Different boxing styles

  I've been ordered (by Dr. and coach, double-teamed) off of fighting/sparring/contact in order to properly heal up a serious injury since March, so I've been away from writing about boxing too. But this week I have made my glorious return to the ring, hence my return to the blog!

  Rather than go into lengths about my rough return, my lack of fitness, I'm focusing on my eventual return to fighting, and what awaits me there. While every boxer has their own qualities and brings something different to the ring, generally every boxer falls into a boxing style, or a mish-mash of one or two of them. I'm going to go a bit into each of them, advantages and disadvantages and what to do when you face one.

  The Puncher: This fighter is strong and puts combinations together well. They are usually very well-conditioned, so expecting them to "punch themselves out" won't usually happen, they'll go the full fight, but they generally lack defense. The best way to beat a puncher is timing, time their attack, use counter-punching, make them feel it every time they move in for an attack against you. Don't stand in front of them, use angles and slips to avoid punches and create your own attack. "Out-pointing" rather than simply trying to hit them as hard as they hit you, using speed to not only beat them to the punch but get your hands back to your face to avoid getting hit, and always, always, always defense after a combination are all effective tools against a puncher.

  The Runner: This is a common amateur style, especially among tall fighters. They use long strides and quick "pitter-patter" punches to keep a shorter fighter out. A runner usually has the advantage because they can see when their opponent is going to attack, and therefore try to get out of the way or the attack and hit their opponent as they move off, building a large point gap (Important in amateur fights). However, because they are generally on the move and their feet aren't planted firmly, their attack is not strong and won't stop an opponent from coming after them. As I'm usually the shorter fighter, I've gained a lot of experience against movers in the past year, and have gone from spending entire fights frustrated that this fighter won't stand and box ("Don't engage with her!" "Keep running!" are common phrases I've heard for entire fights), to actually enjoying facing them, honing my inside-game into a serious weapon. Keep your head moving and your hands up while you move in against a runner is the first rule. Learning to cut the ring off with precision movement, forcing them in a corner or on the ropes and working when you get inside is a huge step towards beating a runner. This means being patient, always looking for your time to get in, and training to make your attack quick so they don't have a chance to run away.

  The Brawler: Messy, tricky, dirty, frustrating - all words to describe a brawler, but "effective" is another one, especially if they are experienced. Brawlers rely on stamina and trickery to help them win, they tie up their opponents, push them off balance, punch in the back of the head or body, wrestle to wear them out. Their punches won't generally hurt or land cleanly, but they wear the other fighting down through constant engagement, zapping their opponent's energy and not allowing them to get clean combinations off. A brawler who knows what they are doing can be dangerous, actually causing as much damage to an opponent through wrestling as through punches. They are frustrating to fight because often in the ring you will be the better boxer, more technical, but it's their tactical game that will beat you. My first advice when facing a brawler is simple - do not expect the ref to help. Yes, they may be punching you in the back of the head; yes, they may be pushing you down any time you weave; yes, they may be wrapping up your one arm and punching you while you try to get free - and all these things are illegal, but if the ref isn't calling it, there's nothing you can do except keep boxing. Looking at the ref and getting frustrated will only waste energy. Small steps as a brawler moves at you will help maintain distance so they can't wrap you up, especially dangerous when mixed with counter-punching. Don't fight against a brawler when they tie you up, try to continue to work as cleanly as possibly until a ref separates you. A quick, stiff jab is an excellent tool to keep a brawler from getting a chance to build an attack.

  The Counter-Puncher: This style is truly one of the toughest to learn. It relies on timing, strong defense and speed. A counter-puncher does their best to avoid getting punched, while at the same time hitting their opponent - truly the height of the sweet science! While the premise is simple, the execution and process of learning this style is anything but. Seeing punches coming, slipping, blocking, moving away from an attack and then hitting an opponent in between their punches or immediately after is incredibly effective when in the ring; it frustrates and confuses the opponent because they often don't see the punch before it hits them - a common phrased uttered by knocked-out boxers is "I didn't even see the punch!" However, a common negative thrown at counter-punchers is that they don't create enough. Since they work off the attack of their opponent, it's not generally classified as an "aggressive" style and many judges are lax in awarding points for it. The best way to beat a counter-puncher is through volume and using a mix of punches. Don't give them a chance to catch their bearings and time your attack, the more punches you put into your attack, the harder it becomes for them to avoid. Mix up your punches - coming in with jab, straight, hook is not going to confuse any good counter-puncher, they'll make you pay. However, but being a little unconventional, especially by including body punching, you keep a counter-puncher from being able to use "automatic" defense, they'll have to work harder to avoid punches and will have a more difficult time coming back with their own attack.

  The Boxer: Of coarse, this is the ultimate style and the one that every boxer thinks they are, despite how far they are from the truth. A boxer really combines all the above styles, they need to not only be able to do a little of everything, but more importantly - they need to know when to do it. The combination of puncher/over/counter-puncher, with the ability to rough things up when they need to, there's nothing like watching a pure boxer, and it's difficult to beat. A true boxer has the ability to control a fight through technique and tactics, and through controlling the mental game of their opponent. They have excellent defense, precise movement, and are ready to answer any punches their opponent throws with combinations of their own. The best way to beat a true "Boxer" is to be good, really good, at whatever you do. An experienced "Puncher" or "Brawler" has a good chance to out-work or hurt a boxer, and good "Runner" can frustrate and keep a boxer from getting into their comfort zone.

  In case you're wondering, my natural style is a "Brawler", but because my coach Horace Hunter is an incredibly gifted "Counter-Puncher", that's the style he's tried his best to mix in with what I bring to the table. My skills as a pure "Boxer" have come a long way since I started, it's definitely a goal of mine to continue down that road, gaining more experience with my movement and teaching myself to be a bit more of a puncher. There honestly no one best style, it really is what works for each individual. It's about learning, crafting and gaining confidence in whatever style suits you best. The greatest thing about the sport of boxing is that you will never finish learning about it.