The uppercut (formerly known as the undercut; sometimes also referred to as the ''upper'') is a punch used in
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
that travels along a vertical line at the opponent's chin or solar plexus. It is, along with the
cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
, one of the two main punches that count in the statistics as ''power punches''.
Uppercuts are useful when thrown at close range, because they are considered to cause more damage.The uppercut is a powerful punch capable of delivering a knockout strike. Additionally, it is likely that a boxer would miss if the uppercut is thrown when the opponents are apart. Uppercuts usually do more damage when landed to the chin, but they can also cause damage when thrown to the body (particularly the solar plexus) or when landing on the nose or eyes.
The punch moves as its name implies: it usually initiates from the attacker's belly, making an upward motion that resembles a pirate's hook in shape, before landing on the opponent's face or body. In a conventional boxing combination, it is the second punch thrown, after the
jab
A jab is a type of punch used in martial arts. Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended from the side of ...
, but it can either initiate or finish a combination.
When performing an uppercut, the attacker should stay close to the target, so as to prevent the opponent from detecting that the punch is coming, and countering with a straight punch. An uppercut from the outside also loses some of its power because the arm is no longer bent at the elbow and cannot effectively transfer the total body's force in the upward movement.
Samuel Elias, also known as " Dutch Sam", is credited with creating this punch originally called an "undercut". It was reported that "Dutch Sam created havoc with the new blow until a new way was found to block it".''
Tacoma News Tribune
''The News Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Tacoma, Washington. It is the second-largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington with a weekday circulation of 30,945 in 2020. With origins dating back to 1883, the newspaper w ...
'' (January 1, 1924). Boxers famous for their uppercuts include Lennox Lewis, Joe Louis,
Rubén Olivares
Rubén Olivares Avila (born January 14, 1947) is a Mexican former professional boxer and a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame., Olivares was a world champion multiple times, and considered by many as the greatest bantamweight champio ...
, and
Sandy Saddler
Joseph "Sandy" Saddler (June 23, 1926 – September 18, 2001) was an American professional boxer. He was a two-time featherweight world champion, having also held the super featherweight title. Over his twelve-year career (1944–56), Saddler s ...
.
Image gallery
Image:Lead hand uppercut.jpg, Lead hand uppercut
Image:uppercut2.jpg, ''Right uppercut in long range''
Image:uppercut1.jpg, ''Right uppercut in counterpunch''
Image:Retrait2.jpg, ''Left uppercut in counter punch''
Image:uppercut4.jpg, ''Uppercut in counterpunch ''
File:Knee and uppercut strike.jpg, left,
Bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
of uppercut with a knee strike. Located at Angkor Wat( 1100's A.D.) in the Kingdom of
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...