Read Fight School: Body punching with Ricky Hatton (Part 1) here
Body shot to counter a jab
1. It’s important not to lead with a left hook to the body. I used to and it left me susceptible to a right over the top. Measure the jab first, and once he’s thrown that, he’s committed himself.
2. Slip to your left, move your left foot three inches left and you can go either breadbasket or floating rib. The slip and step should be all one movement.
3. Shift your weight again, drive the shot through then get your hands back up and spin off so you’re safe.
Uppercut to the body in a clinch
1. When you’re up close, most opponents will tuck their elbows in, so the floating rib is a lot harder to get. Get your elbows inside the opponent’s elbows.
2. You don’t shift your weight as much with the uppercut; it’s more from a standing start. So you dip and mostly twist the hip. Sometimes you might be able to follow through and, with your momentum, you might just catch the chin as well.
3. This is more of an arm punch because you’re in close but you bend your knees and drive your legs up and fist up and forward. Either stay in close because you’re safe or spin off to the side.
Body shots in combination
1. My favourite was this: first, I’d touch them with a right hook to the body, just to bring their elbows out.
2. Then I’d throw the right uppercut into the gap I’d just created. This could be an effective shot but it also distracts them, moves their head back slightly – creating more space around the middle – and knocks their right arm up and away from their ribs.
3. I’d then finish with the left hook to the body, my best shot. That’s the one where I’d put all my body into it; the other two mainly existed to create the chance to land this one.
