ive thought about this for a little bit and i think garcia vs pacquiao is a fight that might be the worst fight stylistically out there for garcia
IDT the counter left could connect
zab knocked down floyd with a southpaw check hook but the mechanics of a check hook are different at southpaw. you are more exposed trying to throw the check hook against a southpaw
i think the name check hook comes from the check swing in baseball and if you understand the mechanics and concept of what a check swing is you can understand why that would be the case. the object of the check swing is to let the ball pass by you and the object of the check hook in boxing is to fade back from the punch you are countering just enough so that will pass by you as you are throwing your punch. that fading back motion is you "checking" your left hook to let the punch youre countering pass by you the same way you would "check" your swing to let that ball pass by you
the check left hook on a right hand is one of the most natural and simple to use counterpunches in boxing because as soon as that right glove leaves the head to throw a right hand it makes the head open to a left hook from the point that the right glove leaves to the point that the right glove can come back to the head. this is the amount of time given to get off the left hook. the reason you "check" your left hook is just to not get hit by the right hand during that window. its not magic. its not complicated or require a lot of athleticism. its just a simple and natural move and if you understand that you understand all you need to know about check hooks.
if you watch most fighters that like to throw check hooks you will see that they are waiting to see that right glove move because thats the moment when you have to start your check hook. because they have to wait to see that right glove move they are very sensitive to feints. garcia had a lot of problems against herrera because of all the feints herrera used which herrera stressed in particular in the post fight interview. feints throws all the timing on the check hook off if you cant tell when to let the check hook go
all fighters that throw check hooks have this problem and garcia is going to always have this kind of problem because he built himself up around the check hook perhaps more than any other fighter
as for southpaws the reason why check hooks are more dangerous to throw against one is because the angle the southpaw left hand is coming from is the same angle as an orthodox jab. it just comes right up the middle on you. you cant "check" it the same way because of that.
if you go back and watch tarver vs jones 2 roy got knocked out by tarver because he was trying to counter tarvers southpaw left hand with a check hook. if you watch that ko you can see the kind of style issues garcia would have against pacquiao who might have the best southpaw left hand in the history of boxing
