At our academy we have several floor-to-ceiling balls of different sizes, from about six inches in diameter down ot about tennis ball size. Never though of the diagonal attachment though, good idea.
I know what OJ means about bobbing and weaving being defensive, but more often than not they also provide excellent opportunities for counterpunching, e.g.countering a jab by slipping outside and uppercut to the chin, or weaving under a hook and shovel hooking to the short ribs on the way under.
IMO the “classic” WC guard and blocks redirections are less effective against a boxer who bobs and weaves and gets close. If you can keep him at your distance, great, but don’t bet on it.
I find I’m blocking more shots (the ones that don’t connect, anyway, ouch) with elbows and gloves and shedding punches with body movement … like a boxer would. From the small amount of experience I have, it definitely helps to be first and take the initiative rather than try to play defense or catchup.
My Sifu, Rick Spain, is pretty handly as a boxer, and can box in at least three different styles - peekaboo, European defence, and another style where he holds his guard more open with constant hand movement. As soon as you get one sort of worked out he switches to another. I went through a pretty intense few months working out with him and some buds once a week like this, with a number of split lips and black eyes, which I had to eventually stop after a broken eardrum (beautiful right hook to the ear…sigh).
Clinching can sometimes work against a guy who want to play the long range jab-cross game .. but most bobber weavers are very familiar with the clinch, and arguably most boxers know more about the clinch than any striking TMAer.
Boxers IMO are MUCH harder to fight because even good shots don’t really faze them, and they’re willing to take a shot to give a better one. CONTACT, baby. Also they generally have MUCH faster and more practical footwork, and are MUCH fitter than TMA people.
IMO like most other stuff get some experience in what you’re trying to defend against. Same applies with all this “WC antigrappling” crap … grapplers have always had the best “antigrappling”, why not learn it from people that understand it the best?
I could see how trying to hit flying insect might increase your reaction speed … wasps, hornets, and other stinging insects might not be wise though. Kill a few of them and you’ll have the whole nest onto you - no pak sao’s going to be fast enough for that!