So...styles make fights.

[Peter Som]

You can label most fighters as having one of three or four styles. Out fighters, or "pure boxers" are guys who like to keep distance, work behind the jab and utilize better footwork and timing etc, think Ali or Wlad, Sergio Martinez etc. The problem with these guys is often they cant do anything besides clinch in close. Sluggers or punchers, would be someone like George Foreman or Julian Jackson, who lack fast feet or reflexes but are very heavy handed and look for the big shot. Pressure fighters are guys who look to get inside and stay there, smothering their opponent and winning via a high punch output and great conditioning as opposed to having great speed or power.

Out of these three styles there is sort of rock papers scissors scenario thats used often; A boxer beats a slugger, slugger beats a pressure fighter, and a pressure fighter will beat the boxer. Obviously this is only assuming that the men are closely matched physically and don't generally have another dimension to their game.

I'd say counter punchers(my favourite) belong in their own group, James Toney or Marquez for instance are perfect examples. I think Toney is the best natural counter puncher I've ever seen. They don't rely on the jab to win fights, don't generally come forward or set the pace and don't look to get into a full on brawl loading up on big shots etc. Guys like Mayweather or Whittaker, were brilliant counter punchers but could also lead and dictate fights with their own output unlike the previous two guys I listed.

Toney is definitely one of my favorite fighters. Roll punch to overhand right all day!

Also, thank you both for the response!

[TheBranMan]

It can be interpreted as a reference to the complexity of the sweet science. Fighters don't only exist in a simplistic hierarchical structure (as we're lead to believe by rankings). For example: Duran beat Leonard, Leonard beat Hagler, Hagler beat Duran. There is no "best" fighter of the three, their different styles of boxing achieve varying degrees of success, dependent on the style they're matched against. This is why, pre-fight, boxers spar against styles that are similar to their upcoming professional opponent. Not much use in sparring an infighting, southpaw brawler in preparation for a bout with an rangey, orthodox pure boxer.

[Bobthepen]

You can label most fighters as having one of three or four styles. Out fighters, or "pure boxers" are guys who like to keep distance, work behind the jab and utilize better footwork and timing etc, think Ali or Wlad, Sergio Martinez etc. The problem with these guys is often they cant do anything besides clinch in close. Sluggers or punchers, would be someone like George Foreman or Julian Jackson, who lack fast feet or reflexes but are very heavy handed and look for the big shot. Pressure fighters are guys who look to get inside and stay there, smothering their opponent and winning via a high punch output and great conditioning as opposed to having great speed or power.

Out of these three styles there is sort of rock papers scissors scenario thats used often; A boxer beats a slugger, slugger beats a pressure fighter, and a pressure fighter will beat the boxer. Obviously this is only assuming that the men are closely matched physically and don't generally have another dimension to their game.

I'd say counter punchers(my favourite) belong in their own group, James Toney or Marquez for instance are perfect examples. I think Toney is the best natural counter puncher I've ever seen. They don't rely on the jab to win fights, don't generally come forward or set the pace and don't look to get into a full on brawl loading up on big shots etc. Guys like Mayweather or Whittaker, were brilliant counter punchers but could also lead and dictate fights with their own output unlike the previous two guys I listed.

Toney is definitely one of my favorite fighters. Roll punch to overhand right all day!

Toney is my favourite fighter, and I have a large collection of his fights.

I'll often pop one on as foreplay prior to servicing the wife.