Low Guard = Massive Power

Well I suppose it can provide more angles on a punch, but more power?

 

Yes, I do believe that it can help provide more angles on a punch making them harder to see and more damaging.

 

Yes you can get more of a swing into the punch, big punchers usually bring their hands down to their hip or lower to punch. Foreman to an extent liked to drop his hands and swing away but he sort of carried a mid body guard allowing him to parry/push away but also allowing him to drop his hands low to swing for the rafters

 

Yes you can really turn your punch over with more force from your legs and lower back and also build more momentum. Watch the biggest punchers and you'll notice how low their hand drops before they land a massive punch. On the down side unless your pretty quick it can be telegraphed and easier for an opponent to anticipate

 

Hearns.

 

about the low guard..many fighters do...

I had a traditional boxing training.you know..the kind that yells "keep your hands up!!!!" when your hands drop at all..however I have used a low guard in sparring...you seem to be more flexable..more able to slip punches with a low guard.....maybe its psychological..and you slip better because you know you have too..or maybe the other guy loads up more...or maybe your body actually is loser..or maybe some combo of the three...anyhow..i also found that with a low guard your hands are in a sense "hidden" and you can fire up and your opponent wont see the punches till they are on him.


Of course old school fighters all used a low guard...and relied on slipping and such...of course a guy like Pachillies thinks they where all ******s.

 

as for the question of the thread..i dont really know about more power....for one...the opponent is less likely to see the punch coming though..so that may make it have more of a effect.

 

Its different for different fighters. The purpose of the high guard is for defense but the best punch is the straightest most compact and the shortest distance to the target. Some guys can generate power from a high guard and some from a low guard. I dont think there is any key factor. Theres probably more guys who throw better shots from a lower guard. Even a tall guy like Lennox Lewis carried his hands fairly low at times.

 

I remember those old school trainers yelling the same to me. I liked the low hands for a number of reasons that you state. Boxing is a rhythm sport after all -which begs the question who dances with the hands up high? Squares, that's who.

Moore used to call it the up-jab -you splice the guard by punching up from the waist or hips with the jab. It's hard to see. Burley did it too.

Boxing is about setting traps. I used to use my head to feign openings and then catch them coming in, though my hands were more at my chest than at my waist. Rolling with shots is a lost art. The guy throws a shot, you open the door by turning your head and then step in with your own -they're gonna land because he's committed to his shot and isn't expecting yours, plus, you catch him coming in. This isn't to say that you should fight inside with your hands low -the closer you get, the higher your hands, but don't let it block your view or ruin your traps.

Anyway, I'm just rambling. Watch this prospect out of Brockton, MA. His name is Turon Andrade and he's undefeated as an amateur.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Andrad3glov3z#p/u/2/klHi9LZ5U1s

-Notice his blue and white trunks. That's Robinson's old colors. Notice the length of his trunks... old school.

 

That one of your boys?