Do you remember the first time you played Tekken? You select a buff, huge guy, because well, why the hell not? It's because you have no clue about his abilities but like his physique. You win a couple of matches and build up your confidence. Finally, your friend chooses this funny looking, long-haired Brazilian, Eddie. 

You start fighting, expecting an easy win. You already know some punches that can be thrown, BUT Eddie starts dancing around, performing all sorts of trickery and unleashing hell upon you. Finally, you smash the joystick and lose the match. The moral of the story? You didn't expect a different fighting style to face you.

Boxing is a full-contact sport with its fair share of drama and success throughout history. Nevertheless, it helps you build up character, improve your body condition, push your limits and work on your punching skills, as long as you wear a pair of protective boxing gloves.

There is little you cannot do once you pick up boxing as your favourite training sport, but you need always be aware of the injuries that might occur while training or fighting. Thus, it would be best to find the perfect boxing style for you and learn as much as possible about it to perfect it.

Your boxing style should come to you naturally, evolving over the years as you jump through the hoops. What's important is making sure that you go through these natural steps and growing pains to give yourself (and your style) the best chance to evolve into a fully malleable and adaptable fighting style.

From Muhammad Ali, a legend of the past, to the legends in the present, such as Tyson Fury, each boxer adopts a boxing style to master. You may want to be a jack-of-all-trades, but if you are a master of none, you won't be able to take full advantage of any boxing style. 

How To Know Which Boxing Style Suits You Best?

First of all, NEVER force yourself to a particular style. You maybe want to be a full package, so you start with the boxer-puncher style right away. That's wrong. You should see and FEEL what fits you best. As we already explained, you need to take your skill, aggression, mentality into consideration, as well as your physique.

The best way to get that feel is to start sparring! Don't go into a fight right away. Start sparring with someone and see how you react under certain circumstances. Simulate fighting situations.

Make your sparring partner go at you with full force, put some pressure on you, or play defensively. You will see what comes naturally to you. The way you move, react, and attack will tell you the best solution for you.

Of course, you MUST know the fundamentals first and then proceed. Never forget that. If you rush things, you won't learn them the correct way. So it's better to be a slow learner and take your time than rush things!

Common Boxing Styles To Choose From

A boxing style is your signature moves and techniques, a personal touch that you bring that makes people recognise you in the ring. Sooner or later, you will develop a personal boxing style that will make you different from the others, as much as you will try to copy another professional boxer.

In the beginning, everyone will be studying some of the worldwide legends of boxing, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, trying to identify as many boxing moves and combat styles as possible.

In time, after hours of practice and identifying your strengths and weak points, you will be able to find a fighting style that suits you, your personality in the ring, and which helps you score the most points. If you're unsure what to look for, the four key points that will ultimately define your style are aggression, personality, quickness, and aggression.

Based on these criteria, specialists identified four main boxing styles, each coming with its perks and downsides – the swarmer, the out-boxer, the slugger, and the boxer-puncher.

The Swarmer

Boxers that develop this style are overly AGGRESSIVE. They "live" in close range and like to get all over their opponents. Sometimes you might think they are stupid for opening up too much and using too much force, but they know their style's flaws and try to cover them by using the advantages.

They are the power punchers that can end their opponent with just one big swing. The constant pressure that they are giving leads to a worn out and bruised opponent. Breaking him physically is what they are after.

Swarmers are interesting to watch because of what they do. They move into their opponents, taking a couple of hits while doing it, and stay there for as long as they can, delivering devastating punches.

They are on a ridiculously high fitness level. Their style requires that from them.

Another characteristic that they possess is that they can take punches pretty well. Defence isn't their main weapon, so some punches will land on them, and if they want to maintain this aggressive style, they have to endure it.

Swarmers' careers don't last that long. The style takes so much from the body, whether in training or the actual fight. In the long run, you won't be able to maintain it. The style will take its toll on you as well as the punishment you went through.

The Out-Boxer

The out-boxer is the opposite of a swarmer, mainly focused on defence, practising a safer boxing style. Unlike the first, the out-boxer knows how to keep a safe distance between him and his opponent and doesn't rush his moves.

