3 Different Counter Punches In MMA & Boxing
“The counter attack calls for the greatest skill, the most perfect planning, and the most delicate execution of all fighting techniques. It is the greatest art in fighting, the art of the champion.” -Bruce Lee, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
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The Phantom Punch
The first thing we should notice, Ali, floating like a butterfly, circling his opponent. Hands down, for the most part, letting his opponent throw shots as he evades and backs away, time to time transferring weight to his lead leg and moving his chin in only to quickly back away. Just pulling shots and just observing, feeling out his opponent’s rhythm and timing.
Then as Sonny reaches with his jab, in the flash of a moment, a few things have happened. Ali has pulled away from it, avoiding the strike armed with a feel for Sonny’s timing. But also notice, the jab has actually tapped Ali’s chest… Why is that so important? When it comes to setting up a shot for your power hand, that is traditionally the jabs role.
You use the jab to gauge distance so you can accurately follow through with power, but in this instance, Ali didn’t use his jab, He actually used Sonny’s, and in that moment.
Knowing precisely where Sonny was, over top came Ali’s anchor punch, using Sonny’s forward momentum against him. This is why it’s called the phantom punch. Unexpectedly, by using his opponent to gauge distance for him. There was no telling for the Powershot, making it appear as if it came from nowhere.
This next clip features the legend himself, the greatest ever Artem Lobov, with a beautiful left-hand counter.
Counter from Karate Stance
First thing notices Artem’s karate stance. This is integral to the overall power of the shot, which we’ll dive into soon. Artem’s opponent is backed up against the cage, and notice, how like a reflection. Artem isn’t following his opponent, but instead, patiently cuts him off.
His opponent, sandwich between the pressure of his presence and cage wall, falls into Artem’s trap. You don’t really see this too often at a higher level, but with no setup, Artem’s opponent fires a huge right-hand cross and it’s seen from a mile a way…
Artem easily parrying the shot with his right, while colliding an overhand against his opponent’s momentum. Patience and pressure made this shot happen, almost forcing his opponent into the palm of his hand… But the power…
It wasn’t just Artem using his opponent’s momentum… notice, how from the karate stance, he almost follows through into a more western boxing stance. That huge range of pivot, thus huge rotation in hips is what makes that overhand so concussive.
Check Hook
This is probably one of the most textbook counters vs an aggressively advancing opponent, demonstrated by Robert Whittaker.
First notice how Roberts’ arm is down, waiting for his opponent to come in. He raises his left to provoke an attack and it works, triggering his opponent to rush in, but it was a trap, instantly Robert pulls away, and stiffly plants his knuckles via check hook against his opponents aggressive advance..ยด
The first shot hits chin, dazing his opponent, and his momentum is continuing forward, second shot, concussed, and perhaps off instinct, he fires a roundhouse, leaving him wide open for the last check hook, dropping him. This is a testament to the ambidextrous timing and power of Roberts lead hand, devastating his opponent with a technique traditionally used to just pound in caution for advancing too aggressively.
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