I've seen some boxers stand with their bodies tilted in an angled stance and seen other boxers stand with less tilt in a more squared stance. Mayweather tends to have have his body angled whereas Joe Frazier preferred the more squared stance. Both guys are ATG. Can someone explain the pros and cons of each stance? Also, which stance to you generally prefer?
The best stance period is the Angled...JMM the best example. Why? Because it give your opponet less of a target. And I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it really is. You can move and dodge punches alot better while being angled. A squared stance you give your opponet a full view at your body. You have to be aware of everything because some part of your body will always be exposed. This stance is used mostly with sluggers.
Floyd keeps his body at an angle, so he can do his shoulder roll. Frazier squared up to use the cross armed guard. I was a southpaw and had to maintain some range to keep the advantages of being a lefty, so I used the angled stance.
A lot harder to throw your straight punch (right cross for orthodox) with angled stance, harder to get power into it. defensively its obviously advantageous
Harder?? If your body is angled then its quicker, easier, and more poweful because your body competely pivots into the punch wtf
Thanks for the replies. I was experimenting with both stances in my sparring sessions and personally feel that the angled stance gives me better defense while the squared stance lets me land more powerful jabs/hooks/lead uppercuts. Is there any example of boxers who seamlessly switch from the angled position to the squared position, depending upon what situation that they're in?
Hmmm...idk about that. If a fighter has a stance I'm sure they stay in that stance. I try to stay angled as much as possible but when someone is really putting the heat on me I got squared up with him and go blow for blow. If I feel like I'm winning I keep it like that if not then I switch up and try boxing to the body.
stfu its not the best. why is not the best? Because now Mister T is gonna think he's safe in this staggered stance....being cool doing a shoulder roll...until he catches that over hand right. [if he's orthodox]
The angled stance is the stance afaik most amatuers are taught as being 'good' boxing (at least that's how it was taught in my gym). This is because it exposes less of a target (as said), lines up your jab nicely, and means you can throw straight right hands well (it is alot easier from an angled stance). This stance is best suited to outside fighters because of the good combination of mobility and defence, while enabling an advantage in straight shots. The squared stance, also as someone has already mentioned, is more suited to sluggers. It provides an advantage to short guys in 'tyson-esque' head movement (yes, it's not the only kind of head movement), gives you better balance on throwing a right hook, means you can throw a left hook faster (in the same way that the angled stance helps the straight right) and kinda turns your jab into a left straight. Personally, the squared stance suits my attributes better so I have gone back to using it, but I was taught to box with an angled stance and occasionally switch back to it to throw certain punches.
There are plenty of guys who switch. Mayweather himself will square up with both hands near his eye brows often.
It's best for certain styles of fighter. If you have a tall and a short guy both fighting angled, the tall guy will usually beat the smaller guy. If the short guy uses a more square style, allowing him to in fight better, he has a chance of hurting and beating the taller guy. It's not so much that one style is best, it's more a game of rock, paper scissors. You wouldn't be telling Tyson or Frazier their style wasnt good.
Right, I noticed that myself in Mayweather's fights against Mosely, De La Hoya, and N'Dou. I think the mark of a really good boxer is one who is versatile enough to seamlessly transition from one style to another and then back again to his original. I think that makes alot of sense. Frazier in particular had this to say regarding the boxing stance: "Note that, when the feet are placed correctly, the upper body is turned, but just slightly. A lot of trainers will tell you that when you are in position, you should angle your upper body with the lead side forward so that your opponent gets a smaller target. That's wrong. How are you supposed to have balance when you're standing sideways? You want to be just about squared up to your opponent, facing him head-on. That's how you stay on balance. That's how you get power. So don't turn sideways. Stand with your shoulders just about straight across. Standing that way gives you more options defensively (block, slip, roll, duck) and it gives you better balance and power" - Joe Frazier
