What is the boxing term for a boxer who fights with the right hand and right foot forward?

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The boxing term for a boxer who fights with the right hand and right foot forward is southpaw.

In a southpaw stance, the boxer places the right foot and right hand toward the opponent, using the right hand for the lead jab and the left hand as the rear power hand. This reverses the more common orthodox stance, in which the left hand and left foot lead.

The term is strongly associated with left-handed boxers, although stance and handedness are not always identical. Some naturally right-handed fighters use southpaw tactics, and some left-handed fighters prefer an orthodox stance. Fighters who can switch between orthodox and southpaw during a bout are often called switch-hitters.

Southpaw matchups can be awkward because the competitors' lead hands, lead feet and power hands line up differently from a conventional orthodox-versus-orthodox bout. Coaches therefore spend considerable time preparing for angles, foot positioning and the straight left that typically follows the southpaw jab.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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