Boxing doesn’t have an information problem.

There are thousands of fight breakdowns, drills, and training videos.

Information isn’t scarce.

What’s scarce is a structure for connecting it all together.

That is what I’m interested in.

How do all these pieces connect?

We Need a Way to Connect the Pieces

The best analogy I can think of is Lego blocks.

Having more blocks isn’t necessarily the problem.

You need a way to connect them.

And if we’re going to connect the different pieces of boxing, we first need a common language.

That starts with terms and definitions.

If we use different words for the same action or the same word for different actions we start muddying the waters.

The clearer the terms are, the easier it becomes to connect things.

Start With a Movement

Take a term I use in Boxing Notebook:

Drop

I define a Drop as:

A waist bend toward your open side.

Now we have three things:

A term.

A definition.

A specific movement we can recognize.

That matters because once we can name movements, we can start connecting those movements with punches.

And that brings me to the word combination.

From Combinations to Patterns

When most people hear combination, they think punches.

Jab.

Cross.

Hook.

That works for describing the punches, but it leaves out what happens between them.

So I prefer the word pattern.

I define a pattern as:

A sequence of movements and strikes performed in a specific order.

Every pattern is built from two types of actions:

Movements and strikes.

For example:

Beat 1: Jab
Beat 2: Drop
Beat 3: Rear Overhand

That is a pattern.

The Jab is a strike.

The Drop is a movement.

The Rear Overhand is another strike.

Now we’re not just organizing the punches.

We’re also organizing what happens between the punches.

Why the Order Matters

Once we put those actions into a specific order, we have something we can study and repeat.

Film: Recognize the pattern.

Shadowboxing: Recreate the pattern.

Partner drill: Train the pattern against another person.

The same language connects all three.

You might see a fighter:

Jab → Drop → Rear Overhand

Then take that exact sequence into shadowboxing.

Then build it into a controlled partner drill.

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What Boxing Notebook Is Trying to Build

That’s what Boxing Notebook is attempting to provide.

Not another collection of boxing information.

A structure for connecting what is already there.

Name the action.

Define the movement.

Put the actions into beats.

The language will continue to evolve as I find better ways to define movements and connect the pieces.

But the goal stays the same:

Make boxing easier to see, organize, and train.

Dig Deeper

If you want to go a little deeper, I’ve made my first ebook free.

I wrote it last year, and it covers some of the early ideas behind what I’m building with Boxing Notebook.

Some of the terminology has evolved since then, which is part of developing the system.

But the underlying idea is the same:

Give the pieces a structure so we can connect them.

If you want to check it out, I’ll leave the link below.

Boxing Patterns A Partners Guide The Mini Course

39MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

Where you can find me:

YouTube

Boxing Notebook

I started recording voice notes for my own shadowboxing because I kept forgetting what I wanted to work on.

I’d have a few patterns in mind. Then I’d start moving and forget what came next.

So I started recording the patterns in my own voice, putting in an AirPod, and pressing play.

Now I didn’t have to remember the pattern.

I could just move.

Take the Memory Out of It

The idea is pretty simple.

Instead of trying to remember your patterns while you shadowbox, just record them ahead of time.

…then listen while you train.

For me, that freed up my attention.

I could focus more on the movement and less on trying to remember what came next.

Build the Movement Map

To build a complete pattern, it’s important to map the movements between the punches.

Let’s take a pattern:

That gives me three beats.

Beat 1

Jab

Push off the rear foot and fire the jab.

I want my head and weight finishing toward the lead foot.

That end position matters because it sets up the next action.

Beat 2

Pull Square

Move the head and weight from the lead foot toward the rear foot while keeping the shoulders square.

Beat 3

Jab

Push off the rear foot and fire the jab again.

Add More Patterns

Once you understand the idea, you can start building different patterns.

For example:

Jab / Drop / Rear Uppercut / Pull Square

Or:

Lead Straight / In 45 / Lead Uppercut / Pull Square

Each call tells you what happens next.

You don’t need to use my terminology either.

Use whatever terms make sense to you.

The important part is that when you hear the word, you know exactly what action to take.

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Leave Space Between the Calls

When you record the patterns, leave a couple of seconds between each one.

You need enough time to actually move through the entire pattern before the next call starts.

Then add more as you get comfortable.

Over time, you can build your own library of shadowboxing patterns.

Coach Yourself

I put these types of patterns in my shadowboxing book.

But the larger idea isn’t to listen to my voice.

Record your own patterns.

Use your own terminology.

Build the movements you want to work on.

Then put in your headphones and press play.

Now you’re hearing your own voice tell you what comes next.

Meaning …you’re coaching you.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

Where you can find me:

YouTube

Boxing Notebook

Alright, Mike here, author of Boxing Patterns.

I want to talk about the word slip.

And I’m going to say something that probably sounds a little crazy but….

Stop slipping punches.

Obviously, I don’t mean stop making your opponent miss.

I’m talking about the terminology.

Because when you tell me somebody slipped a punch, you’re telling me what happened.

You’re not necessarily telling me what they did to make it happen.

That is the part I’m interested in.

What Did the Boxer Actually Do?

Let’s say my opponent throws a jab and I get underneath it.

