Getting inside a left hook...

[dpw417]

What fighters excelled at this tactic? Do you remember any specific fights?

[Duodenum]

Vinnie Curto drove Bennie Brisco nuts with his knack for getting inside Bad Bennie's hooks.

[heehoo]

This man certainly couldn't get inside this left hook:

ev7uQKMRUms

[Bigcat]

I remember George Chuvalo gave Joe Frazier a lot of trouble by beating him to the punch and nullifying Joes Left hook, until Joe finally caught up with the tough canadian....

[teeto]

I might be totally wrong with this one as im goin totally of menory from a fight i saw a while ago now, but Lupe Pintor, im sure he was getting inside some of Zarate's stuff in the rounds he did better in. To do that to him is very impressive, not that his hook was the best, but hisoffense in general was prolific.

[turpinr]

to get inside a left hook at this level,you'd have to be the best ever.i can't think of anyone who could do it. i know smokin joe threw a fairly wide left hook but i wouldn't like to try getting inside it.

[Vantage_West]

odd one out but mamadou thiam did a good job against tito

[leverage]

roberto duran, donald curry, wilfredo benitez, pernell whitaker

[dpw417]

^^^^
Duran, Whitaker, Curry, and Benitez are all great examples.

I need to watch some Curry fights, but if I remember he did a real number on Colin Jones stepping inside Jones' blows with his own combinations.

Whitaker performed fistic masterpieces against Chavez, DLH, among others.

Duran and Benitez knew how to fight, and were abundantly talented.

Robinson could pull it off too...Very adept at getting inside left hooks and under right hands, then going to the body hard with combinations.

It's great to see a fighter step inside another's offense, and take the play away. It's like if you are attacked with a baseball bat, you try to get inside of that swing aimed for your head...If you back out and don't make it...you're SOL.

addendum: Anyone else have any examples? I know there are some serious fight film watchers here. Who else is adept at opening an opponent up, from the inside out?

[FromWithin]

Hopkins against Trinidad maybe

[teeto]

Hopkins against Trinidad maybe
Oh yeah, Hopkins even said his game was to take away Tito's 'guns' by going to them.

'what do you when someone's got a gun, you don't run away from the gun, you go to the gun and take it off him' (or something like that)

[dpw417]

Hopkins against Trinidad maybe
definitely.:good

[My2Sense]

Duran against Cuevas was the first one that came to my mind.

[My2Sense]

I think it's easier for southpaws to do than orthodox fighters, because of the angles.

Pacquiao stepped inside of Marquez's left hook a couple times that he dropped him. Tarver stepped inside a Roy Jones hook to knock him out. Winky Wright stepped inside Mosley's and Tito's hooks all night long. Casamayor stepped inside Katsidis' left hook and flattened him. And so on.

The left hook can be a very dangerous punch to use against southpaws.

[spion]

Holyfield ducked inside Tyson's hooks in their first fight very well.

[Duodenum]

to get inside a left hook at this level,you'd have to be the best ever.i can't think of anyone who could do it. i know smokin joe threw a fairly wide left hook but i wouldn't like to try getting inside it.That's really what makes this such a great thread topic. Vito Antuofermo was one noted infighter with vastly underrated defensive skills, and getting inside a left hook was certainly part of his repertoire. Tyson might be worth a look when it come to finding sanctuary in close. Marlon Starling knew how to step inside and secure great positioning underneath a taller opponent. I'd like to see more examples described in this thread, because this is indeed a highly evolved defensive skill.

Leaning away from a hook or ducking low underneath is one thing, but getting inside to be able to counter is a tremendous asset.