Groups of Boxing Techniques
How are boxing techniques organized?
One way to see this is to group similar techniques together. Below you will find all the techniques listed in the Techtionary grouped under the six types of technique that most boxing techniques fall under.
Stance / Styles
Combination Fighter - A style based on throwing pre-set combinations as opposed to precise single punches.
Counter Puncher - A style based on defending against punches before attacking.
Cross Guard - A stance whereby the lead arm protects the body, and the rear arm protects the head.
Also see: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing.
And: Van V, J., 2019. Boxing the Cross Arm Guard. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0GDYGL-zlU> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Crouch - A low stance.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing
Guard - A boxer’s way of standing to protect the head and body while prepared to attack.
In-fighting - Boxing at close range.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing
Knockout Artist - A style of boxing based on setting up powerful punches to knock the opponent out as opposed to scoring points.
Mayweather Defence - Floyd Mayweather Jr’s version of the ‘Philly Shell’ that involves additional defensive techniques, such as ‘control’.
Orthodox - A conventional boxing stance whereby the boxer leads with the left hand.
Out-fighting - A style of boxing characterised by keeping the opponent at a distance.
See: Driscoll, J., 2008. Out-Fighting or Long-Range Boxing: The Deluxe Edition. Promethean Press
Peek-a-Boo - A style of boxing whereby the hands are held in front of the boxer’s face.
Also see: fergusmc69, 2009. The science of Tyson. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxlf9vRzkY&t=29s> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Philly Shell - A boxing style where the lead hand is held low and the lead shoulder protects the chin.
Also see: TheUmmahFightCamp, 2021. "PHILLY SHELL" BOXING / THE HISTORY : STYLE and NAME.. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBflw6C9j6c> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Pick’em Fighter - A style of boxing whereby the boxer selects punches as appropriate rather than committing to pre-set combinations.
Slugger - A style of boxing focused on power and control, and less on technique.
Southpaw - A boxing stance whereby the boxer leads with the right hand.
Square Stance - To stand with the feet parallel and shoulder-width apart.
Stance - A boxer’s way of standing in preparation to hit and not get hit.
Switch Hitter - A style that uses both orthodox and southpaw stances.
Unorthodox - A style of boxing that deliberately breaks with traditional techniques.
Volume Puncher - A style of boxing whereby the quantity of punches has priority over their quality.
X-guard - A stance where the arms cross as the hands protect opposite sides of the head.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing
Attacks / Punches
Anchor Punch - Muhammad Ali’s technique of leaning back before throwing a punch with the rear hand.
Angled Punch - A straight punch thrown at a 90-degree angle.
Also see: Official Boxing Gods, 2016. Young Mike Tyson at 16 Talks Trains with Cus D'amato Rare Video. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARah8dYCP0g> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Body Shot - A punch aimed at the front or sides of the torso.
Bolo Punch - An uppercut thrown in an exaggerated arc.
Brawl - Fighting without concern for technique.
Check-Hook - To hook and pivot at the same time.
Also see: Coach Anthony, 2020. How to do the Russian Check / Cuban Check { Great technique }. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT39eUWfdm0> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Clean Punches - Punches that land on the front or sides of the opponent’s head or body without being obstructed.
Corkscrew Punch - Punching with an extra rotation of the wrist.
Counter Punch - A punch thrown in return to one received.
Cross - A straight punch with the rear hand.
Dempsey Roll - Jack Dempsey’s technique of punching while moving forward in a zig-zag motion.
Direct Attack - A punch without a set-up.
Double Hook - Manny Pacquiao’s technique of throwing both the left and the right hook at the same time.
Effective Aggressiveness - The ability to hit and not get hit while moving forward.
Flurry - A sudden commotion of punches.
Forty-Five - A punch at an angle between a straight punch and a hook.
Gazelle Punch - A lead hook while leaping forward.
Haymaker - A wild, powerful punch.