You might say:

“Mike slipped the jab.”

That’s fine.

….but what did I actually do?

What was the movement?

Did I bend at the waist toward my open side?

If I did, I would call that movement a Drop.

A Drop is a waist bend toward the open side.

Now we have two things:

Term: Drop

Definition: Waist bend toward the open side

The Movement Can Exist Without the Punch

Here is why I think the distinction matters.

I can Drop without slipping anything.

My opponent does not need to throw a punch.

I can be standing directly in front of him and Drop.

Maybe I am changing levels.

…Or maybe I think a punch is coming and it never comes.

It does not matter.

The movement still happened.

I Dropped.

That movement exists independently of the opponent’s punch.

Now Add the Jab

Say my opponent throws the jab.

I make the exact same movement.

I Drop.

The jab goes over my head.

Now you might say:

“….Well Mike slipped the jab.”

And you would be right.

I did slip the jab.

But what did I actually do?

I Dropped.

The movement did not change just because my opponent threw a punch.

That is the distinction.

The Drop is the movement.

The slip is what happened because of the movement.

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Movement vs. Result

This is how I want to look at boxing terminology.

The movement should describe what YOU did.

So in this example:

Opponent: Jab

You: Drop

Result: Jab misses over the top

We can say you slipped the jab.

But if we want to build the exchange into a drill, Drop gives us more information.

It tells us the actual action.

Why Naming the Movement Matters

Once I identify a movement, I want to give it a term.

Then I want to give that term a definition.

You do not have to use my terminology.

You do not have to call this movement a Drop.

Call it whatever you want.

But define it.

Because if we are training together and I say:

“Drop.”

You know exactly what I am asking you to do.

I do not have to throw a jab first.

You do not even need an opponent standing in front of you.

The term tells you the movement.

Build It Into Beats

Now we can turn the idea into a basic partner drill.

Beat 1

Partner: Jab

Boxer: Drop

The partner fires the jab.

The boxer bends at the waist toward the open side.

The defensive result is a slip.

The action is a Drop.

The General Lesson

When you watch film, do not stop at:

“He slipped the punch.”

Go one step further.

Ask:

What did he actually do?

What movement changed his position?

Then give the movement a name.

…give the name a definition.

Now you have something you can drill.

That is what I mean when I say:

Stop slipping punches.

I really mean …just get more specific about how you made them miss.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

Where you can find me:

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Boxing Notebook

The Pattern:

Jason Moloney: Jab / Jab

Naoya Inoue: (Pull Square) / (Check Hook)

The question is basically asking:

What’s the next move for Inoue if Moloney slips the check hook?

And that’s a good question.

Because this gets into something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

So let’s play this out.

On that second beat we’ll have Moloney slip instead of firing that second jab.

Inoue: (Pull Square) / (Check Hook)

Moloney: Jab / Slip?

Now here’s where the terminology matters.

I could say Moloney slipped the hook.

But that doesn’t really tell me what Moloney did.

It only tells me what happened.

Meaning ….Moloney evaded the hook.

And that’s my problem with the word slip.

I want to know the movement that caused the hook to miss.

So instead we could say Moloney bent at the waist towards his open side.

….If we said that then I’ll know what he did to evade that hook.

And I could name that action a drop.

So now I have the term: Drop

….And a definition: Waist bend towards the open side.

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Now our pattern becomes:

Inoue: (Pull Square) / (Check Hook)

Moloney: Jab / Slip? (Drop)

That’s more useful.

But this is where the YouTube question really gets interesting.

Okay...now what?

The exchange doesn’t have to end on Beat 2.

Let’s say Moloney comes back with a rear overhand on the third beat.

Now we’ve got:

Inoue: (Pull Square) / (Check Hook) / ?

Moloney: Jab / (Drop) / Rear Overhand

Well...that’s a pickle for Inoue. Ha!

Because his head and weight is now over his rear foot (green circle below)

….so what could he do?

Maybe Inoue uses the exact same action Moloney just used.

The Drop.

Now the pattern looks like this:

Inoue: (Pull Square) / (Check Hook) / (Drop)

Moloney: Jab / (Drop) / Rear Overhand

And this is where I think boxing gets really interesting.

We’re not just looking at punches anymore.

We’re looking at a conversation.

Moloney does something.

Inoue responds.

Moloney responds to the response.

Then Inoue has another problem to solve.

Beat / Beat / Beat.

We can keep asking the same question:

Okay...now what?

That’s one of the reasons I like breaking boxing down this way.

I’m not necessarily trying to tell you what a boxer should do.

I’m trying to figure out what he can do.

Then we can take those actions, organize them into beats, and start playing with the possibilities in training.

That’s the fun part.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

Where you can find me:

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Boxing Notebook

Alright, Mike here, author of Boxing Patterns.

Today we’re gonna break down Rigondeaux’s patterns with his coach as he builds both catches and slips in this paddle drill. This is a brilliant drill to run with a buddy. The perfect tools are paddles or sticks.

Matchup Context

This is an open stance matchup.

Rigondeaux is southpaw.

His coach is orthodox.

Beat 1

Coach: Jab

Rigondeaux: In 45

Rigondeaux begins with his head and weight over the rear foot.

