A brief introduction to the different styles of boxing

No person is the same. And the adage can be said in the sport of boxing. All boxers understand that the rule of the game is simple: punch your opponent until you knock him out, he surrenders, or the final bell rings. But then, the way a boxer fights is what sets him apart from the rest.

There are different types of boxers, depending on their strengths, skill levels, and other correlated attributes. A boxer plays the game as he does because of the fusion of all these characteristics.

Different styles of boxing

Brawler / Slugger

Fighters are those who strike and strike with utter disregard for technique, relying heavily on their striking power to win. Most of them are slow and have poor footwork skills. They also tend to take a lot of hits, and most of the time, they catch a lot of shots along the way.

While this may be a bad idea for a sound boxer, fighters who can take tons of punches and deliver tons of damage in return sometimes win fights. One powerful punch is all they need to win a fight.

George Foreman was a pure fighter and his durability coupled with his relentless style makes him one of the most feared fighters while he was still active.

Classic boxer / ranged fighter

The classic boxer, also known as the distance fighter, optimizes the distance between himself and his opponent. A ranged fighter prefers to pepper his opponents with long-distance punches, especially the jab, in an effort to keep them at bay and tire them during the fight. Another trait of the classic / ranged fighter is that they also have better footwork than most of their opponents.

The jab and other long-range punches don’t have a great deal of power, which explains why most ranged fighters win on points. However, a ranged fighter knocks out their opponents if they are able to knock them down on the stretch.

The most notable proponent of this style is Muhammad Ali, whose quick feet and sharp punches helped him become one of the sport’s legends. It is also important to note that Ali is not a powerful puncher. Boxer-Strikers

Boxer-Striker

Perhaps the type of boxer who requires a lot of skills in his arsenal, the boxer-puncher tends to wear down his opponents with powerful combinations and go for the knockout using a series of punches or even a single shot. With deft footwork and incredible hand speed, they can slide in and do some damage and escape before the other fighter can retaliate. Most of the traits of a boxer-puncher include speed, a good chin, and extreme mobility.

Manny Pacquiao is a good example of a boxer-puncher. He is naturally fast and agile and also has power in both hands.

Swarm / Pressure Fighter

As the name suggests, pressure fighters prefer to stay close and in front of their opponents and throw many powerful combinations to thwart them, knock them out of their game, and wear them down for the grand finale. While his style may be the same as that of a fighter / slugger, a pressure fighter is more solid defensively and much more skilled than his fighting counterparts.

Pressure fighters can swing and weave, slide sideways, and prefer to dodge punches than block them. They also have to have a strong chin because they also tend to take a lot of hits, although not as much as a fighter.

One notable pressure fighter is Mike Tyson. He always closes the distance between himself and the other man and unleashes flurries of power punches to keep the fight short and sweet.

Counterattacker

Perhaps the most defensive of all types of boxers, counter punchers have tons of defensive skills at their disposal. A counterpuncher is almost always not the aggressor, but his attack always starts with a good defense.

A counter-puncher throws a shot after slipping or deflecting the other boxer’s punches. To be an effective counter puncher, you need to have a decent amount of power and above-average hand speed.

Perhaps the best-known counter punchers today include Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Combining the styles

Every type of boxer can dominate and be dominated. A fighter can easily beat a pressure fighter, but he fights a ranged fighter. A ranged fighter, on the other hand, tends to struggle against pressure fighters.

But there are some cases where a boxer changes his style while fighting to gain an advantage. Bernard Hopkins can switch from a distance boxer to a pressure fighter if the situation calls for it. Manny Pacquiao, a boxer-puncher, can easily go back to being a fighter if he feels like his opponent will go down with sheer punching power.

Each style has its potential to make any match exciting and satisfying, despite its flaws and shortcomings. As they say in boxing, styles make fights.