How to choose your boxing style
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Every boxer must, at some point in their career, orient themselves toward a style they want to adopt. It is rarely a conscious decision; Generally, it is the result of adaptations they have made to their boxing game to make it more effective. When your goal is to win a boxing fight, your style naturally evolves to increase your chances of victory.
Most boxers' fighting style comes naturally to them as their boxing skills develop over the years. Training difficulties reveal the techniques and strategies that work best for you.
Finding the boxing style that suits you
One of the biggest mistakes beginning boxers make when trying to find the ideal fighting style for them is taking shortcuts in their training. They think it is useless to waste time learning things that are not essential to their preferred style. The problem is that boxers who take this approach often end up with major gaps in their game, preventing them from competing at a higher level.
As a beginning boxer, your main goal should be to learn the basics and fundamentals that will give you the best chance of success in the ring. Mastering the fundamentals allows you to have a more cerebral understanding of boxing and understand why certain styles suit you better.
Mastering the bases also allows you to experiment with different styles to see which one suits you best. Although most boxers have one preferred fighting style, they are perfectly capable of using others. For example, one of the reasons Tyson Fury has been so dominant as a champion is his ability to switch styles with ease. He uses what gives him the best chance against a given opponent and often changes style during his fights.
Floyd Mayweather is another example of a boxer who has had great success in the ring thanks to his ability to use different styles. While Mayweather generally preferred to fight from the outside, his ability to fight on the inside was one of the things that made his opponents unable to beat him. During most of his fights, his opponents would chase him around the ring, only to discover that he was better than them on the inside when they finally cornered him in a corner.
This is the best way to approach boxing. You can have a single style that suits you best, but you must be versatile enough to use other styles when your primary style doesn't work or an opponent forces you to use a different approach.
Here are some factors that may cause you to prefer one style over another:
1) Instincts
Your natural instincts and character traits generally influence the boxing styles you prefer. Here are some examples:
- Your personality type: Are you more aggressive or passive? A boxer with an aggressive personality is more likely to prefer a fighting style, while a passive boxer will prefer counterattacking.
- Natural strength: Some people are naturally stronger than others, leading them to lean toward styles that favor strong boxers, such as the "slugger" style.
- Speed: Fast boxers often excel in long-distance fights compared to slow boxers.
- Reach: Boxers with long arms are more likely to be successful fighting at long range.
2) Prejudices about style
Many boxers are influenced by techniques they easily learn in training and by boxers they admire. Boxers are also influenced by the styles most popular with fans. For example, many boxers use the "slugger" style simply because it is the style most appreciated by fans. It's rare for boxing fans to call a fighter boring. The same can't be said for defensive boxers like Floyd Mayweather, often accused of being boring or "running."
You shouldn't choose a boxing style based on the fighters you prefer or what the fans want. Your top priority should be finding the style that optimizes your abilities.
3) Club culture
Your trainer and the culture of your gym also influence the fighting styles you gravitate toward. The skills of your training partners also influence how you box. For example, if your gym is full of defensive boxers, you will naturally develop a similar style. If your training partners are the aggressive, fighting type, you might find yourself boxing like them.
Listening to your trainer's fighting philosophy over the years will also influence your approach to boxing. You may begin to share the same fighting mentality as you absorb their tricks and strategies.
4) Improved competition
Facing better opponents as you improve will force you to change the way you fight. There is a significant jump in competition when you go from training with random people in the gym to facing serious boxers in tournaments. What worked in the gym may no longer work when you face smarter, more experienced boxers. You must become more strategic as your level of proficiency increases.
5) Success in the ring
The more successful you are in the ring, the more you will notice the patterns that lead to your successes. For example, if you are a KO specialist, you will begin to remember the moves and combinations that led to your KOs.
If scoring more points than your opponents has led to more success, you may develop a more aggressive fighting style.
6) Age
Your body wears out over the years and at some point in your life you may no longer be able to move as you did in your youth. Your stamina may also begin to decrease with age. These factors force you to approach boxing differently.
Be yourself
The best boxing style for most boxers is their natural boxing style, which is constantly evolving. Don't focus too much on styles when you start training, but rather focus on mastering the fundamentals and gaining combat experience.
Boxers must constantly learn new tricks, which will inevitably change the way they fight. It's like you walk a path every day to get home for years before discovering a shortcut. The shortcut becomes your new path from that moment on. Focus on learning and winning, and the way you fight will become your natural fighting style.
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