Yes, sure counterpunching is not a piece of cake. But learning an advanced technique such as this can elevate your overall skills. Counterpunching comes with a lot of benefits and if you master the art, you can gain an edge over your opponent in the following ways:
- Catching your opponent
Initially, your opponent does not expect a counterpunch. Especially as a beginner, they don’t expect you to counter. Thus, when making your opponent miss his punch and jump in with a counter, you have a great chance of catching him off-guard. As a technique alone, it’s capable of pushing your opponent on his backfoot.
2. Makes your opponent hesitant
Even if you’re not a boxer who packs a lot of power in his punch, counterpunching will make your opponent hesitant when it comes to throwing a punch. We’ve seen along with years, how Floyd’s opponents are extremely reluctant when it comes to throwing punches. Floyd’s an excellent counterpuncher and thus they fear counterpunch more than landing their own punch, which just goes to show the significance of this technique.
3. Increases your power
Not in terms of general power but unexpected punch feels heavier than a telegraphed one. Thus, when you catch an opponent with a punch he’s not expecting, he’ll probably feel it more. It’s more effective when you shield your counter with feinting, ducking or slipping movements as it creates the space to connect with more power. All of this adds to the unpredictability of your offense.
4. Overcoming a Quick Boxer
With counterpunching skills, you can make any tough fight easy for yourself. Counterpunching helps control the fight and the tempo. It allows you to fight at your own pace. You can slow down a quick boxer and drain his energy by setting traps. We’ve seen the likes of Gennady Golovkin overcome the toughest of challenges with his excellent counter punching skills. Every top boxer knows how to trap their opponent, the likes of Lomachenko, Golovkin, and Mayweather are all testimonies to excellent counterpunching.
5. Saving Energy
Counterpunching is a great way to prevent yourself from getting gassed out. Since you can control the tempo, you more or less control the fight. For defensive fighters who are slower, counterpunching works brilliantly for them.