As the jab comes, he moves In 45, taking his head and weight diagonally from the rear foot toward the lead foot getting outside of the jab.

The important detail is the ending position.

He finishes with his weight over the lead foot, which sets up the next movement.

Beat 2

Coach: Rear Straight

Rigondeaux: Pull Bladed

The coach fires the rear straight.

Rigondeaux responds with a Pull Bladed.

His hips and shoulders rotate into a bladed position while his head and weight travel toward the rear foot.

Beat 3

Coach: Lead Hook

Rigondeaux: Drop

The coach follows up with the lead hook.

Rigondeaux Drops, bending at the waist towards his open side.

Beat 4

Coach: Rear Hook

Rigondeaux: In (Rear-Hand Catch)

As the rear hook arrives, Rigondeaux moved In.

His head and weight travel from the rear foot toward the lead foot while his hips and shoulders rotate open.

Think about holding a phone against the side of your head with the rear glove catching the hook.

Beat 5

Coach: Lead Hook to the Body

Rigondeaux: Pull Bladed

The coach throws the lead hook to the body.

Rigondeaux responds with Pulling Bladed.

His hips and shoulders rotate away as his head and weight move towards his rear foot.

Depending on the distance, the lead elbow can catch the punch, or the coach simply swings through empty space because Rigondeaux has already moved.

The important point is the rotation.

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Beat 6

Coach: Rear Hook to the Body

Rigondeaux: In (Rear Elbow Catch)

The rear hook comes to the body.

Rigondeaux moves In once again.

His hips and shoulders open as his head and weight move toward the lead foot.

The rear elbow catches the shot.

Beat 7

Coach: Lead Hook

Rigondeaux: Pull Square

Rigondeaux changes the pattern.

Instead of rotating, he Pulls Square.

His head and weight travel straight backward from the lead foot to the rear foot while the shoulders remain square.

Beat 8

Coach: Jab

Rigondeaux: In 45

The coach restarts the sequence with another jab.

Rigondeaux repeats the In 45, shifting his head and weight back towards the lead foot.

Beat 9

Coach: Rear Straight

Rigondeaux: Pull Bladed

Beat 10

Rigondeaux: Jab to the Body

Because Beat 9 finishes with the weight towards his rear foot, the jab to the body becomes available.

Rigondeaux pushes off the rear foot and snaps off the jab to the body.

What You Should Train

Run this drill slowly with a partner using paddles or sticks.

Pay attention to where the head and weight finish after every beat.

Once those ending positions become consistent, the entire pattern becomes repeatable.

That is the real lesson in this drill.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

Teofimo Lopez did more than avoid Barboza’s punches.

He linked three defensive actions together into one continuous pattern.

The exchange starts with a Pull Square, continues with a Drop, and finishes with another Pull Square while stepping West.

The key is not the footwork. The key is the weight placement that made each movement available.

Matchup Context

This is a closed stance matchup.

Both Teofimo Lopez and Arnold Barboza Jr. are orthodox.

The exchange shows how weight placement determines foot availability.

Beat 1

Barboza: Jab

Lopez: Pull Square

Barboza starts the exchange with the jab.

Lopez responds by Pulling Square.

Pull Square means the head and weight travel from the lead foot to the rear foot while keeping his shoulders square.

Beat 2

Barboza: Lead Hook

Lopez: Drop

Barboza follows with the lead hook.

Lopez responds with a Drop.

A Drop meaning a waist bend to the open side.

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Beat 3

Barboza: Rear Straight

Lopez: Pull Square + Lead Foot Step West

This is where the pattern comes together.

Because Lopez’s head and weight is now towards the rear foot, it allows his lead foot to move

Picture a compass underneath his feet.

North points toward Barboza.

East is to Lopez’s right.

West is to his left.

As Barboza throws the rear straight, Lopez Pulls Square while stepping his lead foot to the West.

What the Pattern Teaches

This exchange is a good example of the Weight Rule.

The foot carrying the least weight is the foot that is available to move.

After the Drop, Lopez’s weight is already over the rear foot.

That makes the lead foot available.

General Lesson

Study the weight that made the step possible.

If you understand where the weight finishes on each beat, the next movement becomes much easier to predict.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

The Weight Rule and the Compass

Weight placement determines movement options.

Before a boxer can step or angle out, one foot has to become available.

This is where many footwork discussions become confusing.

People focus on direction first.

But direction comes second.

The first question is:

Which foot can move?

The answer comes from the Weight Rule.

The Weight Rule

Your weight determines foot availability.

The foot that is not carrying the weight is the foot that is available to move.

Another way to think about it:

When the weight is loaded onto one side, the opposite foot becomes lighter.

If your head and weight are over the lead foot, the rear foot becomes available.

If your head and weight are over the rear foot, the lead foot becomes available.

You can test this yourself.

Shift your head and weight toward the lead foot.

Notice which foot feels easier to move.

Now reverse it.

Shift your head and weight toward the rear foot.

Again, notice which foot feels lighter.

As the weight shifts side to side, the available foot changes.

That is the Weight Rule.

The Next Question

Once we know which foot is available, another question appears.

