Lead Parry
Defence · Lead side (Orthodox left, Southpaw right)
Deflect a straight punch off line with a small lead-hand movement.
How to throw it
Meet an incoming straight punch with a small, sharp movement of the lead hand, tapping or nudging it off its line rather than swatting at it. Keep the motion tight and close to your face so you redirect the punch just past you and stay in position to counter. Do not reach out; let the punch come to you and deflect it late.
When to use it
Use it against straight punches, the jab in particular, to open a lane for an immediate counter while staying on the centreline. A clean parry redirects their shot and leaves your rear hand loaded to answer down the middle.
Common mistakes
- Reaching out to meet the punch, which opens your guard and lets a feint pull you out of position.
- Parrying too wide and swinging the hand across your body, creating a gap for the next shot.
- Batting the punch down or across without resetting, so your hand is out of place for the counter.