The Forms of a Punch

            The fist’s powerful design – massive, tightly wound, and hard as a rock – can deliver a blow devastational to anyone when thrown correctly. Few have ever felt the raw power behind a well designed punch: fewer know how to design that perfect punch. There are three main types of punches: the simple jab, the surprising hook, and the jaw-dropping uppercut. The jab, the hook, and the uppercut are all three ways to deliver a powerful punch. However, simply knowing the names of these three punches means absolutely nothing. The men and women who perfect the art of punching understand the purpose of each punch; the men and women who perfect the art of punching know when to throw each punch. Timing, as well as technique, is the essential combination to anyone looking to perfect the punch. The long-winded jab, the elusive hook, and the deceitful uppercut create every champion fighter’s arsenal. So what really makes these punches so powerful?

            “A true fighter takes a punch, and then hits back with three punches,” Robert Duran was once quoted. Most likely, every one of those three respondent punches he mentions would be a jab. The jab is a punch that is often times overlooked. Normally spectators take the jab for granted; the jab is the unsung hero of prize fighting. On average, in a professional boxing match nearly 800 jabs are thrown in 12 rounds. Wouldn’t a fighter’s arm get tired? Well of course fatigue sets in, but the word “fighter” itself means “unyielding and relentless.”  A great fighter is inexorable and unforgiving; no matter what, a fighter will continue to throw his jab. Simplistic, elegant, and penetrating, the jab is the foundation for every knockout combination thrown by a great contender. The jab is the piston that drives the engine of the champion within.

            The champion is in the ring and the fight is in the sixth round. Fatigue is beginning to set in and he needs a spark to gain control of the fight. Just as the fighter’s opponent is watching his front hand waiting for the jab, he swings and shocks him with a right hook that lands directly on his ear. The hook is a punch that begins an onslaught and shakes the opponent up, leaving him in disbelief. The majority of hooks will land directly on your opponent’s ear if thrown correctly, leaving him with a haunting ring that will hopefully shout his name all of the way to the canvas. In the military they often use smoke bombs, or flash bangs to make the foe uneasy and draw him away from his plan of attack. When fighting, a hook is a slugger’s smoke bomb or flash bang. Many hooks throughout fighting history have changed the course of a fight, and began timeless comebacks again and again. Both beauty and horror, both life and death, both the resurrection and the crucifixion all come from the evanescent and jivey hook.

            The uppercut has only one purpose: to finish the foe. The uppercut is an angry, dangerous, desperate punch meant for nothing but the kill. As opposed to the jab, the uppercut is thrown rarely and only when the fighter feels certain it will land. The uppercut is the most tiresome of all punches and much like a jack-in-the-box; you must wind up before you unleash the fatal attack. The uppercut is the coupe de grace, or finishing blow of fighting. A statement is made when your opposition’s teeth are rattled from the direct blow to the chin; immediately he stoops lower and his knees begin to give. You are lifting your enemy into the air, allowing him to fall even farther to the canvas. The uppercut is rage without control; the uppercut declares desperate victory to the deliverer and short comings to the recipient. If the entire fight were a sentence, the uppercut is the punctuation. The uppercut declares the end.

            Few realize the power that they tame everyday just beyond their wrists. I believe C.S. Forester said it best nearly 100 years ago, “There is only one joy to compare with the well-timed straight left, and that is the mad perverse pleasure of standing up to a better boxer and taking his punches and struggling on despite pain and weakness to the very end.” You must remember that these punches are thrown as well as received. Winning a fight does not only take technique and timing, it takes a chin and determination. To become a great fighter, you must be willing to sustain a punch, yet more importantly understand how to throw a punch. A true champion understands all three of these weapons: the tireless jab, the breathtaking hook, and the decisive uppercut.  Ah, what a beautifully painful art.

By Jonathan Wilson