Body shots are the most neglected skill in recreational boxing training. Beginners default to head-level combinations because that's what they see at the gym and in televised boxing. But the body offers four legitimate targets that — landed correctly — are as fight-ending as any head shot.
This guide covers body shot technique, targets, and how to incorporate body work into your training.
Why Body Shots Matter
A clean liver shot ends a fight regardless of how fit or resilient the recipient is. The liver is a dense, pain-sensitive organ with limited tolerance for direct impact. A right hook to the liver produces a specific and immediate response — the recipient's body shuts down and the person drops.
Body shots also serve a tactical function: consistent body work forces an opponent to lower their guard to protect the body, opening head targets.
The Four Body Targets
1. The liver (right side)
Your opponent's right side, roughly between the bottom rib and the hip bone. For orthodox (right-handed) fighters, this is attacked with the lead hook to the body or with a right uppercut at close range.
Why it's effective: The liver cannot condition itself to absorb impact. Years of training do not make the liver more resistant to a well-placed shot.
2. The spleen (left side)
Mirror position on the opponent's left side. Less immediately effect than the liver, but repeated shots accumulate. Attacked with the rear hook to the body.
3. The solar plexus (centre)
The nerve cluster below the sternum. A straight punch to the solar plexus (upper body cross) causes temporary diaphragm spasm — the "winded" sensation that prevents breathing briefly.
4. The floating ribs
The lowest two ribs (10th–12th) are not attached to the sternum — they're floating. Repeated hooks to the floating ribs cause cumulative bruising that worsens with each subsequent shot.
Technique: How to Drop Level for Body Shots
The key technical requirement for body shots is level change — bending to reach the body without compromising your defence or balance.
Correct level change
Bend the knees, not the waist. Your torso should remain roughly upright as you drop to body level. Bending at the waist (the common beginner error) exposes the back of the head and disrupts punching mechanics.
The liver hook technique
- From stance: slip to the outside of an opponent's jab (or step to the outside angle)
- Bend both knees — drop level while maintaining guard
- Lead hook: elbow at 90 degrees, parallel to the floor, aimed at the liver target
- Return to upright and guard position immediately
The body cross
- From close range inside work, or after slipping to the outside of the lead shoulder
- Drop level with knee bend
- Rear hand cross aimed at solar plexus or spleen target
- Return and guard
Setting Up Body Shots
Body shots land when the opponent is defending the head. The setup combination:
- High jab-cross (to the head) — opponent's guard comes up
- Level change (drop knees)
- Body hook or body cross to unguarded ribs
Alternatively: constant body work early in a session forces the opponent to progressively lower their guard, opening head targets in later rounds.
Drilling Body Shots on the Bag
Most heavy bags have visible wear marks at head height. Deliberately train below those marks — mid-bag (solar plexus level) and lower-bag (body hook level). Add a designated "body round" to your bag session: combinations exclusively to body level, maintaining proper level change technique throughout.