Top 10 Best Knockout Boxing Combinations

Everyone loves to watch boxing matches that end with knockouts. That’s because the knockouts are really cool and they are the thing that makes boxing the most popular combat sport in the world. But, if you ever boxed (or had a street fight) you probably already know that it isn’t so easy to knock someone out.

Actually, in boxing, there are only two ways to do it:

1. To wait for your opponent to make a mistake and take advantage of it
2. To create openings using punching combinations and catch your rival off guard

The first way is called counterpunching – slipping, parrying or blocking the punch and then fire back when the other boxer is exposed. But today we will talk about the second way – the best way to knock out someone using boxing combinations. So here is my list of the most effective combinations when it comes to knockout:

1. Slip>5>2>3 (Lead uppercut-Cross-Lead hook)
2. 1>2>5>4 (Jab-Cross-Lead uppercut-Power hand hook)
3. Bob and weave>3>4>5 (Bob and weave-Lead hook-Right hook-Lead uppercut)
4. 1>10>5>4 (Jab-Rear uppercut (body)-Lead uppercut-Rear cross/overhand)
5. 1>2>3>6 (Jab-Cross-Lead hook-Rear uppercut)
6. 3>6>1>4 (Check lead hook-Rear uppercut-Jab-Rear hook/overhand)
7. 1>7>3>4>5 (Jab-Lead hook (body)-Lead hook-Rear hook-Lead uppercut)
8. 1>8>3>4 (Jab-Rear hook (body)-Lead hook-Rear hook)
9. 1>8>6>3 (Jab-Rear hook (body)-Rear uppercut-Lead hook)
10. 1>6>3>4 (Jab-Rear uppercut-Lead hook-Rear hook)

We will discuss how to throw each one of them and when to use it, but first, let’s dive into what exactly is the knockout and how it’s caused.

What is the knockout

When a boxer can’t continue fighting or when the fight is stopped, we call this knockout. There are 2 types of knockouts:

TKO

A technical knockout (TKO) is when the fight is stopped by the referee, by the doctor or by the boxer’s corner.

• A medical stoppage is when the doctor stops the fight because of a serious cut or other severe injury caused during the fight.
• Referee stoppage – The referee can stop the match when some of the boxers don’t fire back or defend himself. A great example of this is when, after a hard body shot, a boxer just can’t get up and continue fighting. Then usually the referee stops the fight. And that’s a TKO.
• The boxer’s corner is also able to end the fight by asking the referee (between the rounds) to stop the contest.

KO

A knockout (or a KO) is when the boxer loses consciousness during the fight. It’s caused by the slamming of the brain in the inside of the fighter’s skull after a hard punch or a combination of punches. This is the type of knockout that we are going to discuss in this article, not the TKO.

If you want to increase your punching power, I highly recommend checking out this: Punching power tips – Free PDF file

Where to land a knockout punch

Every punch in the head makes the brain slams into the skull. But there are 2 places where the impact of the blow can be much bigger.

The first one is the chin. Because after a punch there, the head of the boxer accelerates very fast, which increases the chance to lose consciousness. The uppercuts are a great way to catch somebody on the chin, but you can do this, using whatever the punches you want – straights, hooks, even overhands.

The second place where it’s easier to land a knockout shot is behind the ear. That’s because there are placed many nerves and also the skull isn’t so thick. To hit the other boxer behind the ear, you can throw long-range hooks or overhands around his guard. You can also land punches there, by throwing straights, but that is harder because you need to be at a certain angle.

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Tips:

• If you are wearing big gloves when sparring (bigger than 16 oz) it will be really hard to land the punch right on the chin or behind the ear of the other boxer. So don’t get obsessed with that. Just try to land the strikes clean (without them getting blocked)
• Never aim at the top of your opponent’s forehead. Because there the skull is thickest and you can even injure your hand if the punch is too hard.
• It’s much easier to knock somebody out when he is exhausted. So make sure you don’t waste all your energy at the beginning of the fight. Because you may need it in the later rounds so you can end the fight.

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The knockout combinations

You don’t need to be the most powerful puncher to knock someone out. You just need to land an accurate shot on the right place. The problem is that, during a fight, your opponent will probably protect himself. Which can make it really hard to land clean punches, especially in boxing (because of the big boxing gloves).

Also, the shots that you see coming have a smaller impact than the unexpected ones. That’s because when you see the treat, you are naturally flexing your neck muscles which deaden the punch. And that’s why is hard to knock someone out. You need to catch him unexpectedly where he isn’t defending himself.

