
A conversation with someone some time ago but I can't remember who...
(Christof) (Some dude)"What do you do for leisure?""I like sports.""What sports do you do?""Boxing,""What else?""Sanda,""And?""Kickboxing,""And?""Sometimes Muay Thai too,""Do you even do anything outside the ring?""Yeah, I smoke."Then came silence...
I'm sure everyone in civilized societies know what
boxing is. For those not living in civilized societies, I guess you guys would perhaps call it fighting or maybe the way of life?
Well basically
boxing is a prehistoric caveman sport, like what my girlfriend says, I don't deny it. But it's not as simple as putting 2 crazy dudes in the
ring and make them beat the shit out of each other.
No two boxers fight in identical style. A boxer's style starts off with what he is being taught or has picked up in practice but gradually evolves with experiences and preferences to suit himself. Nonetheless, many terms are used which broadly to classify them.
Allow me to introduce some boxing styles:
Out-Fighter
Classic boxers who maintains distance between themselves and their opponent. They throw faster, longer range punches, most notably the
jab. These boxers control the fight by using their
jabs to keep their opponent at range, and using fast footwork to evade any opponent that closes in. They are often regarded as the best boxing strategists due to their ability to control the pace of the fight by wearing their opponents down gradually while exhibiting more skill and finesse. Out-fighters tend to win by decision or points.
Boxer-PuncherA boxer-puncher is an out-fighter who has heavy fire power in his punches. They use the same hit-and-move tactics of an out-fighter, but instead of winning by decision, they tend to wear their opponents down before scoring the knockout. For a fighter who uses this style to be effective, he needs to have good footwork, stamina, endurance,
jabs and/or leads, and good speed and power.
Slugger
A slugger is basically one who goes berserk in the ring throwing a storm of punches and going all out on offense with little or no defense. Many sluggers tend to lack mobility and have difficulty pursuing fighters who are fast on their feet. They prefer a more stable stance from which they may throw the harder, slower punches and tend to drop combinations. They may also have a tendency to load up on their punches by pulling back the arm before throwing the punch.
In-Fighter
In-fighters stay close to their opponent, throwing intense flurries and combinations of
hooks and
uppercuts. A successful in-fighter needs a good "
chin" because this usually involves being hit with many
jabs before they can maneuver close to the opponents. In-fighters are generally shorter and has less reach than his opponents, thus being most effective in a close distance where the longer arms of their opponents make punching awkward.
Bob-and-Weave FighterSince in-fighters are generally short, many utilize their stature to their advantage, employing a bob-and-weave style by bending at the waist to slip underneath or to the sides of incoming punches. Unlike blocking, evading an opponent's punches disrupts his balance and permits a counter before his extended arm is being pulled back. Some bob-and-weave fighters have been known for being notoriously hard to hit.
So now, which style do I belong to? Those who know me well enough should know... :)