'beat somebody to the punch' To do something before someone else can do it "I wanted to give my mother a camera, but my brother beat me to the punch." Etymology: from boxing, in which good fighters are quick to react by punching (hitting) the other fighter before they are hit. In this case I think 'he' meant that the other hit him before 'he' ~ source: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/beat+to+the+punch

florence, "To" can indicate movement towards a place. He beat me to the car. = He arrived first at he car. the punch = the action of punching "To" can also indicate movement toward the accomplishment of an intention, or a result He beat me to the punch.= He beat me to the action of punching. He punched first. We were both trying to punch and he accomplished it first. They came to my aid. = They came with the intention of aiding me.

The to is a word implying distance. Beat implies time. Put them together and he finessed getting (to) something done before (beat) she could.

I don't really understand what you're trying to ask.