Oldschool Style for Amateur Boxing?

[Kassius]

Just looking for opinions about using this kind of stance, preferably from amateur or pro fighters.

Fighting using Joe Louis' stance. Today, Bernard Hopkins also uses a similar style. That is from an orthodox stance, left shoulder slightly forward left hand positioned out from the shoulder and right hand slightly away from the chin, back foot up. Also, slant from your opponent.
I'm pretty sure Sugar Ray Robinson and a lot of old timers used this as well. I also watched Meldrick Taylor fight in the finals at the olympics and his hands seemed to be at that position. I asked some coaches whether this would work or not, they told me the guards should be up a lot higher, right hand to about half the cheek and left hand just a little higher, elbows right in.

To me, this modern stance seems a bit rigid, I can't move as well and it blocks my vision slightly (in addition to those damn helmets). They told me that particular style wouldn't work in amateurs and seemed unorthodox, but I see unorthodox styles as roy jones, ali and prince naseem. To me your hands are a lot more closer to your opponent, in a position to block (palming, parry etc.) and counter (instead of just taking it with your glove to your face, which still hurts.) You give them half a target and you see their right hand from a mile away. I can also relax my elbows a little more, because I'm slant and my arms and hands don't tire easily because it is lower. I see so many benefits to using this and the weaknesses I think are a left hook, which you can block using your elbow, ducking and weaving or putting your hand to the side and rolling to the left, to make it lose power and another weakness is also the right to the left of the body which is your opponent's furthest weapon and can easily be avoided/blocked.

I've tried sparring (only a few times), however I still need some more experience, but so far it's been decent and I think if I give it some time I can perfect it and refine my reflexes. I just can't seem to get the "guard up higher, facing your opponent square" stance to work for me.
What do you think? Is this stance still effective nowadays? Has anyone used something like this and had success? Just wanna know if I should stick with it or change to the modern stance.

[Kassius]

Also, I'd like to add that every time I throw a punch from a hand, I put my glove up like a pitcher to fend from my opponent's punches/ counterpunches.

[cameronpaul]

do u box in england? all the gyms iv been to here want you fight like a straight up robot. bend in the knees like tyson, when most defensive greats, mayweather , james toney, bend from the hip ect. my advice would be to fight how you wanna fight. whatever aspects of boxing you wanna add, try to add it. most important is to ko your opponent, then your coaches cant say anything to you.

[{Pito}]

There is no stance or style or technique that is better than the other. At the end of the day it boils down to the individual and if he is good at what he does. Just because one person cant perform in a specific stance and or style doesnt mean the style has flaws it just means that person sucks a$$ at doing that and another will pick up the same style that person dropped and proceed to fu$k said person up with their old style they dropped AND their new style they're trying out lol.....it just boils down to the individual find what works for you and do it. Good luck


And please dont take cameronpauls advice as the most important thing is to KO your opponent thats terrible advice. The most important thing is to try you're best and go for a win. You won't be able to knock out everyone. Just win and focus on your craft. If a ko comes. It comes. Dont ever force it.

[Ray Corso]

Squaring up is not what you want to do from a defensive or offensive stance.
Your back power hand is shortened up and it won't have punch threw power.
Joe Louis perfected his "short motion slipping" that allowed his hand positionings to work for him. His short slip allows his hands to land with shorter and more acurate shots. Joe Louis worked with Mr. Blackburn.......you don't!
Thats the biggest difference as to you "perfecting" the style! Oh yeah your not Joe Louis either, I'll guess! The rear leg was NOT squared up it was pointed at about 2o'clock meaning the opponent is 12 o'clock.
Try different forms and consider the defense & offensive when picking a form.
Evaluating Louis or Sugarman is ok but remember that both of them had far above average power in both hands so their success is mostly predicated on their punching abilities! .............good luck, Ray.

[Kassius]

Thanks for the tips and of course, it doesn't take Sherlock to know I'm no joe louis and I don't have jack blackburn as a trainer...... never said that. I only stated that specific style my coach is teaching doesn't really do it for me and I never said that kind of style was bad either. I didn't just watch joe louis and decide I'd copy him, but have seen instructional videos on this particular style and got interested (don familton etc.). I've tried all kinds of styles and I just found this to be the best and most effective for me, did my research/homework too.
I'm not copying joe louis etc. style completely, it's similar but I don't see him putting his hand up to catch counters every time he throws a punch.

Basically, I'm just at crossroads....because on one hand my trainer says this wouldn't work. On the other hand, I found this style I'm using to work for me and am getting better and more accustomed to it. (getting ideas through combining different advice from instructional videos etc.) My trainer is slowly changing his mind, he says I have all the talents but he just disagrees with my stance. I think for now I'm just gonna stick with it for maybe a few months in sparring and see if I can "perfect" it as in making it work my own way. Thanks again guys

[Young Money]

It's called the Blackburn crouch and I wouldn't try it unless I had a trainer that knew it well.