A counterpunch is a
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
punch that immediately follows an attack launched by an opponent. It exploits the opening created in an opponent's
guard.
Technique
Counterpunchers are tactical, fighters who find the middle of offence and defence as well as relying on opponent mistakes or their own ability to provoke an opponent's mistakes in order to gain an attacking advantage to get score cards or the chance of a
knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, ...
. They combine their offensive and defensive skills to avoid or block shots in order to immediately place well-timed punches on opponents who have lost their guard.
Boxers who fight against counter punchers must constantly feint and conceal their offensive punches to prevent anticipation for the counterpunch.
Successful boxers who use this style must have good reflexes, intelligence, punch accuracy and better-than-average hand speed.
Cross-counter
A cross-counter is a counter-punch begun immediately after an opponent throws a
jab, exploiting the opening in the opponent's position.
Image:cross1.jpg, ''A right straight punch on instance-as a counter-punch after an opponent's left jab''
Image:cross_counter1.jpg, ''A left jab on instance-as a counter-punch (cross) after an opponent's left jab''
Notable exponents
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Young Corbett III
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Mike Tyson
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Marvin Hagler
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Bernard Hopkins
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Ricardo López
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Juan Manuel Márquez
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Canelo Álvarez
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Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (né Sinclair; born February 24, 1977) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed between 1996 and 2017. He list of undefeated boxing world champions, retired with an undefeated record a ...
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Willie Pep
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Jerry Quarry
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Salvador Sánchez
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James Toney
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Pernell Whitaker
References
{{boxing
Boxing terminology
Kickboxing terminology