liverhook

So I quit drinking after years of partying and needed something to replace it. It just happened that a boxing gym was next to where I worked, so I stopped in for an intro class and got hooked right away! Been a boxing fan since I was a kid

I train during all my free time and have been sparring every week since my fourth day in the gym. At first, my sparring partners didn't punch back and I just worked stance, moving my crotch, and the jab.. right straight.. left hook.. etc. My corner constantly yelling at me

Now after 2 months of training everyday and sparring 1-2 times a week, ring veterans (ranked amateurs and pros) are countering and I walk out of the ring every time feeling like I got my ass kicked. My trainer gives me a free membership and coaches me a lot, but I'm still getting beat to the punch. I'm finally starting to land shots by fainting, jabbing and throwing punches from odd angles, but still getting smoked. My nose bleeds every time I walk into stiff shot (timing's improving, but still).

My sparring partner is a weight class above me and has crazy long arms. I want to get inside, but he moves quick. I film my sparring, and i counted 82 jabs in the last 30 seconds of the 3rd round we last sparred. I only landed 2 counters he was so accurate, quick and tricky.

How do you get over sparring frustration, and what are your tricks on getting inside on a boxer-puncher? I try stepping in, parrying, slipping, while jabbing, but only odd shots like slipping his jab while throwing a shoulder wrenching wide hook has landed, then I get stuck with my feet wide.

Maybe I'm thinking too much and just need to keep up my basics until i get more hours under my belt.

greatwhitehope

answered your own question at the end

o336MR

You each threw more than 1 (82/30 = 2.73) jab a second in the final the 30 seconds of the third round? That's a bit much haha.

You've been training 2-3 months, don't expect to be beating ranked amateurs who've been training for years. You're still learning and mastering the basics and that's not a bad thing, that's what you should be doing.

Remind your sparring partners that although you're driven and hungry, you're still new to the game. You need to practice and be able to excel at the basics before learning or practicing harder things. Tell them you'd like to work on throwing and defending straight punches to the head only for a round or 2. The straight punches to the head and body for a round. Slowly add things to your sparring.

Out of competition sparring is for practice and learning, not for getting your ass whipped over and over.

__________________
I hate Bob Arum.

liverhook

Thanks! Getting better at not reaching with my shots, which is hard against someone with a 4" reach advantage. The person I spar with the most has a very sneaky Roy Jones type style and is quick. He throws his jab from his hip/midsection, so it invites me to throw the right. He rolls his chin under his shoulder and counters with whatever he chooses.

My coach tells me to parry his jab, and I've been working on this, but my parry usually comes after I get hit and he'll throw a hook with the same hand after the jab when I'm expecting a right. I'll cover up and get caught with a body shot. He faints and taunts a lot, so it's frustrating, but I'm finding that I'm landing more shots and making more progress when I relax and play my game, trying not to get sucked into his. I'll starting to see openings and patterns... then he changes 'em. Such a fun game!