how should a tall fighter fight?

[shezada]

margarito is pretty much my exact size and body type(5'11ish and 145lbs, btw obviously hes way more ripped and has less fat..i just meant the way our bodies look),and he fights offensively as a tall fighter. whereas ive seen someone like muhammad ali or amir khan or herol graham who are more hit and run.
im wondering, how should a tall fighter fight? especially when he gets in close range, should you stay close range or should you quickly back off and keep the guy away from you with your reach? and how would a tall fighter pressure someone to get them on their backfoot?

[D.I.E.S.E.L]

keep your opponent at bay with the jab, if he tries to close in make him pay so he will hesitate to do it again, i.e uppercut to jaw or gut

[ScottDBA]

Most coaches that get a beginner who is tall will like him to fight like Wladimir Klitschko. Use the long jab, hang back keep the guy at range, fire the occasional straight right and hook. Use the hight and reach to your advantge.

Margarito is the opposite. He constantly goes forward and wants to be close enough to be in range to land with hooks and uppercuts. It works for him and one thing you will always hear Emmanuel Steward talk about on HBO is that pressue from a taller opponent is different from a shorter one, so the height works for Margarito because he wants to wear guys out.

Generally speaking you're gonna have an easier time using the first method as a taller fighter, nice long straight punches with full extension, but if you are for whatever reason more comfortable in close, go for it.

[BoZz]

don't fight like paul williams.

[Suckmedry]

Scott is correct. Generally you will be taught to fight tall, staying behind a long jab, keeping your distance, and scoring with long right hands. This can be a hugely effective way to fight, as you get more advanced you can learn subtle footwork to keep distance, tie your guy up when he gets close, pick him off with jabs and crosses, can be a tough style to have to fight. And it is an effective style in the amateurs particuarly. So if you feel good fighting this way, stick with it, cause if you do it well, you can go far.

However some tall guys, like Margarito, pile on the pressure, and this can also be effective, because pressure from a taller guy punching down at you can be hard to deal with. You need to be a good natural brawler to do this though, by which I mean you need to have strength as well as height, and you need to be very fit, and you need to be able to brawl effectively and put the other guy on the backfoot. If you are not a good brawler, stick to boxing tall, cause you will get hurt doing this.

At 5''11 and 145, you will easily make 141. That's a pretty good height for that division.

[Kevin714]

Good info here!

[King of Sting]

I think it's b.s. when tall guys are taught to fight only one way, which is to jab & stick all day.

The best way to fight whether tall or short is to keep the fight at your distance(inside or outside). What do I mean, well, a tall guy fighting inside all the time is not a bad thing, as long as the tall guy fights at his distance, y'all feel me.

It's always good to be well rounded, but most of us will never be. So my advice is, do what feels good to you and build on it.

Whether you're tall or short, just keep in mind these two things

a) don't smother your punches

b) keep the fight at your distance !!

[betmen]

margarito is pretty much my exact size and body type(5'11ish and 145lbs, btw obviously hes way more ripped and has less fat..i just meant the way our bodies look),and he fights offensively as a tall fighter. whereas ive seen someone like muhammad ali or amir khan or herol graham who are more hit and run.
im wondering, how should a tall fighter fight? especially when he gets in close range, should you stay close range or should you quickly back off and keep the guy away from you with your reach? and how would a tall fighter pressure someone to get them on their backfoot?

tommy hearns style, flicker jab and powerfull right cross that will be u're key of fighting.

[Klemman]

I wish that I was answering this as a tall fighter. Unfortunately, I'm a short fighter, who has gone into the ring against a good number of tall fighters.

As mentioned, a good jab is key. You don't need to be real quick, or to be able to dance around the ring. What you need is to be able to use your long limbs to your advantage.

Straight lefts and rights. No looping. Have a good uppercut for when that shorter fighter has his forehead against your chest.


Protect your body. Since I can't always get a good shot on someones face, I love straight right counters in to a taller fighters chest and solar plexus. I love hearing the grunt with a good shovel hook into a tall mans liver.

Watch for a good shorter fighter's attempt to cut off the ring. Again you don't need fast feet, but you do need to know how recognize when the ring is being cutt off, and to angle off of those long punches. One of your steps, may be equal to 1 1/2 to 2 of your shorter opponents. Take advantage.

A short fighter has to go in and out. Watch and see if he drops his hand after a punch. Does he back straight out? Counter off of his rythm if you can predict it. Make him pay for his offense, and you'll see less and less of it as the fight progresses.

One more thing, if you're ever in the same ring with me, forget everything I've told you.