Where can that foot travel?

This is where the Compass comes in.

The Compass gives us a simple way to organize movement direction.

Imagine a compass underneath the boxer.

That compass becomes a movement map.

The Weight Rule tells us which foot can move.

The Compass tells us where that foot can go.

Let’s look at two examples.

Xander Zayas

Beat 1

Zayas: Jab

Beat 2

Zayas: Rear Straight

Zayas fires the rear straight.

The important detail is the ending position.

His head and weight finish over the lead foot.

The rear foot becomes available.

Beat 3

Zayas: Rear Foot Step East

Because the weight is over the lead foot, Zayas can push off the lead leg.

The rear foot travels East.

Beat 4

Zayas: Rear Uppercut

Beat 5

Zayas: Lead Hook

Curmel Moton

Beat 1

Moton: Rear Foot Step East

Moton begins with his head and weight over the lead foot.

That immediately makes the rear foot available.

He pushes off the lead leg and steps the rear foot East.

Beat 2

Moton: Rear Uppercut

Moton fires the rear uppercut.

Again, his head and weight finish over the lead foot.

The rear foot becomes available once more.

Beat 3

Moton: Rear Foot Step East

Moton pushes off the lead foot and steps East again.

Beat 4

Moton: Rear Straight

Beat 5

Moton: Lead Hook

Beat 6

Moton: Rear Straight

What The Examples Teach

The important detail is not that Zayas and Moton stepped East.

The important detail is why they were able to step East.

The direction came from the Compass.

The opportunity came from the Weight Rule.

Because they placed their head and weight over the lead foot.

That made the rear foot available.

Once the rear foot became available, the Compass gave us a way to describe where it traveled.

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General Lesson

Direction without weight is incomplete.

Before asking where a foot moved, ask why that foot was available to move in the first place.

Weight creates the opportunity.

Direction describes the path.

You need both.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

This exchange is a good example of how weight placement creates movement options.

Those positions determine what a boxer can do next.

Once you understand where the weight is, the footwork and counters become much easier to predict.

Let’s break down the patterns beat by beat.

Matchup Context

This is an open stance matchup.

Moton is orthodox.

His coach is southpaw.

The coach is impersonating Moton’s opponent.

Beat 1

Coach: Jab

Moton: Catch

Coach snaps off his jab.

Note Moton starts with his head and weight over the lead foot.

Zero in on the position of his lead glove.

The glove is open and facing the coach.

This gives him access to either a lead Catch or a Parry.

Beat 2

Coach: Rear Straight

Moton: Rear Foot Step East

The coach follows with the rear straight.

The important detail is the ending position.

After the rear straight, the coach’s head and weight would end up over the lead foot.

And because Moton’s weight is over the lead foot, the rear foot is available to move.

He’ll pushes off the lead leg and steps the rear foot east.

When I write east imagine a compass below his feet.

Beat 3

Moton: Rear Uppercut to Body

Coach: Catch

Moton fires the rear uppercut to the body.

The coach’s only action is the catch.

The body shot lands while the coach’s head and weight remain over the lead foot.

Beat 4

Coach: Hook

Moton: Rear Foot Step East

Now the coach does not actually throw the hook in the drill.

But for learning purposes, imagine he does.

Why?

A lead or check hook is a reasonable follow-up from this position.

And this imagined hook helps explain Moton’s next movement.

If the coach responds with a check hook, Moton has the answer.

Once again, his weight placement gives him access to the rear foot.

He’ll pushes off the lead foot as he steps east.

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Beat 5

Coach: Catch

Moton: Rear Straight

Moton fires the rear straight.

Beat 6

Coach: Catch

Moton: Lead Hook

The lead hook follows.

Beat 7

Coach: Catch

Moton: Rear Straight

Moton finishes with the rear straight.

Training

This is something you can actually train.

Pay attention to where the weight finishes after each beat.

Don’t focus on the punches.

Focus on the positions.

The punches become much easier to understand once you know where the head and weight are going.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

Terence Crawford did not counter the overhand by accident.

The catch was built into the first movement.

This is a good example of how one action creates the next.

Alright…let’s build it into a partner drill.

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Matchup Context

This is a closed stance matchup.

Both are southpaw.

Crawford starts in Square High.

His head and weight are over the lead foot.

That detail matters because it gives him access to move the rear foot on the first beat.

Partner Drill Breakdown

Beat 1

Spence: Rear Overhand

Crawford: Pull Square + Rear Foot Step + Catch

Spence fires the rear overhand.

Crawford responds by Pulling Square.

A Pull Square means the head and weight travel straight backward while the shoulders remain square.

Because Crawford starts with his weight over the lead foot, the rear foot is available to move.

As he Pulls Square, he steps the rear foot backward.

So Crawford is changing position while completing that catch.

Beat 2

Crawford: Lead Hook

Spence: Bob

Crawford fires the lead (or check) hook.

The important detail is Spence’s ending position from Beat 1.

After throwing the overhand, his head and weight finish over the lead foot.

That gives him access to a Bob.

And a Bob is just a waist bend over the lead foot.

And so for a safe partner drill, we’ll have Spence do a waist bend which allows him to get under that hook.

