Boxing Combos

Have you ever wondered just how many boxing combos? Just thinking about how many possible boxing combos there could make your head explode.

We won’t list all of the boxing combos, but we’ll detail some of the best combos for beginners to learn. Also, be sure to check out our tips for choosing the best combos to use and how to make them more complex.

What Are Boxing Combos?

Boxing combos are the collection of punching techniques that a fighter throws. When boxers train, they drill boxing combos to develop their offensive attacks.

Trainers usually use code numbers when doing mitt rounds. They will classify different types of punches from numbers 1 to 6. 

With these six numbers, boxing trainers will call out various numbers for different boxing combinations. Good trainers will drill basic boxing combos with their new students and gradually add more combinations into rounds.

How Many Boxing Combos Are There? 

A boxer could throw nearly an infinite number of possible boxing combos. It’s almost unfathomable to think of how many boxing combos are possible.

To try and put this number of boxing combos into perspective, let’s go over punches. You have jabs, hooks, uppercuts, and crosses/straights.

These 4 strikes can be thrown in any type of pattern to various locations in either a traditional or southpaw stance. 

This means it’s almost impossible to list all the possible boxing combos a fighter could throw. That’s why we decided to list possible combinations in 1-4-punch boxing combos.

The Basic Boxing Punches

Before we get into the basic boxing combos, let’s go over the basic punches used in boxing. There are four types of punches used in boxing that make up the various boxing combos.

• Jab:
• Hook
• Straight/Cross
• Uppercut

Every boxing combination includes one of these four punches, if not all of them. Be sure to thoroughly practice these basic punches before learning more complex boxing combos.

Jab 

The jab is the straight punch thrown with your lead hand. It is used to start a combo and find the punching range to hit your opponent.

A good jab is delivered by your front arm extending as your hand makes an inward quarter turn. The jab is not considered a power punch, but it can do damage over time and set up your power strikes.

Hook

The hook is a popular power punch that can be thrown with both your front hand and your backhand. Your lead foot slightly turns inward, along with your body and punch.

Hook punches are thrown either with your fist vertical or horizontal and can target the body or head. Developing a good hook punch requires you to develop core strength.

Some of the best hook punchers in the history of boxing include Roy Jones Jr., Micky Ward, Mike Tyson, and Arturo Gatti.

Straight/Cross 

The straight or cross is your backhand punch, which is arguably the most powerful strike in boxing. Your body and feet turn towards your opponent as you uncork your backhand to deliver a powerful strike.

It is generally the punch thrown at the end of a combination because it is a powerful strike. However, a boxer can just as easily start their boxing combos with a straight and find success.

Uppercut

Uppercuts are powerful punches that can be thrown with both hands and can target both the head and body. For headshots, uppercuts are thrown to break through your opponent’s guard from under them.

The versatility and power of uppercuts is what makes them an effective and popular punch among fighters.

How Can Boxing Combos Be Made More Complexed?

Boxers will do one of two things to add more complexity to their offense. They will do anything from throw their punches at various targets(Body/Head)  or even change their stance.

They do these things with their boxing combos to hide their attacks while looking for openings.  Doing these things makes it difficult for their opponent to read their movements and defend the attacks.

What are the Best Boxing Combos?

If you watch the best boxers in the world fight, they generally throw simple 2-4 punch boxing combos. The reason for this is to hone their power and precision.

These short burst boxing combos are the most effective combos you can throw in boxing. They have the highest effectiveness rate and are usually the hardest combos one can throw.

Basic Boxing Combos All Boxers Must Know

We won’t make your head explode and try to list all of the known boxing combos. Instead, we will list the most important and efficient boxing combos you must know that consist of 2-4 punches.

2 Punch Boxing Combos 

For many top boxing trainers, there is nothing better than an old 2-punch boxing combo. Two-punch combos are arguably the most effective in all of boxing.

The punches thrown can be simultaneously fast and powerful. This is why many of the greatest boxers had great 2-punch boxing combos.

Some of the best 2-punch combos include:

• Jab/Jab
• Jab/Cross
• Jab/Back Hook
• Jab/Back Uppercut
• Jab/Lead Hook
• Jab/Lead Uppercut
• Hook/Cross
• Hook/Uppercut
• Hook/Hook
• Cross/ Jab
• Cross/Lead Hook
• Cross/Lead Uppercut
• Cross/Back Hook
• Back Uppercut/Front Hook
• Back Uppercut/Jab
• Back Upperut/Cross
• Lead Uppercut/Cross
• Lead Uppercut /Back Hook
• Lead Uppercut/Back Uppercut
• Lead Uppercut/Lead Hook

3 Punch Boxing Combos

Many 3-punch boxing combos are effective combinations to use in a fight. Here are some of the must-know 3-punch boxing combos.

• Jab/Cross/Lead Hook
• Jab/Cross/Lead Uppercut
• Jab/Uppercut/Hook
• Jab/Jab/Cross
• Jab/Jab/Back Hook
• Back Hook/Front Hook/Back Hook
• Back Hook//Lead Uppercut/Cross
• Cross/Lead Hook/Cross
• Cross/Lead Uppercut/Cross
• Cross/Jab/Cross
• Back Uppercut/Lead Hook/Cross
• Back Uppercut/Jab/Cross
• Back Uppercut/Lead Hook/Back Uppercut
• Lead Hook/Cross/Lead Hook
• Lead Hook/Uppercut/Lead Hook
• Lead Hook/Cross/Lead Uppercut
• Lead Uppercut/Cross/Lead Hook
• Lead Uppercut/Back Hook/Lead Hook

4 Punch Boxing Combos

4-punch boxing combos are another popular group of combinations that can be fast and powerful. Here are some of the most popular 4-punch boxing combos.

• Jab/Cross/Lead Hook/Cross
• Jab/Cross/Lead Uppercut/Cross
• Jab/Cross/Jab/Cross
• Jab/Jab/Cross/Lead Hook
• Jab/Jab/Cross/Lead Uppercut
• Jab/Jab/Back Hook/Lead Hook
• Lead Hook/Cross/Lead Hook/Cross
• Lead Hook/Back Uppercut/Lead Hook/Cross
• Cros/Jab/Cross/Jab
• Cross/Lead Hook/Cross/Lead Hook
• Cross/Lead Uppercut/Cross/Lead Hook
• Back Hook/Front Hook/Back Hook/Front Hook
• Back Hook/Lead Uppercut/Back Hook/Lead Hook
• Lead Hook/Cross/Lead Hook/Cross
• Lead Hook/Uppercut/Lead Hook/Uppercut
• Lead Hook/Back Hook/Lead Hook/Back Hook

Which Boxing Combos Will Work Best For Me?

The boxing combos that will work best for you will depend on one of three things.

• Speed
• Power 
• Your Best Punch

Speed 

You can throw a higher volume of boxing combos if you possess good speed. This will enable you to beat your opponent to the punch and outscore them each round.

If you have good speed, your goal should be to land more punches on your opponent. A high pace and punch volume will eventually break your opponent down and create an opening to finish the fight.

Power 

Being blessed with power is an incredible gift to have if you’re a boxer. If you have the gift of power, your goals should be to keep composure, focus, and find your opponent’s chin.

Choose to throw short bursting boxing combos where you’re focused on landing your power shot. This will give you a higher success rate to land a big shot to hurt your opponent.

Your Best Punch

If you have practiced boxing over a period of time, you will develop a particularly good type of punch. Whatever the punch may be, you should consider building your repertoire of boxing combos around it.

Doing this will make your best punch even more deadly, and you can hide it behind during combos.