Boxing styles

There’s an old saying in boxing — “styles make fights”. There is some debate about what makes a style and also the name for each one. 

Here is the naming convention that I use:

• In-fighter

• Out-fighter

• Slugger

• Boxer-puncher

In-fighter

In-fighters apply pressure, “swarming” their opponent. They cut off angles of escape, pushing the action towards a corner. Their main aim is to get “inside” to a shorter range, taking away any reach advantage. This is no easy task. It calls for good footwork, clever punching on the way in and deceptive head movement. Either that or a damn good chin that can absorb the barrage of punches on the way in.

Mike Tyson used excellent footwork, head movement and blurring hand speed. Jake LaMotta, who fought Sugar Ray Robinson six times, was happy to take punishment to get inside. 

Out-fighter

Out-fighters use their reach advantage to keep opponents at long range. Muhammad Ali used stinging punches and sublime footwork to keep opponents at bay. His old sparring partner — and later opponent — Larry Holmes called upon a lethal jab.

Slugger

The slugger is a fan-favourite and loves nothing more than a tear-up. They are the hammer that looks at everything as a nail. They try to bludgeon an opponent into submission. Big guys like George Forearm and the terrifying Sonny Liston perfected the art.

American middleweight Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik is one of my favourite sluggers. Kelly had a swashbuckling style that I loved. His war with Edison Miranda is a must watch.

Russian slugger Ruslan Provodnikov is another recent example. You could hit the guy with the ring bell and he’d still walk forward throwing leather.

Boxer-puncher

The boxer-puncher is a hybrid of some or all these styles. They can box on the back foot or on the inside. They are not averse to dishing out a bit of chin music, too. This well-rounded portfolio stacks up well against different styles.

Boxer-punchers will often change the tactics and tempo of a fight to suit the situation. The two Sugar Ray’s — Robinson and Leonard — are good examples of the boxer-puncher style.

Find your own style

A good coach will tailor your style to your skills and physical attributes. Don’t settle for cookie-cutter coaching. Stock your boxing toolkit with skills that work for you.