What Else Did Spence Have Available?

Option 1: Rear Hand Catch

After the overhand, Spence could have rolled the rear hand up to catch the hook.

When thinking about this motion visualize hitting a speed bag.

The overhand naturally creates a circular path.

Continuing along path could have brought the rear glove into position to cover and catch that hook.

Option 2: Bob (Safer Partner Drill Option)

The second option is the Bob.

Because his head and weight were already over the lead foot, the Bob was also available.

This would remove the head from the hook’s path.

What Spence Got Wrong

The issue was not the overhand.

The issue was what happened after it.

Spence completed the first action.

But the exchange was not over.

Defense cannot stop after Beat 1.

A successful first movement still needs a follow-up.

The hook becomes dangerous when there is no answer on the next beat.

General Lesson

A successful defense requires more than one beat.

…Meaning the beats don’t stop.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

Teofimo jabs.

Coach fires back.

Teofimo counters.

Simple.

But the lesson is where Teofimo’s head and weight finish after the jab.

That ending position determines what’s available on the next beat.

Matchup Context

This is a closed stance drill.

Teofimo and his coach are both orthodox.

Teofimo starts in Square High.

His head and weight are over the lead foot.

Beat 1

Teofimo: Jab

Coach: Shows Right-Hand Target

Teofimo pushes off the rear foot and fires the jab.

Coach is shows the right hand as a target.

To reach the right-hand target, Teofimo just need to fold out his lead arm.

Because he folds out his arm, Teofimo’s head and weight remain over the lead foot.

Beat 2

Coach: Counter Jab

Teofimo: Pull Square

Coach fires the counter jab.

Teofimo responds by pulling square.

A Pull Square moves the head and weight from the lead foot to the rear foot while the shoulders stay square.

And the important detail is why this action is available.

On Beat 1, Teofimo finished the jab with his head and weight over the lead foot.

Which means he can pull square on the second beat.

In other words, the Pull Square does not start on Beat 2.

It was created on Beat 1.

That jab determined where Teofimo’s weight would be.

Beat 2

Teofimo: Jab

Coach: Shows Right-Hand Target

Teofimo pushes off the rear foot and fires the jab.

Coach is again showing the right hand target.

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Why Not Jab At Left Hand Target?

Now compare that to a different target.

Imagine Coach showed the left hand instead.

To reach that target, Teofimo would need to rotate his shoulder.

Meaning he would turn over that punch instead of folding it out.

As the shoulder rotates, Teofimo’s head and weight would begin moving towards his rear foot.

And that creates a problem.

Because pulling squaring requires the movement to start from the lead foot and travel to the rear foot while the shoulders remain square.

But if the jab already moved Teofimo’s weight toward the rear foot, that transition has already happened.

Which means he would not have access to pulling square on that second beat.

General Lesson

A target does more than tell you where to punch.

A target can influence where your head and weight finish.

And where your head and weight finish determines what becomes available on the next beat.

Training

This is something you can test for yourself.

Have a partner present different targets.

Pay attention to where your head and weight finish after the jab.

Then ask yourself a simple question:

What action became available because of that ending position?

That is where the real lesson is.

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Each step is being created by where Zayas places his weight on the previous beat.

If you only watch the feet, the pattern looks complicated.

If you watch the weight, the pattern becomes much easier to understand.

Matchup Context

This is an open stance matchup.

Zayas is orthodox.

His coach is southpaw.

The exchange gives us a good example of how weight placement determines which foot becomes available to move.

Beat 1

Zayas: Jab

Beat 2

Zayas: Rear Straight

Beat 3

Zayas: Rear Foot Step (East)

Because the weight is on the lead foot, Zayas can push off the lead leg and move the rear foot.

Using the compass model, the rear foot steps east.

The step is a result of the weight placement from Beat 2.

The foot becomes available because the body weight is already supported.

Beat 4

Zayas: Rear Uppercut

Beat 5

Zayas: Lead Hook

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Beat 6

Zayas: Rear Uppercut

Beat 7

Zayas: Rear Foot Step (South)

This time Zayas does not step east.

Instead, he pushes off the lead foot and steps the rear foot south.

Different direction.

Same rule.

Weight on the lead foot makes the rear foot available to move.

Beat 8

Zayas: Rear Hook

Beat 9

Zayas: Lead Hook

Beat 10

Zayas: Lead Foot Step (West) + Pivot

The lead hook finishes with Zayas’ weight towards his rear foot.

That places the rear leg in a supporting role and frees the lead foot to move.

Zayas pushes off the rear foot and steps the lead foot west.

He then adds a pivot.

One Final Thought

The interesting part of these clips is not the punches.

It is how each punch changes the next movement option.

The rear straight creates the rear foot step.

The lead hook creates the lead foot step.

The weight transfer comes first.

The footwork comes second.

Watch the above video and focus only on where Zayas’ weight finishes after each punch.

You’ll start seeing the pattern that creates the footwork.

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Dmitry Bivol was not just defending against Michael Eifert’s jab.

He was using the jab to set up the next beat.

At full speed the exchange looks simple.

Catch. Hook. Eifert gets caught.

But the exchange really starts on Beat 1.

