Liver Shots Destroy Boxers – Why and How

As a boxer, the most painful punches I ever took were liver shots. The pain and suffering caused by a blow to the liver is immense, and in this post we are going deep on understanding how best to deliver this unwanted gift.

Having been hit quite a few times with a punch to the liver, I was curious about why it hurt so much, unlike anything else I was ever hit with.

I did a little search and came up with this:

A blow to the liver hurts so much because it’s a large, sensitive organ, and impact triggers a powerful nerve response (vagus nerve) causing a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to nausea, dizziness, and temporary paralysis, while also compressing blood vessels and disrupting breathing. This physiological shutdown, called vasovagal syncope, makes the body “shut down” despite remaining conscious, allowing you to feel the intense pain fully.

So that’s pretty grim.

But still, let’s work out how to inflict this delight on a fellow human being.

Finding the Liver

To hit it you need to know where it is.

Most of the liver is contained within the ribcage, but there is some exposed ripe for the hitting.

Take two fingers below the sternum and you’ll find the left lobe of the liver.

Moving down the right hand side of the body and just below the rib cage is an exposed (lower) section of the right lobe of the liver.

Don’t bother aiming for the ribs, be precise either up the centre or just below the ribcage on the right side of the opponent’s body.

Liver Shot 1 – Straight Punches

Use the jab to the body or the right cross to the body.

Don’t punch down, bend your knees and punch straight out at shoulder height.

This is ideal to be used against an advancing opponent.

Liver Shot 2 – Uppercut

Use the right uppercut to the body or the left uppercut to the body.

If you use these shots, use a straight shot to the head before them, either a jab (followed by the right uppercut) or a straight right hand (followed by the left uppercut).

Liver Shot 3 – Stance Switch

We usually use straight punches or uppercuts to attack the centre line of the opponent.

If you use the stance switch then you can use the left hook or right hook to attack the centre line, aiming for that left lobe of the liver.

Liver Shot 4 – Left Hook

The left hook to the body is the classic punch to attack the liver.

It’s always good, when attacking from longer range, to use some head punches before the left hook, maybe something like the one-two combination. This helps distract the opponent and create an opening down below.

Liver Shot 5 – Head Then Body

So this is really about distraction.

When you fire a punch to the head there is often an opening created to the body.

So, use that knowledge.

Try a short range left hook to the head to deliver that hook to the body.

Or try a right hook to the head to deliver that left uppercut to the body.

Liver Shot 6 – Tap & Whack

Another sequence that is about creating a diversion.

Tap & Whack involves tapping a shot up the middle (or the opposite flank) to create the opening for the left hook to the body.

Speed of execution is key.

Tap the hand up the middle, the objective being to bring the right elbow of the opponent forward, and unleash that left hook.

Try it Out

Try these sequences out and let me know how it goes, drop a comment below.

Any others you can think of?

Any other special requests for inflicting pain and suffering on others?

Drop me a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Cheers

Fran

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