The hook (フック Fukku) is a specific punch used in boxing performed using the core muscles and back. Typically, the hook is a punch that aims to strike at an opponent's head (most notably the temple or jaw), however, it has been made a point in the series that the hook can be thrown at the body as well, causing internal bleeding and, most likely, damaged or broken ribs.
Usage[]
Thrown at close range, the hook is an orthodox punch that serves as base knowledge for boxers worldwide. It is a parent technique to powerful punches like the Tornado Jolt, and most prominently, Takeshi Sendō's signature Smash. It is thrown in a sweeping, horizontal motion with the user's arm bent at a near 90° angle, and can be dodged fairly easily with weaving and ducking. There are several characters in the series known for their powerful mastery over the hook.
The Swing is a variation very similar to the normal hook, but with a more extended punch, making it similar to a jab.[1].
While it may be a devastating and powerful punch to add to a boxer's arsenal, the hook relies heavily on strength as opposed to speed or precision. As such the hook is usually a punch with an unsurprisingly wide swing. Therefore, a fighter's whose hooks are dodged can easily be a victim of vicious counterattacks. Likewise, the hook's typical lack of speed and predictable follow-through movements can be predicted and countered accordingly by skilled out-boxers such as Ichirō Miyata and Manabu Itagaki.
Trivia[]
- The first hook thrown in the series was a counter from Miyata during his and Ippo's first spar.