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Step 1
Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. This is the first step in becoming a balanced boxer. Know what you're good at and what you need to work on. If, for example, you know that your hand speed isn't up to par, you should concentrate on that area. Once you can admit your weaknesses, you can improve upon them.
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Step 2
Hit the gym constantly and be sure to work out your entire body. Many amateur boxers make the mistake of simply working out their arms. Having a strong punch is good for any boxer but that alone will not get you far. Leg strength is pivotal as you will (hopefully) be on your feet for a good amount of time while in the ring. A strong upper body, especially strong ab muscles, are extremely important as you will be taking plenty of body shots from your opponents. Be sure to also spend at least 30 minutes everyday on cardio. Otherwise, you could find yourself tiring out during a match after the fourth round.
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Step 3
Practice aiming your punches with precision. You can have the strongest punch in the world but it won't matter if you can't land it exactly where you want. A great boxer must be able to land his punches despite the movements and blocking techniques of his opponent. Use a dummy or power bag and place a piece of tape on a section of it. Have somebody standing behind you while you try to hit that particular piece of tape and just that piece of tape. That person should keep track of how many times you do it without wavering. You could have people on either side of the bag moving it to make this drill more difficult.
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Step 4
Lead with your jab. A big mistake many amateur boxers make is trying to knock their opponents out in 10 seconds. That is simply an unrealistic goal. A boxer's primary weapon is his jab. These punches score points with judges, confuse and irritate opponents and set up hooks, upper cuts and body blows. To throw a good jab, simply stand in your normal boxing stance and snap your weak hand towards your opponent. Your arm should be completely straight when the jab is delievered. Jabs can be throw at both the body and head of your opponent. You can also jab with both your strong and weak hands but it's smart to lead with your weak as that is the hand closer to your opponent.
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Step 5
Learn how to effectively throw a hook. A hook shot can be used to hit both the body and head of your opponent and can even be a knockout punch. To throw a hook, plant the foot opposite of the hand you'll be using to throw the punch (your left foot if using your right hand) behind you. Place your strong foot forward and at a slight diagonal in the direction of your punch. Position your punching arm in a 90 degree angle and slightly turn your torso in that direction (to the right if you're right-handed). As quickly as you can, untwist your torso quickly and with great force while keeping your arm clenched in the 90 degree angle. Lower your head and slightly lead with it as your fist approaches your opponent. Be sure to follow through with the punch if you are striking your opponent in the head, as this will give your punch much more force. Remember to stay about an inch or two closer than arms-length from your opponent when delivering a hook. Otherwise, the punch may not land with the amount of force you intended or you could miss completely.
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Step 6
Increase both hand and foot speed. Simply put, a boxer with slow hands will rarely land any punches. Hitting the speed bag is an excellent way to increase the speed and delivery of your punches. All of the cliché exercises, such as squats, leg lifts and running will increase your foot speed. You must be elusive in the ring so you can avoid your opponent and make him fight your kind of fight.
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Step 7
Work hard on defense and counter-punching. Defense is the weakest part of many boxer's repertoire. The fact remains that if you can't defend yourself, you can't win a fight. Learn where to place your hands when you're not throwing punches. To deflect an incoming haymaker from your opponent's right hand, your left hand should be slightly higher than your right so that you can better block the blow. When protecting your entire body, lower your head and crunch your upper body while you place your fists on your skull. This will allow your forearms to block any punches coming to your body. You should also rotate your hips back and forth to lessen the impact of the punch or maybe cause your opponent to miss you entirely. It's also important that you learn how to bob and weave to avoid incoming punches. Finally, you must recognize when your opponent gives you an opportunity to strike him during his attack. Counter-punching is arguably the most effective tool for a boxer. Watch tapes of your opponents in order to know when these chances are coming.
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Step 8
Devise plans and strategies for your upcoming fights. Boxing is no different than any other sport in that one must be strong both mentally and physically. Watch tapes of your opponents and make notes of their weaknesses. Come up with a specific plan for a fight (such as working the body or using your speed to confuse your opponent) and stick to it for the first couple of rounds. If the plan isn't working during a fight, though, you must have the ability to change things up, just as a losing team at halftime does during a game. Always be thinking about not just your next move but your next two or three. This way, you can constantly be on the move and limit the chance that your opponent will predict what is coming next.