These boxers often rely on longer-range punches to compensate for their lack of spark and power. However, they learn how to be quick and focus on their legs to run from their opponents and maintain control of the game as much as possible.

Being in the ring with an out-boxer is tiring and seems more like an endurance test as they will wear you down with their constant movement, trying to escape from you and your punches. However, they aren't impulsive and don't rush when it comes to their offence, preferring to calculate the punch and only strike if they see an opening in their competitor's defence.

Out-boxers prefer playing a more tactical game and waiting for the perfect time to attack. They feel safe and comfortable by keeping a respectable distance from their opponents, and they're in for the long run.

Since they cannot rely on aggressivity to take down their opponents, these boxers learn to throw effective long-range punches in time. Therefore, the more they are in the ring or training, the better they will become and live long and successful careers. Some of the most famous boxers fighting in the out-boxer style include legend Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes.

The Slugger

The sluggers are pretty big, but they are also slow. They don't like throwing that many punches. They only do when they think that the hit will be guaranteed. The slugger kind of acts like his hands are guns with only a few bullets left.

Well, the hammer represents their fists better, but you get the point. If they land a punch to their opponent, that can be it. Yes, they punch that hard!

They get tired pretty fast, but if you get yourself hit at least once, you won't be moving at the same pace any longer. Imagine putting two sluggers in a cage. That would be a pretty intense fight that will, most likely, be happening in the centre of the ring the entire match. Punch after punch, and the fight will be getting uglier until someone falls flat to the ground.

Sluggers are usually pretty easy to predict. They are slow, so their patterns are almost obvious. Counterpunching is what they fear the most.

The Boxer Puncher

Finally, the boxer-puncher seems like the perfect combination of an aggressive and defensive combat style. This type of athlete generally has enough experience and power in the ring to take down his opponent, so he is also the most dangerous.

Boxer-punchers are similar to hybrids as they possess the power of a slugger, the out-boxer's speed, and the swarmer's aggression. However, since they focus on these three fields, they won't master any of them perfectly.

They are not invincible, and once you pick up their weaknesses, they can be defeated.

The success of a boxer-puncher often relies on his emotions and personality. He can engage in a cascade of punches like a swarmer if he's fiercer, leaving his defence weak among the most famous boxer-punchers, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, and Archie Moore.

SUB- Boxing STYLES

• SOUTHPAW – They are lefties! Their stance will suit their left hand, opposing the orthodox stance. Some orthodox fighters changed their stance and style to be a southpaw! They used it to surprise their opponents since defending isn't the same while fighting an orthodox and a southpaw boxer.
• COUNTERPUNCHER – The counterpunchers use techniques to make their opponents make a mistake. They win using those mistakes. This means that their fighting IQ is pretty big since they need to outsmart their opponent somehow and feed on the mistakes. Mayweather is one of those fighters.
• WITCH-HITTER – SA switch hitter is a fighter that will switch his stances in the middle of the fight. He will be using an orthodox stance and a southpaw at the other. The sole purpose is to confuse their opponents, so they don't know how to defend against them. However, only one stance can be developed and mastered to a high level, and the other one will slack behind the first one.

The Essence Of A Boxing Style

A boxing style is something that separates you from the rest. Sooner or later, everyone develops a certain style, either by copying it from somebody else or finding what fits them best. You can do this only after learning all the basics.

So, when your punches start flowing without too much thinking, going automatic like it's second nature, then that's the time to think about a certain boxing style.

Like a boxer who mastered the fundamentals, you already know what feels good and doesn't. You know how much your body, at this point, can allow you to do and what the body allows you to do with comfort. Use that knowledge.

Develop something that's challenging for the opponent but comfy for you. A boxer chooses his style based on his skills, aggression, quickness and personality.

What Is The Most Effective Boxing Style?

While there is a rule of thumb in boxing that suggests swarmers beat boxer-punchers, sluggers beat swarmers, and boxer-punchers beat sluggers, it isn't set in stone.