You can do this by using combinations. But you can’t just start throwing power punches at your rival. Because he will see them coming and easily block them or dodge them. It’s very hard to knock someone like that. So you need to set these shots up with something. In boxing, the best way to do it is with your jab.

*The purpose of the jab in the combinations below isn’t to hurt your opponent but to just distract his attention from the more powerful shots which eventually will knock him out.

The other way to land powerful punches clean is to make the other boxer miss by slipping or bobbing and weaving and then counter him. That’s a more passive way to knock someone out because you firsts need to wait for him to attack you instead of attacking him. But I gave some examples of such combinations because they can be really effective, because of the element of surprise.

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Boxing numbering system:

• Jab – 1
• Cross/straight – 2
• Lead hook – 3
• Rear hook – 4
• Lead uppercut – 5
• Rear uppercut – 6
• Lead hook to the body – 7
• Rear hook to the body – 8
• Lead uppercut to the body – 9
• Rear uppercut to the body – 10

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And here are the combinations:

#1: Slip>5>2>3  (Lead uppercut-Cross-Lead hook)

Range: Mid

Skill level: Intermediate/Аdvanced

This three-punch combination is a great way to knock someone out. That’s because your punches come from every possible direction, making the head of your opponent moving back and forth. Which increase the chance to knock him out.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Wait for the other boxer to throw a straight punch at you (jab or cross)
2. Slip the punch to the direction of your lead hand. (If you are in orthodox stance slip to your left and to your right if you are a southpaw).
3. Throw a lead uppercut to the head, followed by a cross and end the combo with a lead hook

Tips:

• When slipping make sure that your opponent is throwing a straight punch. Because if it’s a hook or an uppercut your rival may catch you badly.
• The last punch (the lead hook) should be the most powerful punch of all three. That’s the punch that will knock the other boxer out so make sure you throw it with all your power.

#2: 1>2>5>4 (Jab-Cross-Lead uppercut-Power hand hook)

Range: Mid/Long

Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate

When you do this combination, you don’t need to wait for the other boxer to attack you first. You can throw it from a long distance using your jab to set up the bigger punches. This combo is also great for knockouts because of the different directions from where your punches are coming.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab at the head
2. Make a step forward with the jab and throw a cross
3. Follow the cross up with a lead uppercut
4. Finish the combination with a powerful rear hook

Tips:

• Don’t commit with the jab. Its purpose is just to measure the distance for your cross and to mask it.
• Make a step with the jab. That way you will be in the right distance for the cross and the lead uppercut.

#3: Bob and weave>3>4>5 (Bob and weave-Lead hook-Right hook-Lead uppercut)

Range: Mid/Short

Skill level: Intermediate/Аdvanced

This is another really dangerous tree punch combination. It’s most effective at a mid or short range because you can bob and weave, dodging your opponent’s hooks or jab. And then you can finish the fight with three powerful shots.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Wait for the other boxer to throw a jab or a hook
2. Bob and weave in the direction of your lead hand
3. Throw a lead hook to the head
4. Throw a right hook followed by a lead uppercut to your opponent’s head

Tips:

• Be careful when bobbing and weaving because while doing so you are vulnerable for uppercuts. So keep your hands up.
• The lead uppercut should be the hardest lead uppercut you can possibly throw. You can try to hop with it, to add some extra power.

#4: 1>10>5>4 (Jab-Rear uppercut (body)-Lead uppercut-Rear cross/overhand)

Range: Mid/Long

Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced

By using this combo you can really confuse your rival. That’s because of the level changing – first, you go to the head, then to the body and then again to the head in order to get the knockout.

After the body shot your rival may lower his guard a little bit or duck his head. Then you can catch him off guard with the uppercut. If you are a southpaw fighter you can hurt the body of the other boxer bad. Because your rear uppercut may land on his liver. And that’s really painful.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab to the head
2. Make a step forward and bend your knees a little bit
3. Throw a long-range power hand uppercut to the body
4. Load the lead uppercut and throw it to your opponent’s head
5. End the combination with a power hand hook

Tips:

• The purpose of the body shot is just to distract the attention of the other fighter from the head punches. It’s great if you land it clean but if the other boxer blocks it by lowering his guard that’s even better. Because now he is vulnerable to head blows.

