Could this Guard work today?

Anything can work. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with it, except nobody is going to drill and throughly lay it down for you.

It allows you to hand fight against a southpaw while classic cross guard tends to have the lead hand too low for that, and requires extra effort. It's definitely a consideration to implement if an overhand is your got to money punch, since Gene made a living out of that pawing jab and nuke overhand.

 

And "today" is not some tough standard. Plenty of paper champions, fake 0's absolutely melting against unknown styles, and pure market hypejobs. Decent rhythm, defensive responsibility, discipline and grit. They all take you far further than pure textbook right and wrong I reckon.

 

To some level depending on who he was fighting, best to keep your guard active, keep moving your gloves to keep your opponent guessing.

 

Good gaurd cos no fighter wants to hit them elbows.

 

Yes, it can work. Everyone today wants to look cool, though, and there's nothing cool about that.

 

Don`t think this guard would have worked for Francis if he used it last night, using this guard at heavyweight would be more risky.

 

Foreman was getting caught loads in the 90`s, look at his fights v Holy, Stewart and Moorer.