Matchup Context

This is a closed stance matchup.

Bivol starts in Square High.

His head and weight are toward the lead foot.

Eifert starts in Bladed High.

His head and weight are toward the rear foot.

Partner Drill Breakdown

Beat 1

Eifert: Jab
Bivol: Catch + Rear Foot Step Back

Eifert pushes off the rear foot and fires the jab.

Bivol combines two actions on the same beat:

• Catch

• Rear foot step back

  ---

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Beat 2

Eifert: Jab
Bivol: Lead Hook

Eifert looks to fire a second jab.

As Bivol releases the lead hook.

The key detail is timing.

Bivol is not reacting to Eifert.

He is punching with him.

Both boxers are committing on the same beat.

Something To Chew On

The issue was not the jab.

Eifert was attacking where Bivol was.

Head and weight over the lead foot.

But Bivol was already transitioning out of that state.

The check hook moves his head and weight from the lead foot to the rear foot.

The jab is chasing the position Bivol left behind.

The hook is meeting Eifert where he is going.

This is something you can actually train.

Film is useful.

But drills are where understanding starts to stick.

You can turn this exchange into a safe partner drill.

Watch the video to see the pattern broken down beat by beat.

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Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

If you’ve been following my shadowboxing content, Volume 2 expands on the concepts introduced in Volume 1.

My recommendation:

📘 Start with Volume 1.

📕 Then move on to Volume 2.

Volume 1 introduces the foundation:

• States
• Weight
• Beats

Volume 2 builds on that foundation and shows how to use those concepts to create movement patterns.

These books are for boxers who want to shadowbox with purpose.

How To Shadowbox: Volume 1

How To Shadowbox: Volume 2

Thank you to everyone who has been supporting the Boxing Notebook project. Every purchase helps me continue building the system and creating new material.

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Michael Taylor

Author of Boxing Patterns

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Marvin Hagler loaded the lead side first.

That is what created the uppercut.

Tony Sibson acted on the first beat.
The problem was the second.

That is where the movement pattern breaks down.

Today, we’re going to rebuild the exchange into a partner drill we can actually run.

Matchup Context

This is an open stance matchup.

Hagler is southpaw.
Sibson is orthodox.

Hagler starts in Square High.
His head and weight are toward the lead foot.

Sibson starts in Bladed High.
His weight are toward the rear foot.

Partner Drill Breakdown

Beat 1

Hagler: Bob
Sibson: In

Hagler Bobs.

Meaning he bends over that lead foot loading that lead leg. That becomes important on the next beat.

At the same time Sibson moves In. His weight travel travels from rear foot to lead foot

Beat 2

Hagler: Leaping Uppercut
Sibson: Pull Bladed

Because Hagler loaded the lead leg on Beat 1, he can now spring into the Leaping Uppercut.

For the partner drill, Sibson responds by Pulling Bladed.

His head and weight travel from the lead foot to the rear foot as the shoulders and hips rotate into a bladed stance.

Sibson is no longer planted directly in front of Hagler.

Instead of taking the uppercut clean, he rolls with it.

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Beat 3

Hagler: Rear Straight
Sibson: Drop

Because of the Pull Bladed on Beat 2, Sibson’s head and weight are now toward the rear foot.

That gives him access to the Drop.

And a Drop is a waist bend to the open side.

So as Hagler fires the Rear Straight, as Sibson drops getting under the Rear Straight.

Beat 4

Hagler: Lead Hook
Sibson: Weave In

Hagler finishes the sequence with the Lead Hook.

For the partner drill, Sibson responds with Weave In.

His head travels from the rear foot to the lead foot as he moves underneath the hook.

The important detail is that Sibson continues moving.

The defense does not end after Beat 2.

Each movement flows into the next state.

General Lesson

A fighter can win the first movement and still lose the exchange.

Defense cannot stop after the first beat.

Each movement has to connect into the next state.

If you want to see the full sequence in motion, watch the breakdown on YouTube.

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Today we’re going to break down a defensive sequence from Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston… then turn it into a safe partner drill we can actually run.

But more importantly, we’re going to look at how Ali’s movement was not random.

Each movement changed his state.
And each state change created new opportunities on the next beat.

Starting Position

Ali begins in Square High.

That means:

• head and weight are over the lead foot while posture is upright

That starting position matters because it determines what movements become available next.

Beat 1

Liston: Jab

Ali: Pull Square

Liston snaps off the jab.

Ali responds by Pulling Square.

A Pull Square means:

• the head and weight travel straight back while keeping his shoulders square.

The important detail is the ending position.

Ali’s weight finishes over the rear foot.

That matters because it changes what movements become available on the next beat.

Beat 2

Liston: Jab

Ali: In + Shift

Liston fires another jab.

Ali responds by moving In while shifting.

This is important.

It is not:

In → then Shift.

It is:

In while Shifting.

That changes the timing and the rhythm of the movement.

An In means:

• the head and weight move from the rear foot to the lead foot

And the reason the Shift works here is because Ali’s weight was already loaded onto the rear foot from Beat 1.

That allows the lead foot to move during the shift.

This is one of the key ideas inside Boxing Patterns:

The previous beat determines what movements become available on the next beat.

