexes mean that he is reacting to the opponents moves almost before they have realised them, and this helps to keep him one step ahead at any time.
That is not to say, however, that Hamed is simply a reactionary fighter; on the contrary, he is always second guessing the opponent, seeking the opportune moment to leap in and land his famous one-punch knockout.
- Andre Ward
Ward is another fighter with a tendency to amalgamate a number of styles into one, and this helps him keep his opponents on the edge. Jabs are his primary weapon of choice, and he once referred to the move as a “lost art” in the world of boxing. Not only does he use jabs as an offensive move, but he takes the opportunity to set up shots, and keep aggressive opponents at range, giving him time to deliver his move. His jabs are versatile and constantly moving, always targeting a different body part to keep the other fighter guessing, while the other hand is constantly parrying and blocking to prevent the enemy getting in too close. As well as focusing on jabs, Ward also recognises the importance of excellent footwork, and has demonstrated the efficiency of this by darting around the ring, ensuring the other player is always on the back foot both physically and psychologically.
Ward’s flexibility is one of his key strengths, and he has been likened to water for his ability to change form in the blink of an eye. This makes it tricky for his opponents to predict his next move; he is always adapting and changing, keeping him one step ahead, and allowing him to gradually wear down his opponent over the course of a fight. Once they are losing strength, he will go in with a killer blow and secure a confident win.
How To Succeed As A Switch Hitter
As we have seen, the top switch hitters recommended above all have a few factors in common: agility, versatility, and a close attention to footwork. Succeeding as a switch hitter is tricky, and requires speed as well as technique, and an ability to adapt when you need to, rather than be tempted to stick to a specific combination. There are a few essentials to bear in mind when practicing, and we will explore these below.
- Train Both Sides
It can be tempting to favour your dominant side when training, as this is where most of your focus and strength tends to be. In order to succeed as a switch hitter, however, you need to make sure that both sides of the body are treated equally, allowing you to build not only strength, but also balance and agility on both sides. This will enable you to react quickly to your opponents attempts, and throw them off balance by taking it to the other side without putting you at a disadvantage. Not only does this mean training on both sides, but also incorporating ambidextrousness into everyday life – even something as simple as brushing your teeth with both hands can really help.
- Use Your Strengths
One of the advantages of switch hitting is that it allows you to really play to your strengths; if you have a powerful straight with your right hand, but also need to use the same hand to deliver a stinging jab, switch hitting allows you to do both. By knowing where your strengths lie, you can design combinations to benefit these.
- Understand angles
Part of the power of switch hitting is the ability to switch your stance in order to gain the advantage over your opponent. During your training, it is essential that you practice getting used to achieving the optimum angle to attack; this will ensure that you are one step ahead at all times. In the simplest terms, the ‘angle’ refers to achieving a superior position on your opponent, ensuring that you are no longer in their ‘line of fire’, but that they are stuck in yours. Switch hitting means that you can continually achieve this, altering your stance depending on their plan of attack, and always subvert this before they have a chance to land a successful blow.