Surviving the Sucker Punch

Written by Mannie de Matos

We know he’s a coward, but he thinks he’s a conqueror — the thug who uses the sucker-punch to drop victims to the pavement or bar-room floor and give his sorry ego a boost. So how do you outsmart the sucker-puncher? Hakarac Martial Boxing founder and experienced security professional Mannie de Matos shows how to prepare for the king-hit and defeat the thug before his fist gets the better of your face.

Charlie Suriano

As the name implies, the sucker-punch, also known as the ‘king-hit’, relies on the attacker’s ability to dupe his victim into a false sense of security, lowering their fight-awareness. The practised thug will do this through engaging the victim’s mind with words or movement, meanwhile closing the distance and getting into a good striking position, to then deliver one — and only one — almighty punch. This punch is delivered with full speed and full power to do one thing and one thing only: knock out the victim. In such situations, there is no fight. There is only an ambush, brutality and violence. There is not a loser as such, only a victim.

The sucker-punch is not a technique. The sucker punch is a set-up and delivery method that produces instant results. It’s simple in application, has basic target locations, doesn’t discriminate regardless of size, creates awe in onlookers and builds fearsome reputations. It is the chosen method of assault by many an attacker, and many a potential victim who knows its power when applied in self-defence.

The sucker-punch is both yin and yang in nature: the yin guy uses it and justifies it as a means of self-preservation, but doesn’t train in delivering it (only in defending from it).

The reason? Because it’s cowardly, unethical and without honour.
The yang guy, on the other hand, uses it to facilitate his need for ego inflation, hunger, power and even fun.
The difference between these two and when it is or isn’t right to employ the sucker-punch tactic can be a philosophical and legal can of worms, which we won’t open here. What we will discuss is how it’s delivered, the clues that it’s coming, and defences against it.

The weapon

The most common weapon used to deliver a sucker-punch is a closed-fist strike applied in a circular motion (like a hook) to the side of a victim’s head, usually with the attacker’s dominant hand.

Open-handed strikes are also used to deliver a sucker-punch, but this technique is usually applied by experienced front-line professionals such as bouncers, CPP Officers, and other security personnel.

The third common method uses ‘enhancers’. This is a sucker-punches that has an enhancement to the basic weapon (fist), such as a bottle, glass, keys, pen, mobile phone, billiard ball or anything else that the attacker can get their hands on. This method guarantees greater damage and a greater chance of success.

The set-up

Engagement: The attacker will engage the intended target with general verbal dialogue. Most attackers have one or two engaging formats — which might be a request for directions, or ‘Do you know so-and-so?’, etc. — and non-threatening body movements. This will invite you into striking range.
Distraction: The attacker will distract the target by engaging their mind with questions (waiting until they begin answering before ambushing) or forcing the victim to look away. This is achieved in two ways:
Getting the victim to point to certain locations (shops, landmarks, etc.), as usually when people point, they also look at where they are pointing.
By getting the victim to look at what they are looking at (to the ground, the side — anywhere away from themselves
Ambush: While the victim’s guard is down and they’re looking away from him, the attacker ambushes his target with a sucker-punch.
Escape: The offender then escapes as fast as he can in case of witnesses or electronic evidence.

Positions of ambush

There are three basic ambush positions to deliver the sucker punch:
Square-on (talking): This is the most common position as it facilitates the use of both hands. Also the target is right in front of you, enabling a greater chance of success.
Side-on: This is usually used by a third-party bystander (friend), when the target has turned away from you or when you simply walk up and blind-side them.
Blind assault: This is when the target has their back to you. This sucker-punch is the most cowardly of assaults, as the target doesn’t stand a chance.

Targets

The main and most sought-after target area is the side of the head, preferably the jaw-line. This target area produces instant results in the form of disorientation, concussion, and temporary loss of bodily function, known as a knockout or KO.

