Any great trainer and boxer will tell you that you can’t have effective defense without offense. It’s like that saying “what goes up must come down”. Defense and offense work well together, it’s as simple as that. It should be common sense that in a boxing match one will have to take the fight to them to stay in proper range.

For a boxer, this means making sure incoming punches don’t connect! How do you do this? There are different blocks that one can do, as well as many different evasive moves to choose from. However, the big advantage of a good blocking technique is that this will usually line up the boxer for a great counter attack. A quick reference guide also different blocks are:

• Parries – This is a quick touch of the wrist and hand to make the opponent defeat your punch, a deflection

• Trapping: The easiest way to describe trapping is a quick redirection of an incoming blow, which is why it is extremely important to always keep an eye on your opponent.

• Body Slam Parries – Also known as a pendulum lock, this is a sweeping movement out and down the body.

Of course, there is also a wide range of blocking needs to consider, this includes blocking head shots, body shots, hooks, etc. Some evasive moves that one can practice are:

• Slides: This is a movement that requires rapid diagonal or lateral movement of the upper torso, which primarily includes the head and neck. A good slip would easily be described as a narrow miss versus a big miss from the opponent because the key is to set up for a counterpunch.

• Ducks – This is pretty self explanatory here, a duck is a duck, usually dodging a headshot.

• Slides and Rides – Many have heard of “wobble and weave”, this is where this movement falls. It’s a combination of sliding and crouching.

• Swing Back: This should be done when one’s stance is wider, the body will swing back away from the opponent.

Here are some wonderful tips to get any boxer in the right mindset to counter every attack that comes their way. The entire fight must be productive, there is no point in wasting time, boxing is like a game of chess, planning each and every move perfectly will ensure a victory!