is it really that bad to be a boxer that stands straight up?

Not at all if you are tall for the weightclass, and you are an out-fighter. Just keep your chin tucked.

 

It isn't a problem if you know how to box that way. Most of the time I stand straight up, but I use mye feet.

 

If you lack upper body movement you need to employ other means of defence, that's all. Whether that's a problem depends on how good you are at those methods.

 

Eddie Machen was a stand-up boxer with the classical American style. What made him different to that flawed European crap was lateral movement. By the way, it was Machen who proved that Sonny Liston could be out boxed. It was the judges who knocked out Machen.

Those of you who are old enough to have followed Wladimir Klitschko might remember that he would at times hunch over, giving up his height advantage, and he would often try to use lateral movement but not very well. Manny Steward has got him back to that pure European style which works out better for him.

 

Yea i find being taller (6'4) its easier to stand up straight and lean back rather than trying to get under punches when sparring smaller guys, though i tend to cop a few more punches in the guts....i'd prefer that to getting an uppercut to my chin when crouched though...that **** hurts hehe

 

Yeah I like the way you can pop the jab when you're nice and straight, its good to have a mix though so you can pop a double jab to the head then get nice and low to hook to the body

 

The Klitchko's not only have a size advantage over their opponents, but a significant weight and strength advantage too. The average heavyweight feels like a Cruiserweight, or even a Light Heavy when going up against the new breed of Super Heavys.

That being said, whereas most other fighters would fail miserably using the old straight up style with no head movement, these new big heavyweights get away with it based on sheer size and also on the lack of quality opposition who know how to get inside and bring a tall guy down.

But, it's not the uprightness that is the problem. If a tall boxer can consistently slip and get "under" his opponent's punches, their is no problem with standing upright. The guys who lean straight back are the one's who do good against stiffs until they run into a fighter who can step inside and reach the leaning away fighter.

The height is not the advantage... it's the accompanying reach and longer stride that allows a taller opponent to evade an oncoming boxer who is used to stepping in with only one step and unloading. By stepping back with his longer stride and leaning back, the taller boxer is able to lean out of range.

But a boxer who is adept at taking two or three quick steps in, while maintaining punching balance, is the guy who brings leaning back fighters crashing down to the canvas. It's how Rahman brought down Lewis. He started to throw a right, then saw Lewis leaning back, took another step in, and got in position to land the right. It's how Tyson brought all his taller opponents crashing down.

But if you are tall, and can also slip just under shots rather than leaning away, there is far less chance of being caught. Wladimir is an accident waiting to happen. he's gonna get caught sooner or later. But that excellent piston pumping jab does help him a lot though. And Vitali, if you remember, got clocked many times by Lewis. If it wasn't for his excellent chin, and a subpar Lewis, it wouldn't have been the cut that caused the fight stoppage.

Straight up is OK, accompanied by side-to-side head movement and slipping just under shots. Leaning away from shots is a time bomb waiting to crumble.

 

Jesus Christ. Nice breakdown

 

Nothing wrong with standing straight up, but they better have good movement .
Or they will be laying flat straight out.