Fight IQ

What

Your foundation. Feet shoulder-width apart, dominant hand back, chin tucked.

How

Lead foot forward at 45°. Rear foot on the ball. Knees slightly bent. Weight distributed 50/50. Hands up by your cheekbones.

Why

Everything starts from your stance. Good stance = good balance = good power. Bad stance = you're fighting yourself.

What

Hands protecting your head and body. Your first and last line of defence.

How

Fists by your cheekbones. Elbows tucked to protect ribs. Chin down behind your lead shoulder. Stay tight but relaxed.

Why

You can't throw punches if you're eating punches. A good guard lets you absorb shots and fire back immediately.

What

Your lead-hand straight punch. The most important punch in boxing.

How

Extend your lead hand straight from your guard. Rotate your fist palm-down at extension. Snap it back fast. Don't drop your rear hand.

Why

Sets up everything. Measures distance, disrupts rhythm, scores points. A sharp jab controls the fight.

What

A powerful straight punch thrown with your rear hand.

How

Rotate your rear hip and shoulder forward. Extend your rear hand straight. Drive off your back foot. Return to guard immediately.

Why

Your main power punch from range. The jab opens the door, the cross walks through it.

What

A short, arcing punch thrown at close to mid range. Can target head or body.

How

Pivot on your lead foot. Rotate your hip and shoulder together. Keep your elbow at 90°. Fist stays horizontal or vertical. Connect with the first two knuckles.

Why

Hooks land from outside your opponent's line of vision. The lead hook to the body is one of the most effective punches in boxing.

What

A short rising punch thrown from below, targeting the chin or body.

How

Dip slightly by bending your knees. Drive upward through your legs and hips. Keep your elbow tight. Palm faces you at impact.

Why

Devastating at close range. Splits the guard when an opponent shells up. The rear uppercut followed by a lead hook is a classic finish.

What

How you move around the ring. Push-step, pivot, angle off.

How

Push off the opposite foot to the direction you're moving. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart at all times. Never cross your feet. Small, quick steps.

Why

Footwork wins fights. It creates angles, controls distance, and sets up your offence while making you hard to hit.

What

Slips, rolls, and pulls. Moving your head off the centre line to avoid punches.

How

Slip: bend at the waist to move your head just outside the punch. Roll: bend your knees and rotate under a hook. Pull: shift your weight back to make punches fall short.

Why

Making your opponent miss is demoralising. It wastes their energy, creates openings, and sets up counter-punches.

What

Linking 2-6 punches together in sequence. The foundation of effective offence.

How

Start with basics: jab-cross (1-2), jab-cross-hook (1-2-3). Build up to longer combos. Each punch sets up the next. Return to guard between combinations.

Why

Single punches are easy to defend. Combinations overwhelm your opponent's guard and create openings for clean shots.

What

Throwing punches in response to your opponent's offence. Defence turned into attack.

How

Read the incoming punch. Defend (slip, block, or parry). Fire back immediately while your opponent is out of position. Timing beats speed.

Why

Counter-punchers are the hardest fighters to beat. You use your opponent's aggression against them and land the cleanest shots.