#5: 1>2>3>6 (Jab-Cross-Lead hook-Rear uppercut)

Range: Mid/Long

Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced

I like this combo because it’s very similar to the basic 1-2-3 combination but followed by a hard power hand uppercut. Most people won’t expect it (the uppercut) because it’s a little bit unorthodox. So it’s a great way to catch someone unexpectedly and knock him out.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab from a distance
2. Follow up the jab with a cross and a lead hook
3. Finish the combination with a power hand uppercut

Tips:

• A common mistake is to drop your rear hand after the lead hook to load the uppercut. Avoid doing this, because that leaves your exposed for left hooks. And if a clean left hook lands on your jaw, eventually you may be the one that lies on the mat.
• This combination is great when you are fighting against shorter guys who like to bob and weave. To knock such opponents out try to time them with your uppercut when they try to duck under the lead hook.

#6: 3>6>1>4 (Check lead hook-Rear uppercut-Jab-Rear hook/overhand)

Range: Short/Mid

Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced

The check lead hook or counter lead hook is a very short hook, used to intercept your opponent when he tries to step forward to find his distance. For example, you can use it to counter a step jab (when someone steps forward with their jab) or to counter overhands and also every kind of looping punches.

That’s because the check lead hook travels less distance than such blows (because it’s a short punch) so you will land it before your rival lands his looping punch.

But you don’t need to stop after you catch your rival with the check lead hook. You can follow it up by a combination and eventually knock the other boxer out. A great combination to do this is power hand uppercut-jab-overhand/hook.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Wait for the other boxer to make a step closer to throw looping punch or jab
2. Throw a quick short lead hook
3. Follow up the hook with a rear hand uppercut
4. Throw a short jab to the head and a hard rear hand cross or overhand

Tips:

• When throwing the check lead hook focus on the quickness and the accuracy, not on the power. Its purpose is just to intercept your opponent.
• You don’t need much power in the jab either. You should use it only to measure the distance for the hook or the overhand.
• If the other boxer keeps his guard up (or if he is much taller than you), throw an overhand. But if he isn’t protecting his left side, he is vulnerable for hooks so you can land one clean and hopefully knock him out.

#7: 1>7>3>4>5 (Jab-Lead hook (body)-Lead hook-Rear hook-Lead uppercut)

Range: Mid/Short

Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced

This is a more advanced 5 punch combination. I which the first three punches come from one side but then you throw a rear hand and end the combination with an uppercut. By using this combo you will attack the body and the head of the other boxer. Thus you will confuse him and catch him off guard.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab from a distance
2. Make a step forward (or don’t if you are close enough to throw the next punch)
3. Throw a lead uppercut to the body
4. Follow it up with a lead hook-right hook to the head
5. Finish the combination with a powerful lead uppercut

Tips:

• Move your head with the punches while doing this combination. You will be an easy target for counters if you stay static and throw so many punches.
• If you are an orthodox boxer, try to land the body shot on the liver.

#8: 1>8>3>4 (Jab-Rear hook (body)-Lead hook-Rear hook)

Range: Mid/Long

Skill level:  Intermediate/Advanced

Here is another advanced combination that aims the head and the body. It’s most effective when you trapped your rival against the ropes and work on his body and head from a distance.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab from a distance
2. Follow it up with a rear hook to the body
3. Immediately after the body shot throw a lead hook to the head
4. Finish the combination with a power hand hook

Tips:

• Sometimes is hard to find the right distance so you can throw powerful shots. So if your opponent is still on his feet after this combination, try to finish him with uppercuts or straight punches.

#9: 1>8>6>3 (Jab-Rear hook (body)-Rear uppercut-Lead hook)

Range: Short/Mid

Skill level: Intermediate/Advanced

Right hook to the body and then right uppercut to the head was one of the signature combinations of Mike Tyson. It’s really effective at a short distance when the other boxer is covered up. We added to this combination a jab, so you can set up the body shot and also a lead hook, in the end, to get the job done.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab to the head
2. Throw a power hand hook to the body
3. Follow it up with a power hand uppercut to the head
4. Finish the combination with a hard lead hook

Tips:

• This is a short-range combination. So if you and your opponent are very close to each other you don’t need to throw the jab. You need it to set up punches only when you are at a long distance.

#10: 1>6>3>4 (Jab-Rear uppercut-Lead hook-Rear hook)

Range: Mid/Long

Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate

A great combination when fighting against someone who likes to slip punches. Because you can throw the jab (or just feint it) to make your rival slip and then catch him with the uppercut and finish him with a right hook-left hook.

How to execute it correctly:

1. Throw a jab (or feint a jab)
2. Follow it up with a power hand uppercut
3. Finish the combination with lead hook-right-hook to the head

Tips:

• Try to track your opponent’s head with the uppercut. To do that you can throw some jabs at the beginning of the fight just to see in which direction he likes to slip. That will help you to predict where to throw the uppercut so you can catch him.