Does the shoulder roll only work against shorter opponents?

[WillieWild114]

I only seen boxers use this defensive technique when their opponents are shorter or the same height. Have yet to see a shorter opponent use it against taller opponents ? Does it work vice versa ?

[The Big Dunn]

No. Floyd used it effectively against taller opponents.

It depends on the boxer employing the strategy.

[daggum]

No. Floyd used it effectively against taller opponents.

It depends on the boxer employing the strategy.

floyd=good shoulder roll

berto=bad shoulder roll

[crimsonfalcon07]

My personal issue with the shoulder roll is that it requires high skill to be really effective, especially because it tends to rely on a single shield to defend against punches, particularly the rear hand, and leaves you very vulnerable compared to other guards that don't require as much skill to be comparably effective, especially when you guess wrong or mess up your timing.

I think it's worth developing enough proficiency so that you can use it situationally, but it really does require a lot of time and practice to be anything like Floyd, and there's a heck of a lot of boxers who play wannabe Floyd and get sparked because they're trying to be cute with Philly Shell. It requires higher stamina with respect to body movement and rotation than a static, or even active high guard, although it allows your lead hand to be in a position that's more rested and out of the opponent's direct vision, and the nature of it also means that you need to employ far more lateral motion to compensate for the type of gaps it offers, or have the reflexes to be a consummate counter puncher.

That being said, any guard requires adjustment to the height of your opponent; it's just that the higher skill level entry requirement for the Philly Shell in general and the shoulder roll in particular may lead to it feeling even less effective vs taller opponents, and you'll need to compensate with more movement around the ring. Otherwise you end up looking like Ryan Garcia with his bizarre variant, which could very well get you disqualified on a TKO for turning your back to your opponent.

[Dakuwaqa]

floyd=good shoulder roll

berto=bad shoulder roll

Floyd has big shoulders and a head not much bigger than a tangerine. This certainly helped

[ShoulderRoll]

No. The shoulder roll works against any right hand thrown at your head.

It does take a lot of skill and practice though, under the supervision of a knowledgeable trainer.

[SouthpawRight]

No. The shoulder roll works against any right hand thrown at your head.

It does take a lot of skill and practice though, under the supervision of a knowledgeable trainer.

Floyd’s shell defense was most open to overhand

Every straight was rolled

Marcos the only opponent I remember catching Floyd with a cross

Uppers were pretty much impossible to land on Floyd. Zab had elite upper and landed only one maybe two

[SouthpawRight]

Floyd has big shoulders and a head not much bigger than a tangerine. This certainly helped

Floyd has a good physique for boxing

Massive neck and traps for an ectomorph to go with his shield shoulders

Long limbs but short torso. Great for defense, outfighting, and viable for infighting

[Teetotaler23]

Definitely helps when you have a long reach and your opponent isn't composed