Hook - A horizontal, curved punch.
Also see: International Boxing Association (AIBA), 2018. Coaches - AIBA. [online] AIBA. Available at: <https://www.aiba.org/coaches2020/> [Accessed 13 October 2021]
Horizontal Fist - A punch in a knuckles-up position.
Huppercut - Roy Jones Jr’s technique of throwing a feint lead uppercut to set up a lead hook.
Indirect Attack - An attack that begins with a feint.
See: Lee, B., 1975. Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Black Belt Communications
Jab - A straight punch with the lead hand.
Also see: Tom, T., Wong, T. and Lee Keasler, S., 2012. The Straight Lead. New York: Tuttle Pub.
Jolt - Jack Dempsey’s version of a power jab which involves stepping forward to put weight into the punch.
See: Dempsey, J., 2015. Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense. Simon & Schuster.
Lateral Uppercut - A lead uppercut thrown sideways.
Also see: Ian Streetz, 2019. CLOSE RANGE UPPERCUT. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouy4SfaAK24> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Overhand - A punch thrown in a vertical arc from high to low, over the opponent’s hand.
Pot Shot - A surprise punch.
Pull-Counter - To lean back and then throw a straight punch with the rear hand.
Also see: Complex Boxing, 2020. The Pull Counter | Boxing Technique Breakdown | Film Study. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0aakUoh5Y> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Shoe Shine - A flurry of uppercuts.
Shovel Hook - A punch thrown at an angle between a hook and an uppercut.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing.
Split Jab - A slip and a jab at the same time.
Stop-Hit - Bruce Lee’s technique of jabbing an opponent to interrupt them as they prepare to attack.
See: Tom, T., Wong, T. and Lee Keasler, S., 2012. The Straight Lead. New York: Tuttle Pub.
Swing - A wild, non-technical punch.
Underhand Rear - A rear hook to the body while slipping on the inside of the opponent’s punch on the same side.
Up Jab - A jab from a low lead hand position.
Uppercut - An upwards, curved punch.
Vertical Fist - A punch with the knuckles perpendicular to the ground, or ‘thumb-up’ position.
Whirl - Jack Dempsey’s way of turning the shoulders rapidly to add power to straight punches.
See: Dempsey, J., 2015. Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense. Simon & Schuster.
Whitaker Uppercut - Pernell Whitaker’s technique of throwing an uppercut from behind his back.
Also see: BT Sport, 2018. Canelo v GGG I: Fight highlights from controversial draw. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0FcF2u13mE> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Defences / Blocks
Block - The obstruction of a punch.
Also see: International Boxing Association (AIBA), 2018. Coaches - AIBA. [online] AIBA. Available at: <https://www.aiba.org/coaches2020/> [Accessed 13 October 2021]
Catch - The obstruction of a straight punch with the palm.
Also see: Coach Anthony, 2015. Boxing | How To Do Basic Boxing Defense | Coach Anthony Boxing. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFMWgifW1Wo&t=3s> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Clam Shell - To cover up in defence as much as possible without fighting back.
Cover - To guard the head and body as much as possible.
Defence - The ability to make the opponent miss.
Defensive Responsibility - Taking initiative with blocks, footwork and head movement, without waiting for the opponent to attack.
Elbow-Block - To obstruct a low punch by tucking the elbow.
Forearm Parry - To deflect a punch with the forearm.
Outward Parry - To deflect a punch with the back of the hand.
Parry - To deflect a punch.
See: Lee, B., 1975. Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Black Belt Communications.
Shoulder Roll - To obstruct a punch with the shoulder.
Head Movement
Bob - Avoiding a punch by ducking.
Duck - To avoid an attack by lowering the body.
See: Blower, G., 2007. Boxing: Training, Skills and Techniques. The Crowood Press Ltd.
Head Roll - To rotate the head away from a punch so as to reduce impact.
Pull - To lean back.
Rhythm Slips - To move the head side-to-side in sync with an opponent.