This rule only highlights one boxing style's potential advantage over the other. It does not determine whether or not the other boxer can strategise enough to overcome these disadvantages.

While some people regard boxing-punching as the most effective boxing style as it is the most balanced one, it is essential to note that boxer-punchers have lost to boxers from other styles countless times.

There is no such thing as the 'most effective style in boxing, as all styles have flaws and strong points. However, a good boxer would strengthen the already strong areas further and practice overcoming the weaknesses if they aim to master the art of boxing.

Ways How A You Can Develop Your Boxing Style

The best fighters generally battle with their best battling style. It's as basic as that. Battling with a style that accommodates your characteristic capacity and aptitudes makes you more compelling and fruitful in the ring.

To be a victor, you need to comprehend the full scope of everything. You need to attempt all prospects, great and awful. It's insufficient to know the "right things", you additionally need to know all the results of some unacceptable things.

Coach Bias

As you invest more energy with your coach. The months and long stretches of tuning in to a similar person will add up. You will begin to look somewhat like him and even offer his mindset. You will get his stunts and see things as far as he can tell.

Although you will begin building up your novel style, you may likewise think that it's simpler to do things the way you originally learned them (which are presumably the counter-punches and counter-developments you were at first prepared to do).

Natural traits/instincts

You start with your instincts here. Some people are more aggressive, others more passive. Some have more power and speed. Others have more heart and endurance. The longer-armed guy will default to a long-range style. The shorter-armed guy will default to a short-range style.

Starting Technique and Style Bias

As you begin to get some boxing strategy and improve rapidly, it's characteristic to feel engaged and appreciate the learning cycle. You'll normally float towards contenders that pick at your interest (or whoever the predominant boss is in your period).

If you like hostile knockout punchers like Mike Tyson, you'll begin to chip away at power punching strategies and style. On the off chance that you like protective fighters like Floyd Mayweather, you'll begin to chip away at your cautious strategies and style.

Gym Culture

Who you have to face in your gym greatly determines how you evolve as a fighter. If you're facing guys who box and run around a lot, you will naturally develop skills that revolve around speed, footwork, and fine counter-punching skills.

You will naturally develop a more power punching and endurance style when facing aggressive opponents. Even more so than imposing your will, boxing is very much a game of adaptation, and you will naturally adapt to the obstacle in front of you.

Better Competition

You will develop as the years' pass. Your rivals will be fit as a fiddle, more intelligent, and better adjusted to the boxing match-up. You go from fighting irregular folks at the rec centre to confronting top competitors in competitions.

The old fighting game doesn't work any longer. Presently you need to think more and be vital. You're battling a rival and compelled to game the opposition and react to a continually adjusting rival.

Your Body Ages

Your body will change, and you may develop injuries over the years. Your shoulder or arm, or joints will not work the same. You cannot move like you did when you were younger. You might not have the same endurance you did when you were younger.

You will be forced to do things more efficiently. You may even have to abandon some of your favourite moves altogether and be forced to find new and clever ways to compete against the younger guys.

FAQs

What Boxing Style Is Best?

Pressure fighting is a highly effective style that is perhaps the most common in boxing. Well-known boxers in the sport's history who were pressure fighters include Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Roberto Duran, and Julio Cesar Chavez.

What Is The Hardest Boxing Style?

The swarmer is one of the more difficult styles to achieve, as it requires nearly perfect form and the stamina to apply pressure to the other boxer continuously.

Can You Make Your Boxing Style?

Although you will start developing your unique style, you may also find it easier to do things the way you first learned them (which are probably the counter-punches and counter-movements you were initially trained to do).

What Are Brawlers In Boxing?

The brawler is also known as the slugger style. Boxers normally use this style with very strong punches, and they are characterised by slower mobility than out-fighters. Brawlers are also prone to employing continuous single punches such as upper-cuts rather than combinations.

Can You Combine Fighting Styles?

Unless specifically allowed by the rules (Such as a combined fighting style), manoeuvres/bonuses from different fighting styles can not be used together in a single round of combat. So not only do they not stack, but you also can't use them together at all. Even mechanically unrelated abilities.