Rear Hook

The rear-hand hook — a much rarer punch than the lead hook because it travels a long arc and is easy to counter, but devastating when set up properly. Used most often after a jab has pulled the opponent's guard one way, the rear hook is the secret weapon of Roy Jones Jr., who threw it with his hand low and almost straight, and of Mike Tyson in his prime, who paired it with a slip outside to attack the body. Mechanically it mirrors the lead hook — rear-foot pivot, hip rotation, elbow at fist height — but the arc is longer because the punch crosses the centreline.

Key points

• ▸Rear-foot pivot — heel rotates outward roughly 60°.
• ▸Hip turns before the shoulder; the shoulder turns before the elbow extends.
• ▸Lead hand high and inside — the rear hook leaves the rear cheek exposed to a counter jab.
• ▸Aim for the jawline, not the temple — the rear-hook arc lands past the temple if uncorrected.
• ▸Use sparingly — the rear hook is a low-percentage punch unless heavily set up.

Common mistakes

• ✗Throwing it as a lead — almost always counter-jabbed.
• ✗Hunching the chin under the rear shoulder instead of keeping the lead hand up.
• ✗Pivoting the wrong foot — both feet must turn but the rear foot drives.
• ✗Stepping forward with the throw — destroys balance.

Drills

1. Heavy bag: set up the rear hook with a deliberate jab + half-step left, then land.
2. Mitts: catcher calls "5" (rear hook) after a "1-2".
3. Shadow: 3 rounds of rear-hook-only combinations.

Related techniques