Cross Counter 2: Gif Madness

After the massive success of my article on the cross counter fight fans began coming out of the woodwork on forums everywhere and showing me their favorite instances of the technique being employed. Here are a couple that I really enjoyed. As a reminder, the classical cross counter is an overhand thrown over the top of an opponent's jab and is regarded as the most effective counter punch in boxing, and not the straight right hand as is thought today.

Here is a superb application by K-1 Max and Shootboxing legend, Andy Souwer against Gago Drago. The cross counter punctuated a classic Souwer clinic in kickboxing, and while he is not known for his punching power, a perfectly timed counter-strike like this will end anyone's night.






Here is one of Overeem's against Ben Edwards from the original article. As you can see he lands beautifully as over Ben's attack and sends him sprawling to the mat like a sack filled with vegetable soup.










This gif of Machida's loss to Shogun shows largely the cost of tactical errors at the highest level of the game. In their 6 rounds of combat Machida and Shogun were pretty much at a stale mate as each one fired back a counter to the other man's counters. Machida landed a solid springing knee (case study of the Machida knee coming soon!) and got too confident in the pocket with a much better brawler. Following immediately with a left straight (from a southpaw stance) Machida was met with a cross counter from Shogun which caught his temple and took him out of the fight.




In this gif Jen's Pulver, in his young and terrifying days, lands a cross counter on John Lewis who is clearly timid and attempting to "establish the jab" against the undersized lightweight king. Pulver can likely see the tentativeness of his opponent as clearly as we do in this grainy gif, isn't bothered and simply socks him over the top. That's comfort that only experience can bring.








Here is BJ Penn throwing an interesting variation where he ducks the left hand of Sanchez (a vastly inferior striker who threw the same combination repeatedly at the exclusion of everything else against Penn) and comes up with the right hook - a truly difficult punch to land at the top level, and beautifully done by BJ. An article on the right hook will be coming at some point I assure you all!






A final cross counter, by the king of the cross counter (seriously, I could make an entire page of just his - and might) Joe Louis. Here the gigantic Primo "The Ambling Alp" Carnera has been circling to his left while bolt upright and jabbing all fight (take note Michael Bisping) and Louis clocks him over the top in the sixth round, heralding the beginning of the end for the big Italian.