Timing and accuracy are what separates the men from the boys. Learn how great boxers win fights with fewer punches and less energy.
What is Timing and Accuracy?
Timing & Accuracy = Efficiency & Effectiveness
Improving your timing and accuracy will increase your efficiency and effectiveness in the ring. Perfect timing will multiply your force output while simultaneously dividing the effort required. This means you can hit harder while using less energy!
If only I knew then what I know now!
I used to be like all those boys in the gym wasting their time trying to showoff their KO-power and endless endurance. I pounded the heavy-bags to death for hours thinking my skills would improve with each passing round. It never occurred to me that if I wanted to fight like a pro, I ought to pay attention to what the pros were doing.
After watching the older pro boxers for so long, I started noticing how they trained differently from the younger boxers. They spent significantly less time on the heavy bags and focused more on the speedbag and double-end bags. In the ring, I saw that the professional fighters threw far less punches than the amateur fighters. The amateur fighters seemed to be throwing nearly 100 punches per round whereas the pros only threw about 50. At first, I thought the reason for this was because professional fights can be up to 12 rounds which places a higher demand on energy-conservation. I assumed the professionals were focusing more on out-boxing their opponents as opposed to out-fighting their opponents.
While everything I guessed was true, it didn’t explain why the professionals still fought at a slow controlled pace EVEN when they were sparring with amateur boxers. How is it that the professionals are able to spar competitively with less punches?
I figured the professionals HAD to be throwing harder punches but it didn’t seem like it. The amateurs swung with more force and attacked with a more ferocious intent. The amateur boxers not only threw more punches but they threw the harder punches. Somehow, the professionals were still able to fend them off. Sure, the professionals were more calm and had better defense but there had to be something more.
Thinking I was clever, I tried sparring at a calmer pace and relying on a tighter defense but it still didn’t work. My aggressive opponent easily steamrolled me by throwing dozens of hard punches.Backed into the corner, I had no choice but to throw harder punches and more punches to keep him off me. Although I threw LESS punches, I still felt like I was using MORE energy. The pros obviously knew something I didn’t.
I asked myself over and over, “HOW DO PROFESSIONAL BOXERS FIGHT USING LESS PUNCHES AND LESS ENERGY?!”
At this point, I realized:
A boxer can win with LESS PUNCHES
by using more powerful punches and a more active defense.
A boxer can win with LESS PUNCHES AND LESS ENERGY
by using timing and accuracy.
Every boxing master knows this. Look at all the great boxers and you will see that timing and accuracy are their biggest advantages over their opponents. Look at Floyd Mayweather, one of today’s most masterful boxers. Sure, he’s got a great defense but if you look past that you will see that he has an amazing connect ratio! He throws the fewest punches but lands at the highest connect percentages in the entire sport.
Aside from his high accuracy, you will also notice that Floyd does throw with good power even though he doesn’t seem to be swinging wildly at his opponents. His timing is what allows him to maximize his punching power while conserving his accuracy as much as possible. Floyd Mayweather’s timing & accuracy alone is what makes his offense so powerful and contributing to his greatness. Defense alone doesn’t cut it! (Joshua Clottey has a great defense…but he is not at all considered to be a great boxer.)
Describing Timing
Think of a baseball player swinging the baseball bat. If he swings too early or too late, he will miss or the force arrives off angle and strikes with less power. Hitting the ball at the right time makes it go the farthest!
Describing Accuracy
Think of where the bat strikes the ball. If the bat strikes the ball far from the center, it might strike the ball at an angle forcing the ball to go straight up into the air or bounce down into the ground. However, if the bat strikes the ball accurately at the center, the maximum force will be transferred sending the ball the furthest distance in the intended direction.
How to Improve Timing and Accuracy For Boxing
Work on the speedbag and double-end bag more often. These pieces of equipment are perfect for building higher-level boxing skills! You’ll probably notice by now that these bags rely purely on timing & accuracy. If you punch the double-end end bag right as it’s moving towards you, you’ll connect with a solid hit even if you don’t use much force. In contrast, if you’re throwing hard punches while the bag is moving away there will be little impact. Not only do you have to time the shot, you have to punch accurately at the bag. Simply put: if you hit the bag at the wrong time and/or in the wrong place, you’ll miss or your power will be deflected off the sides of the bag.
The speedbag and the double-end bag do not care how much power or endurance you have. If you do not aim and time your punches, they will not be effective! Training your timing & accuracy requires a sharp eye, a sharp mind, and serious skills. If you can’t hit a bag that’s right in front of you, imagine how much trouble you’ll be in against a masterful boxer that’s moving around the ring against you!
Timing & Accuracy Elevates Your Boxing Skills
Do not stop at just the simple goal of just being able to throw many hard punches. At the higher levels of boxing, you will be forced to hit a constantly moving target. If you ever want to improve your boxing skills beyond simple power techniques and cardio endurance training, you’ll have to build some sharp timing and accuracy boxing skills!
Everybody knows at the higher levels of boxing: it’s all TIMING AND ACCURACY!