Jab Feint - Cross

A two-punch combination where the lead hand fakes a jab — the lead shoulder moves but the punch never arrives — and the cross fires through the opening. Used to bait a defensive reaction. Floyd Mayweather built fights on the jab-feint-cross.

Key points

• ▸The feint must look real — lead shoulder rises, lead foot may step slightly.
• ▸The cross arrives within 0.2 seconds of the feint.
• ▸The lead hand stays high during the feint and the cross — never drops to "sell" the feint.
• ▸Use against opponents who parry or pull repeatedly.

Common mistakes

• ✗Feint too small — opponent does not react.
• ✗Feint too large — over-commits, leaves a gap to be exploited.
• ✗No cross — purposeless feint.
• ✗Dropping the lead hand during the feint — opens to a counter.

Drills

1. Mirror: practise the feint without throwing — focus on lead shoulder rise only.
2. Partner: partner parries on every jab feint; you fire the cross when their hand moves.

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