Ronald sent me this link of Wilson Pitts working some boxing tactics out of Eddie Futch’s play book. Understand that Eddie was the man who handled Joe Frazier, the man for whom the peek-a-boo style was named the “Philly shell.” Futch knew the peek-a-boo inside out.

The term breaking ground used by Wilson, is sometimes called “the fade” or “fading,”which is the term I use. Fading or draw stepping back on a diagonal line, is a sneaky tactic that can set up numerous counters.

The hook he is showing is variously called a “heel pivot’ or “cutter” as the power of the pivot is surrendered to the cause of moving your rear foot off line, and the glancing nature of the blow promotes abrasion and cutting of the brow.

Wilson suggests the uppercut as a takedown counter, as it is an excellent clinch counter in boxing. However, for the street you want to slap the rear hand uppercut to the forehead and only dig a fist upper cut from the lead off the knee as shown in the fight footage by Spinks, and with a covering rear empty hand to check with.

However, in the MMA cage, I am suspicious of using the uppercut as a takedown defense. The drive that a good wrestler has on his shoot in the cage is just hard for boxers to fathom. On the street they have to worry about losing their knee cap. But in the cage, a good shooter can defeat any bent arm punch that does not knock him out, and achieve the takedown—the clinch at least. Diverting from straight low-leverage punches to angular leveraged punches is the holy grail in boxing. But, against a superior grappler in the cage, it could put you in deep trouble. MMA is more nuanced then the street or ring, so just be careful putting smoke on a punch when facing a better grappler. The best time to do so is any time he stands straight up. If you can stuff a few shoots, wait for him to pop up to rest those thighs and hips, and then blast him.

I really liked this video. In terms of boxing value it is excellent, survival value good, and MMA value fair, which just means you will have to play with it, using that fade to set up a check, counter, or hold that fits you and the opponent.