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Beat 3

Liston: Jab

Ali: Pull Bladed + Shift

Now we add another layer.

Ali responds to the jab by Pulling Bladed* while shifting.

A Pull Bladed means:

• the head and weight travel from his new rear foot to his lead foot while his hips and shoulders rotate into a bladed stance

*In theory this could be an In + Shift because of the stance change because Ali is a traditional orthodox boxer I am using Pulling Bladed.

Again, notice the pattern.

Ali changes where his weight is positioned.

And that weight transfer shapes the next beat.

For the partner drill, we also keep Liston active here.

We do not want empty beats.

So Liston fires another jab while Ali Pulls Bladed and shifts.

Beat 4

Liston: Rear Straight

Ali: Drop

Now we finally get to the reason for the movement.

Ali Drops.

A Drop is:

• a waist bend to the open side

And the reason Ali drops is because he is anticipating the rear straight from Liston.

So for the partner drill:

• Liston fires the rear straight

• Ali Drops underneath it

But this is where the sequence becomes really interesting.

Why A Counter Is Available For Ali

Had Liston thrown the rear straight:

• his head and weight would finish over the lead foot

Meanwhile:

• Ali’s head and weight would be over the rear foot

That creates an opportunity.

On the next beat Ali would have a rear-hand counter available.

Think:

• Rear Uppercut

• Rear Overhand

Training

This is something you can train.

I built it into a partner drill in the YouTube video below.

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Author of Boxing Patterns

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Partner Drill Breakdown

Let’s turn this exchange into a partner drill.

One beat at a time.

Matchup Context

This is an open stance matchup.

Whitaker is in Square High.
Head and weight over the lead foot.

Nelson is in Bladed High.
Head and weight toward the rear foot.

Beat 1

Whitaker: Jab
Nelson: In

Whitaker snaps off the Jab.

As Nelson moves In, his weight transfers from the rear foot to the lead foot.

Which puts Nelson into Square High.

Beat 2

Whitaker: Drop
Nelson: Rear Straight

A Drop is a waist bend toward the open side.

Nelson fires the Rear Straight.

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Beat 3

Whitaker: Rear Hook
Nelson: Catch

Whitaker fires the Rear Hook.

Now let’s focus on Nelson.

Because Nelson’s weight is already over the lead foot, he has defensive options available.

He could:

• Bob under the Rear Hook.
  A Bob is a waist bend over the lead foot.

• Or Catch the Rear Hook.

For the partner drill, we’ll use the Catch.

Nelson rolls the rear glove up the side of the head and catches the hook while staying in position.

The important detail is that the Catch does not change his state.

He stays loaded over the lead foot.

That sets up the final beat.

Beat 4

Whitaker: Lead Hook
Nelson: Pull Bladed

Whitaker fires the Lead Hook.

For the partner drill, Nelson responds with Pull Bladed.

Meaning:

• the head and weight travel from the lead foot to the rear foot

• the shoulders and hips rotate into a bladed stance

That allows Nelson to roll with the hook instead of taking it clean.

The important detail is the ending position.

Nelson does not stay planted over the lead foot.

He exits by transferring weight to the rear foot.

TRAINING

This is something you can actually train.

Run it slowly as a four-beat partner drill:

• Beat 1 — Jab / In

• Beat 2 — Drop / Rear Straight

• Beat 3 — Rear Hook / Catch

• Beat 4 — Lead Hook / Pull Bladed

Focus on where the weight moves after each beat.

If you want to explore more patterns like this, the video version breaks the sequence down beat by beat.

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Author of Boxing Patterns

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Boxing Notebook

Defense cannot stop after the first beat.

The first movement only solves the first problem.

The next beat still exists.

A successful first movement still needs a follow-up.

If the movement stops without a follow-up, the opponent gets the next beat for free.

Beat 1

Sánchez: Jab
Cowdell: Drop

Sánchez pushes off the rear foot and snaps the jab.

Cowdell Drops to the open side.

That puts him in Bladed Low.

Because from Bladed Low, Cowdell has options available.

What Cowdell Had Available

Option 1: Jab from Bladed Low

Beat 2
Cowdell: Jab

Cowdell could have snapped out the jab from Bladed Low.

Why does that work?

Because his weight was already on the rear foot.

That meant he only needed to extend the lead arm.

Sánchez had a longer path.

In order to land the rear straight, Sánchez needed to transfer his weight from the rear foot to the lead foot.

Option 2: Wrap

If you want a safer partner drill, the Wrap is another option.

Beat 2
Cowdell: Wrap

Because his weight is on the rear foot, Cowdell can push off that rear foot and the close distance.

From there, wrap the lead arm around Sánchez’s waist.

Option 3: Weave In with the Lead Foot Step

Beat 2
Cowdell: Weave In + Lead Foot Step

Key detail.

It is not:

Step → Weave.

It is:

Step while weaving.

That matters.

Because Cowdell’s stance is too narrow.

And this is the important point.

Your head can only end up where the lead foot allows it to go.

Meaning if Cowdell tries to Weave without moving the lead foot, his head stays in the line of that rear straight.

But if he steps the lead foot to his left while weaving, that changes the ending position.

