So you think you can box? That would be a dope reality series show with all these celebrities getting in on the action. They would need some help and I hope they find this article to help them at least find some sort of fighting style, Lamar Odom this one is for you.
“A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.” — Hunter S. Thompson
It’s time. Time to choose your style of fighting before someone chooses it for you. I think this is sometimes the hardest thing to do. We all want to be the best and sometimes what that looks like is the successful fighters we have seen before us.
So we imitate and try to adapt to their style, but we cannot execute if we are not confident in our style of fighting. Sure we can learn any style of fighting and I think it’s great to know them all just a little. My question is does your style fit your natural talents and potential?
Hi, this is Alex, a professional undefeated boxer, with boxing undefeated, bringing you the different style of fighting you can use inside the squared circle or on a bag at home.
Today ill be talking about different fighting styles. The different types there are, what they are all about, and how to find out what style best fits you based on attributes you may already have.
Ready set let’s go!
Out Boxer
In my opinion, the out boxer is not a very fun boxer to be. But that’s neither here nor there.
The out boxer is a long lengthy fighter that likes to use their arm length and footwork to stay on the outside of the fight. Usually Tall and have a tall upright stance.
They don’t engage alot and let the fight come to them after peppering their opponent with endless jabs followed up by some crosses.
This seems like a strategy more than a style but nonetheless, fighters have made careers off it.
If you wonder what I’m talking about let me explain.
Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, the powerhouse heavyweights were dominating champs. They used the out boxer style of fighting. Towering over most of their opponents all they had to do was stick and move with a jab the whole fight.
For other fighters who used it as a strategy at moments in a fight, it looks different. Floyd Mayweather Jr. uses it to pull and counter, Muhammad Ali used it when he would need to gas up and get back to his other fighting styles.
Mobility: 8/10
Power: 5/10
Speed: 7/10
Defense: 8/10
Fighters
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Swarmer
Very exciting style of fighting sometimes at the cost of taking too many punches. The swarmer is a pressure fighter that likes to fight in mid-range. Giving punches and taking punches is part of the game if you run towards the danger.
Most likely if you are a swarmer you are a shorter fighter that needs to get in on a taller opponent, in other cases you have tall fighters who just love the inside game.
This is different from a slugger, swarmers are still very crafty and have pretty good skills
Keys to this style are having good head movement, a solid chin, and some power on your punches.
It’s a tough style as you have to be ready to throw alot of punches to be effective and to throw alot of punches you have to have really good stamina!
Like an energizer bunny batteries included.
Mobility: 5/10
Power: 8/10
Speed: 6/10
Defense: 7/10
Fighters
Manny Pacquiao
Mike Tyson
Joe Frazier
Slugger
Brawler is more like it. They do not possess a ton of skills but boy do they have a ton of power and that is the deciding factor.
The equalizer as Denzel might say, by the way, a good movie might want to check it out.
Anywho, this style is brutal but highly effective if you can take a punch or punches most likely more than one and if you have power in both hands. There isn’t alot of defense and there isn’t alot of punches thrown either.
This is the most exciting style of fighting because everyone comes to see a fight and that’s exactly what you are going to get.
Relentless pressure and someone hitting the canvas.
I think we all should learn this one because we all get tired at some point and need to stay on the inside and trade punches to gain some respect, hurt your opponent or they will never back off.
Mobility: 2/10
Power: 9/10
Speed: 5/10
Defense: 4/10
Fighters
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Evander Holyfield
Orlando Salido
Counter Puncher
Is it a style or a strategy? Maybe both!
The king of counter-punching is none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr. he wasn’t always the counter puncher you see today. Everyone hates his style but tunes in to watch him lose.
Exciting no, entertaining to a boxing purist yes!
High-risk high reward, you have to initiate the offense with a jab to gauge distance at the same time as landing the jab, this will get you points and your opponent will have to respond.
Now that you have activated them this is where you study what they like to throw and how they like to move their body, off of this information you counter their openings with speed and defensive move right after.
Most have quick reflexes and are quick enough to use this style, and I do agree you should have a good amount of both, but I believe that having good timing is the biggest key.
I would say this can be used as both style and strategy
Mobility: 8/10
Power: 5/10
Speed: 7/10
Defense: 7/10
Fighters
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Juan Manuel Marquez
Archie Moore
Boxer Puncher
The all-around fighter is known as the boxer puncher. They can do it all, they have a little bit of all the attributes mentioned above. They are not one-dimensional by any means and are very adaptive in a fight.
Muhamed Ali is known for being able to adapt to his opponents or what best works in a given situation.
They are very skillful and can win a match with speed, power, technique, and have great chins, are excellent at defense, and are very mobile.
You don’t have to be taller or shorter than your opponent a boxer-puncher adapts to whatever is out in front of them.
Now you would think this is what we should all be and I would say yes you are right, we should all try to learn a little bit of each style and take the best parts we can use.
When we get stuck into one style of winning we get too comfortable and ultimately predictable.
A great example of someone who switched their style of fighting is Oscar Valdez, he fought an unexpected fight moving around the ring and sticking to his game plan of being mobile and not getting stuck in a war with another known slugger Miguel Berchelt.
If you haven’t seen it watch till the end its a knock out of the year candidate.
Mobility: 8/10
Power: 8/10
Speed:8/10
Defense:8/10
Fighters
Miguel Cotto
Sugar ray Leonard
Muhammad Ali
Switch Hitter
If you can do both why wouldn’t you? The question is can you do both effectively?
Switching from orthodox to southpaw can be very useful. Your advantage to switch against the opposite stance gives you better angles with footwork and punches.
Your opponent will have to adjust every time you switch, when you switch make sure to do it quick and subtle. Be careful if you get countered switching at the wrong time will have you off balance and possibly getting knocked down.
You can use this as a decoy to switch and buy a couple of seconds for some breathing time.
Overall I would recommend you have very good footwork in both stances and can throw combinations followed by defensive movement.
Mobility: 9/10
Power: 7/10
Speed: 7/10
Defense: 8/10
Fighters
Terence Crawford
Roy Jones Jr
Tyson Fury
What style fits you?
I would test out each one and use measuring tools like height, arm length, endurance, speed, power, and mobility. See where you lack and where you are strong.
Sometimes the way you want to fight doesn’t fit your qualities, and you have to work on that don’t be stubborn.
Just because you are tall and lengthy doesn’t mean you are a good outside fighter, although you should have some skills on the outside. You might like fighting on the inside and be really good at it.
A good example is Emmanuel Navarrete, tall and lengthy for his division yet he likes to bring the fight to you.
Conclusion
Try each style and see what best fits you best. Build off that style till you are good enough to start adding different styles to your game.
That’s some of the best boxing tips on boxing styles for now
You need patience, consistency, and effective training. Build on good habits early.
If you want more in-depth knowledge on specific questions check out our home page for more tips. Let me know what other tips I may have missed or you'd like me to cover by leaving a comment.
I cant wait to see you in the future on the next one, keep swinging champs!