Completely Dodging And Evading Punches?

[Facebutt]

One of my close friends has a brother who's a really good and intimidating boxer (I am acquaintances with him, but I see him around rarely) who supposedly will let you try to punch him as many ways as you want, as fast and as hard as you want (sometimes even placing his hands behind his back and standing stationary, just leaning and dodging them), without you landing a single punch on him. Supposedly he's done this to tens of different people and only been hit once. It's also said that some people eventually fall on their asses after they try to hit him time after time. I don't know what to believe. I've never seen or heard of anyone being this good at dodging or evading punches, even after countless Google Video and YouTube searches for days. Blocking, sure. But never getting hit, yet alone by tens of people? I haven't seen it and it sounds too good to be true (the friend that's telling me this is also a huge leg-puller sometimes).

Does this sound like it has any truth to it at all? If so, are there any video links you could post? Anybody know anyone who can do this? And the ultimate question: What do I have to do to acquire this stunning skill, and about how long does it take to master?

I feel kind of like this is a stupid subject, but oh well.

Good day.

[eXcessiveForce]

yes my training partners and I can routinely do this with untrained people who show up to training for the first day or so. It's nothing special.

It comes down to reading body language and movement, distance, knowing range and timing.

It doesn't work near as well against a well trained fighter, but it is really one of the primary tools in defense.

[fire cobra]

Benny Lenoard a boxer from the 1930s would stand on a hankerchief and let people try to hit him(they never did) as did Herrol "bomber" Graham from England its a good training method but not to be overdone imho!.

[Facebutt]

Good deal, good deal. So how does one go about getting to be that good? Practice? Certain exercises? Footwork practice? It seems impossible to perceive and get out of the way of a jab, and then magically perceive and get out of the way of the follow-up cross coming almost instantly, especially if the opponent feints his punches. But then of course, there's footwork for that, I guess.

I can be honest in saying that if I was challenged/attacked by someone, I'd feel much prouder not getting hit by him and having him tire himself out and fall on his ass while I laugh, rather than actually engaging in fighting back. But then again, maybe I'm not thinking realistically.

I've never heard of this skill in my life, so maybe I'm making it out to be a bigger thing than it is. My friend's brother who does this is coming to dinner with us on Sunday, so maybe I'll get to see this in person and figure it out for myself.

Thanks.

[Facebutt]

Those videos are great. I'd give almost anything to have defensive skill as polished as Whittaker (and Tyson, of course). It's laughable at how long it takes me to lean out of the way of even a long-distance straight punch. You could probably hit me three times with the same hand before I even noticed it, and it's been that way regardless of any amount of practice I've done.

I know of nowhere that has Maize balls, not even any of the gyms here. And I live in a cluttered apartment that wouldn't allow such a thing, so it's out of the question. I had to look them up and see videos to see what they are (I'm a semi-beginner at boxing and martial arts). Thanks for the videos, Mr. Brewer.

[l0rca]

It'd be great if we could all go into detail about what to look for, and how to somewhat categorize telegraphing. I've never had anything more than a tacit sense of what's coming in what I saw from a person's shoulders, facial expression and whatever else I catch in my periphery.

Are there any good things to look for, anything technical to say about it that I could take to the gym?

[l0rca]

Thanks a lot Mike. I'm still absorbing everything, and some of it I'll just have to wait until later this week, but I was curious about this:

Next, you need to be very skilled with using your shoulders to block. If you screw up slipping, ducking, bobbing, and weaving, your shoulders are supposed to take over for your gloves and protect your chin. Learn how to keep your chin tucked.

When I'm throwing the basic punches and moving around the ring, where should I be moving my chin/head? Is there some applicable theory of where my head should rock regarding a cross, versus a hook? Also, when looking to deflect a punch and let it roll off of my shoulder, what sort of good, complete motion should I have? I get out of punches fine with a bob and weave, and can slip through a few punches if I'm seeing them often, both of which involve lowering my chin, but the only conscious part of lowing my chin has simply been that: I don't think about its position so long as it's 'low'.

To give you a better idea of what I'm wondering about, say I'm dealing with a incoming hook from the right arm of a southpaw (I'm not southpaw here); should I tuck my chin into my right shoulder as I evade, or does it matter upon which side I'm slipping towards/dipping from?

I'm guessing I should always tuck my chin towards the side I'm moving, and keep my head dynamically shifting throughout further combinations, all depending on the way I choose to move my body (which would mean a jab-cross would have my head bobble one side to the next). If that's true, then there should never be a moment where I have to split the coordination of a body-movement with where I should intelligently place my head.

Am I right here? If so, what sort of physiological repercussions are we looking at as we dip our head towards/away from the momentum of an arriving punch? I assume that 'away' always wins?

[l0rca]

Heh. Sounds like I was nuking it.

[Tom Yum]

Nuking it???

Navy speak - it means to over analyze something.

lorca, you weren't nuking it. You've got to ask questions if you don't know.

[Facebutt]

Damn, Mike. You're really into this stuff, aren't you? It's almost scary.

Thanks for all the instruction and advice. I'll definitely take your good words into action and practice. Once again, thanks.