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What Cowdell Got Wrong

The issue was not the Drop.

The issue was the missing second beat.

Cowdell defended the first shot.

But he did not transition into the next action.

Beat 1 solved the jab.

Beat 2 still needed an answer.

Training

This is something you can train.

I built it into a partner drill in the YouTube video below.

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Boxing Notebook

Most people will focus on the overhand.

The important detail happened earlier.

Chelli combined two actions into one.

The jab occupied David Morrell.

The rear foot step brought Chelli into range for the overhand.

Beat 1

Chelli: Jab + Rear Foot Step Up

Chelli folds out the jab while stepping the rear foot forward.

Two actions.
One beat.

His head and weight are over the lead foot.

That matters because it frees the rear foot to move.

The jab occupies Morrell while the rear foot steps closer to the lead foot.

That shorter base is what sets up the next beat.

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Why the Rear Foot Step Matters

Once the rear foot steps closer to the lead foot, the push off allows the lead foot to travel further.

And wherever the lead foot lands is the furthest the head can travel.

Which also tells us the furthest the rear hand can travel.

Beat 2

Chelli: Rear Overhand

Chelli pushes off the rear foot and fires the overhand.

Beat 3

Chelli: Weave Out + Rear Foot Step Up

Chelli combines two actions again.

He weaves out while shifting the rear foot forward.

Two actions.
One beat.

Notice where his head and weight are before the weave.

They are over the lead foot.

That means the rear foot is once again available to move.

As he weaves out:

• the rear foot shifts forward

• the head and weight travel toward the rear foot

General Lesson

A lot of exchanges are decided one beat early.

One Final Thought

A lot of people will see the overhand.

Focus on the rear foot step.

That is where the exchange actually changed.

If you want to see the full sequence in motion, watch the breakdown on YouTube.

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A state is where your body is.

That’s it.

It tells us two things:

• where your head is

• where your weight is

A state is not a movement.
A state is not a strike.

A state is a position.

But it matters because every movement starts in a state and ends in a state.

This is where the Boxing Notebook system starts.

The Two Variables

Every state comes from two variables.

1. Where the Head and Weight Are

• toward the lead foot

• toward the rear foot

2. Body Position

• upright

• bent at the waist

That’s it.

Two variables.

Those two variables create every state in the system.

The Four States

There are four total states:

• Square High

• Square Low

• Bladed High

• Bladed Low

These are the only places you can be.

You are always in one of these four states.

Partner Drill Breakdown

Now let’s use Golovkin to see the transition.

Beat 1

Golovkin: Pull Square

Golovkin starts in Square High.

Head and weight are toward the lead foot.
He is upright.

On the first beat, he pulls backward.

His head and weight travel from the lead foot toward the rear foot.

That changes the state:

• Square High → Bladed High

Notice the action moved him between states.

Beat 2

Golovkin: Drop

Now Golovkin is in Bladed High.

Head and weight are already toward the rear foot.

So on Beat 2, he bends at the waist toward the open side.

That changes the state:

• Bladed High → Bladed Low

But now the body position changes from upright to bent.

What the System Is Actually Tracking

The system is tracking state changes.

That’s the point.

States do not move.

Actions do.

You stay in a state until an action moves you somewhere else.

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The Two Types of Actions

There are two action categories:

• movements

• strikes

This article is focused on movements.

A movement is:

An action that changes your state without throwing a strike.

The Movement List

The core movements are:

• Pull Square

• Pull Bladed

• In

• In 45

• Drop

• Drop 45

• Bob

• Weave In

• Weave Out

Each movement exists to do one thing:

Change your state.

Why This Matters

Once you understand states, exchanges stop looking random.

You start seeing:

• where movement starts

• where movement ends

• how fighters transition between positions

• why certain counters become available

That’s where the patterns start appearing.

Training

This is something you can actually train.

More details in the YouTube video below.

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We’re gonna break down how Inoue combines two actions into one and were gonna get a little help from Sugar Ray Leonard.

Sugar Ray Leonard is in Bladed High.
Weight toward the rear foot.

Beat 1
Leonard: Drop

A waist to the open side.

He moves from Bladed High → Bladed Low.

Beat 2
Leonard: Jab (Body)

He pushes off the rear foot and snaps the jab to the body.

In the second clip, the pattern stays the same.
Only the target changes.

Sugar Ray Leonard starts in Bladed High.
Weight toward the rear foot.

Beat 1
Leonard: Drop

A waist to the open side.

He moves from Bladed High → Bladed Low.

Beat 2
Leonard: Jab (Head)

He pushes off the rear foot and snaps the jab to the head.

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Now let’s go back to Naoya Inoue.

How does he get to Bladed Low?

He combines the movement and the strike on the same beat.

Instead of:
Beat 1 — Drop
Beat 2 — Jab

He does both at once.

Beat 1
Inoue: Drop + Jab (Body)

That puts him in Bladed Low.

Two actions. One beat.

Beat 2
Inoue: Jab (Head)

This is something you can train.

Run it as a two-beat pattern:

Start → Drop → Jab (Body)

Or run it as a one-beat pattern

Start → Drop + Jab (Body)

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Boxing Notebook