Dealing with a coach who wants to change your style.

That is a tough one.

For Boxer A with Coach A? This might work. Boxer A may have "enough" attributes for the level of Boxing that Boxer A will ever encounter. Coach A only sees you as a recreational Boxer or only has a certain level of experience in Coaching so allows you to persist. Why? You will most likely not get hurt.

For Boxer B with Coach B? This might work. Boxer B may be that unique talent that can do these things and be VERY effective. Coach B also feels that the style suits Boxer B due to having vast experience and recognizing the unparalleled talent of Boxer B.

The deciding factor should be you being honest with yourself about how gifted you are, how skilled you are, how far you want to take Boxing, your Coach's skill level, and your lines of communication with your Coach. If you are "that dude" who can do "those things"? You may need a new coach. If you are "a dude" trying to do "those things"?

Your coach may be trying to save you and him from loads of embarrassment when you get sparked looking cute. It is very hard for a guy with no understanding of fundamental Boxing to switch up when he finally meets his physical match. The more average you are? The sooner that day of reckoning will come. Be ready. Your Coach may be saving you from yourself. "Those dudes" know who they are since birth.

 

I have the same problem except I know my coach is right.

I plant my backfoot sidewards which doesnt make me balanced but as soon as I use his style (Orthox footwork basically) during sparring I get hit much more

 

this is true, i just came left my old gym went to a new one because my old one was closing. Man ive made more progress in 3 weeks when i finnally followed my new coaches than i learned 4 months in my old gym.

That being said, imo you should be open to changing your style, it doesnt mean you have to get rid of it. Its always nice to be a boxer who can change styles in the middle of a fight when its not going your way. You become more well rounded that way anyway

 

use angles and headmovement, you dont neccesarily have to be outside the pocket to avoid getting hit. Easier said than done, take a look at the past and present boxers that would pressure there oponents. The Pre Margarito Cotto had good defence as in present time when he used to pressure his oponents. Although he did get hit quite a bit and his defence isnt great he shows a natural ability in slipping, parrying and using angles.
There are much better examples from the past though, joe frazier, julio cesar chavez etc etc.

your going to take shots getting in, suffocate the guy with your pressure, it really does wear them down physically and mentally.

Ricky hatton showing some of his angles in the inside, this will help

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although not a pressure fighter this is a good video on using angles

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I like how Jose waited till Urbina overcommitted on his shots and then stepped in to hit him.

 

this forum is so bad its shocking

 

sorry wasnt a dig at you at all

sounds like your first coach didnt know what he was on about, no point bouncing around the ring non stop for 3 mins, and telling you to have your lead hand low / extended is bad practise for a coach

 

Fighting with your hands down is for fools, stop trying to be like floyd, ali or leonard and learn to fight the right way. Every coach will teach you the same things to fight with your hands up and use defense. Unless you have over one hundred fights fighting in amateur and about to sign a big pro contract then you can do as you please but if you are an amateur trying to learn the ropes and the sweet science listen to your coach and stop coming to a forum to try and hear what you want to hear. He is the coach for a reason there arent many fighters that can fight with their hands down and even the ones that did they didnt start out like that. Roy Jones, floyd, etc all when they were amateurs they fought the right way with hands up and lots of speeds. '

It wasnt until the pros that they started doing all the hot dog ****

:hat

 

As I see it there are only two possible conclusions, either one coach is wrong or they are both wrong. Once you have learned the basics, and there are lots of basics to learn, it is then a matter of style. Any coach worth his salt should be able to figure out what you natural style is, even before you have properly learned the basics. None of us here can possibly know where you are at in the learning curve, so any specific advice is more of a guess than anything. Nevertheless, it is a good thing to know how to box whether you are dancing all over the ring or standing flat-footed in the centre. Your style will evolve with time. Your coach's job is to correct your mistakes, not force you into a predetermined mould.

 

Lets sack all the coaches and all learn from youtube ,it is the modern way.