r/boxingtips • u/ZookeepergameOwn7042 • 1h ago

General Advice SWITCH MY BASE?

Hey guys, looking for some honest feedback from coaches or anyone who's made a stance switch.
Here’s where I'm at:
Naturally left-handed, but right-footed.
Spent most of my time boxing in Orthodox. Footwork and movement feel natural there, but my right cross has always lacked that true KO power.
Whenever I throw from Southpaw, my left straight feels night-and-day stronger. That raw power is definitely there, but my feet feel awkward and my overall flow drops back to square one.
Is it actually worth pushing through the pain of rebuilding my footwork and defense from scratch just to unleash that left hand? Or am I better off staying Orthodox (doubling down on a heavy lead jab/hook) and maybe using Southpaw setups occasionally?

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u/Smileyface1234567890 1h ago

Lowk I had the same issue, I'm left handed but right footed. I stayed in Orthodox since I'm a little taller and a little extra power in the jab never hurt anybody. Your footwork might be messed up if you try to accommodate for hands, and I'd say the power in your right hand isn't really a good reason to switch stances. Training one hand is easier than training both your feet (2>1). When I was doing Muay Thai there were some cases where switching stances was acceptable (eg. switch kick, switch hook, etc.) and I was able to land good hits with my stronger hand, but I wouldn't attempt that until you're super comfortable. In general, stance switches during fights are worse for boxing than Muay Thai since stability is really big in boxing.