Clues

Clues to look for prior to a sucker punch are as follows:
‘Friendly stranger’ danger: Talking, smiling, disarming body language.
Closing the distance: Invading body boundaries (usually inside one metre)
Positioning: Watch out for pre-assault positioning of body and hand.
Visual cues: Look at your assailant and see what’s around you.
Intuition: Your gut feeling is usually right. If you sense danger, get out (remove yourself to a safe distance).

Counters

The ‘lean-back’: This instinctive defence is one of the most effective defences against a sucker-punch. Being a circular strike, the sucker-punch targets a particular point in its circular trajectory. The lean-back removes you from this circular path with minimum effort, while at the same time putting the attacker off balance from their own momentum.
Forearm-block: This is applied from a defensive position (one hand up). It blocks the sucker-punch using the forearm while simultaneously creating head-distance by twisting the body backwards and loading up your rear hand for a counter-strike.
Ducking: Ducking isn’t a common defence against the sucker-punch as it requires a large movement of body-mass. It is mostly used by disciplined/trained fighters who see the punch coming and can retaliate coming up from underneath the strike. To apply this defence, you bend your knees while dropping your weight, leaning forward slightly, hunching your shoulders, dropping chin to chest and safeguarding the sides of your head (temples) with your hands.
Side-cover: Again, this defence requires that you identify the attack in time and can bring the hand to the back of the head, protecting your head with your shoulder and forearm. This defence is applied squarely (elbow tip going towards the attacker’s punching shoulder), moving in a forward and slightly crouched motion.
Head-butt: Use a head-butt when your hands are committed (e.g. in pockets, holding items/persons) and the assault is identified at the last second. This defence is done by simply head-butting the attacking fist with the crown of your head (not dissimilar to head- butting a soccer ball) by tilting it forward and is best used as a last resort.

Training the sucker-punch

In Hakarac Martial Boxing, training to deliver and defend from the sucker-punch is paramount and a daily staple that’s necessary for our confidence. We know that the assailant will use this method to ambush and assault us. How does Hakarac train to deal with it? From the same perspective and ideals as the bad guy — you don’t deal with a tiger using the gazelle’s tactics. The drills shown here will help you do the same.

Sucker-punch drill: face-offs

This drill facilitates in training, identifying clues, body positioning and movement prior to a sucker-punch ambush.
Basic level: To begin, follow these instructions:
a) Stand square, just under a metre away from your partner and with hands by your side.
b) Without warning, throw a punch at your partner’s head in either a straight or circular motion. You can travel (step) when delivering the punch. Keep the impact rate to start with at 25 per cent, and then with confidence increase it to 100 per cent.
c) Your partner then utilises the defences mentioned previously to evade and block against the sucker-punch.

As confidence increases, introduce verbal engagement and closer proximities prior to assault (half a metre).
Intermediate level: Use the same format as for basic level, but introduce a second training partner positioned on your side, slightly into your peripheral vision. Again, distance and engagements start from a basic format, escalating with confidence and competence. For this level, have both attackers strike at random.

Advanced level: Following from intermediate level, increase with another training partner to a ‘triangle principle’ of assault. All three attackers have the freedom to attack, but only one at a time.

This random sucker-punch drill requires extra rules in monitoring. Have the attackers start off slowly and with big movements (clues) and as confidence increases, so does the pressure from closing distance, verbal distractions and faster assaults.

Adding on to the Face-Off drill, have the defender retaliate with three levels of counters:
Before the attack (see the movement)
With the attack (get off-line)
After the attack (follow the returning or swinging punch).

Safety

In any training environment, safety is paramount to ensure that no participant is injured in the acquisition of confidence and competence. Training is to be monitored by an appointed assistant trainer per group. This will facilitate the maintenance of control, level of impact, and joint training outcomes for all involved.

Head-guards, mouth-guards and sparring gloves are used initially, then when appropriate (student’s choice) trim down to mouth-guard and fingerless MMA gloves only. Also, the assistant trainer should have an umpire’s whistle to announce the start and stop of any drill.