Left-handed people are better fighters than their right-handed counterparts because they catch them off guard, new research has found.
Researchers studied data on the careers of 10,000 professional boxers and mixed martial arts fighters.
They found that left-handed males and females do better in fights supporting the ‘fighter hypothesis’, which suggests they have a greater chance of winning fights due to a ‘surprise effect’.
Researchers from the University of Manchester found that when a left-handed fighter fought a right-handed competitor, around 54 percent of the time the left-handed fighter got a higher rating.
There was also an over-representation of left-handed boxers in the ring.
As many as 17.3 percent of male boxers were left-handed, higher than expected as just 12.6 percent of males are left-handed in the general population.
The same was seen in female boxers.
The study said 12.6 percent of them were left-handed, compared to 9.9 percent of females in the general population.
Thomas Richardson told The Times: ‘In boxing it can be a whole different game if your opponent is left-handed.
‘It is even more difficult if a person switches stance, which left-handed fighters can do.’
The results could provide an explanation for the success of several boxers that use the ‘southpaw’ position.
The greatest boxer in Welsh history, Joe Calzaghe, who held a WBO title for 10 years, stood with his right hand and right foot forward before a match. This could have been key to his success, allowing him to make ‘surprise’ moves that right-handed boxers weren’t as able to defend.
-Daily Mail
