A few advantages to keeping your guard low.

Also I think it can free a certain kind of fighter, loosen him up and allow him to be more creative both offensively and defensively. This would be more true to the "boxer"; think Ali.

 

I think that you are right.

Early boxing manuals around the turn of the century advised a lower guard to protect against body shots (presumably they were almost as dangerous as head shots with the smaller gloves, see Corbett Fitzsimmons).

Early fighters who used a low guard often adopted a higher guard when they went into a crouch and their body was not exposed.

One fight that sticks in my mind on this subject is Haye Macaranelli. Haye used a low guard to draw in Macaranelli's shots and easily manipulated then countered his opponent with a higher guard.

 

Mendoza you can do all those things with a guard up

The main reason to keep a low guard is to have your hands in a better position to throw better punches quicker with better form, its a tad harder with your hands up, Tyson is 1 of the best at punching out of his guard

The best example of a High Guard versus Low Guard at the elite level is Barrera-Hamed

 

Just bring the elbow down to block to the body, thats why a good guard needs the elbow to be at a right angle from the ground so you can block with the elbow for bodyshots leaving the hands free for blocking headshots

 

You can never really block body shots properly against a knowledgable and determined attacker.

The body is big, has a lot of pressure points, and as Sam Langford said (has no eyes).

You kill the body and the head dies as well.

 

You can if you know how to block Obviously as the fight goes on mistakes can be forcedor the pressure makes lapses

 

So basicaly you can't.

Combined with guarding your chin these mistakes/lapses become ubiquitous.

Tommy Gibbons said in his biography that he used a low guard and put his chin on the line to entice Jack Dempsey away from going to the body.

 

You can't evade getting punched indefinately, your supposed to try, otherwise you get Gatti'd (RIP)

 

OK.

Protecting your chin over time is one thing.

Protecting your body over time (while you cant exactly ignore your chin) is a hopeless quest.

 

It only works if you are faster with better footwork or significantly taller then your opponent without those attributes a patient fighter will corner you and make you pay.

 

You're right, but most fighters put their guards down because they think they're the second coming of Roy Jones (*cough* Carl Froch *cough*) when they haven't got the necessary skill level to be able to defend themselves with that style.

 

Wow. Did you make that up?

Just kidding. Surely one of the oldest truisms in the sport.

Another take on the guard is the (orthodox) right high and left low, a la Holmes or even Toney. This seems particularly effective and energy efficient if you keep your chin tucked. If not, like Holmes, you can be susceptible to big right hands.