Peek-a-boo boxing style

The “peek-a-boo” box style (“peek-a-boo” derived from the “peek-a-boo” game , in which the hands cover the face and, after being briefly folded to the side, “peep-peep” is a type of boxing in which the hands are held in front of the boxer's face. It offers additional protection for the face and makes it easier to hit the opponent's face with the leading hand, the so-called jab . The style allows for quick neck movements, quick ducks, and hard punches when moving backwards through uppercut .

“Peek-a-Boo” boxes were developed by trainer Cus D'Amato . The forearms are held in front of the face. The fists are at nose / eye level, contrary to the normal style where the fists are at chin level. The leading hand fist is slightly in front and the punching hand fist directly on the chin.

Further characteristics are fast back and forth movements (pendulum) with the head or with the upper body, rapid up and down movements (crouching) with the upper body and combined horizontal and vertical evasive maneuvers to let the opponent hit into the void.

training

Hitting combinations is taught using a number system. These are practiced on firm punch pads or on the sandbag (printed with a number system) until the fighter is able to hit quick combinations.

The numbers are printed in the following order:

        7
     1     2
  3     8     4
     5     6

Each number on the sandbag corresponds to a specific punch:

7 = leading hand to face (jab)
8 = leading hand to the body (jab)
1 = left hook to the head (chin)
2 = right straight line to the head (chin)
3 = left uppercut
4 = Right uppercut
5 = left body hook
6 = right body hook

Well-known boxers with the “peek-a-boo” boxing style

Mike Tyson : the most famous representative of this boxing style in the ring
Floyd Patterson : Olympic gold medal winner, two-time heavyweight world champion; first boxer who was able to regain the world championship title after losing it; first fighter to effectively perform the Cus D'Amato “peek-a-boo” boxing style.
Winky Wright
José Torres
Miguel Cotto