In boxing, “bolo punch” refers to a whip punch delivered at waist level that looks like a combination of an uppercut and a hook outwardly. A boxer would throw the whip action at around four or five o’clock and aim for the opponent’s liver. The hit never goes higher than the stomach of the target. The underarm swing is usually accompanied by an easy twist of the hip.
Bolo punch step by step
Origin of the Bolo Punch
A boxer delivering a bolo punch is doing movements similar to that of a sugar cane cutter wielding a machete. It is as if the boxer is swinging the machete at waist level. In throwing a punch, this type of maneuver has a large wind-up and with good timing, the uppercut punch can knock down the other fighter.
The bolo punch originated in the Philippines. A bolo (machete) is used in sugarcane fields to reap the harvest. Some attribute the punch to champion Filipino boxer Ceferino Garcia, while others name another Filipino boxer, Macario Flores as the inventor.
Best Bolo Punchers in the World
Boxers who used the bolo punch effectively in their professional career include Welsh pugilist Joe Calzaghe and American champion Roy Jones, Jr. Gerardo Gonzales (Kid Gavilan) from Cuba is one of the best boxers in history to use the bolo punch. The list of proficient bolo punchers is topped by American boxing legend Ray Charles “Sugar Ray” Leonard.