Roll - To duck a punch by circling under.
See: Blower, G., 2007. Boxing: Training, Skills and Techniques. The Crowood Press Ltd.
Slip - To avoid a punch by moving the head off the firing line.
Weave - To circle under a punch, the two paths under each of the opponent’s arms forming a ‘W’.
Footwork
Ali Shuffle - Muhammad Ali’s technique of rapid footwork, intended to confuse, distract or demoralize an opponent.
Bounce - A small jump.
Bump - To slip a punch and then skip to a new angle.
Close the Distance - To approach the opponent in order to box at close range.
Cutting Off the Ring - Moving in such a way as to place the opponent against the ropes or into a corner.
Dance - Muhammad Ali’s style of constant, graceful footwork rather than planting the feet.
Falling Step - Jack Dempsey’s way of stepping that avoids preliminary movements and adds power to a punch.
See: Dempsey, J., 2015. Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense. Simon & Schuster; Tom, T., Wong, T. and Lee Keasler, S., 2012. The Straight Lead. New York: Tuttle Pub.
Half-step - A step with one foot without fully committing with the other foot.
L-step - A footwork technique where the front foot sweeps inward before skipping to the side.
Also see: Coach Anthony, 2018. Footwork How to skip step and why| Boxing secrets| Coach Anthony Boxing. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLHzj4aA3BM&t=321s> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Lateral Footwork - Bouncing side-to-side to keep an opponent guessing.
Pivot - To change angle by rotating on the ball of the foot and sweeping the other foot in a semi-circle.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing.
Positioning - To move to a specific place or angle to gain advantage over the opponent.
Quick-shift - To change stance by rotating the heels and without stepping.
See: United States Naval Institute, 2006. Boxing (Naval Aviation Physical Training Manuals). Paladin Press,U.S.
Reverse L-Step - A footwork technique where the rear foot sweeps in before skipping to the side.
Rhythm Step - An unconscious habit of bouncing without purpose.
Ring Generalship - The ability to control the style and pace of a boxing match.
Also see: Donovan, M., 1997. The Science of Boxing: Rules and Articles on Training Generalship in the Ring and Kindred Subjects. Doyle Studio Pr.; Haislet, E., 2015. Boxing. Facsimile Publisher.
Shift - To skip and change stance at the same time.
Shuffle - Muhammad Ali’s technique of switching the feet in rapid fashion while remaining in the same position.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing.
Skip - To gallop by sweeping the rear foot first to move forward, or the front foot first to move backwards.
Spin Jump - To jump laterally in an arc.
Step - To change position by moving the foot closest to the direction headed first, followed by an equal step with the other foot.
Switch - A change in stance by taking a large step forwards or backwards, or by swapping the feet while in the same position.
Also see: Jeffries, T., 2021. Switching Boxing Stance (Orthodox to Southpaw) During a Fight. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fyu0f5SjHQ> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Switch Jump - To change angle and stance at the same.
Triangle Step - To step into a squared stance, side-step around the opponent, and then step back into stance.
Zig-Zag - A footwork technique of stepping forward at alternate angles whereby each step is a change of stance.
Control
Adjustment - A change in boxing style according to the weaknesses of the opponent.
Bait - Lowering the guard to invite an attack in preparation for a counter.
Also see: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing
Blind - A jab that obstructs the opponent’s vision.
Also see: McLeod Scott Boxing, 2020. 27 Traps & Tricks in Boxing | McLeod Scott Boxing. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja3BoZmTgYA> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Break - Separating from a clinch.
Breaking Rhythm - A surprise attack after synchronising with the opponent.
Also see: Lee, B., 1975. Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Black Belt Communications.
Clinch - To grapple the opponent at close range.
Control - To influence the opponent’s behaviour, typically by stopping them from doing something.
Disengage - To move away from the opponent after intending to attack.
Draw In - Dropping the guard to invite a punch from the opponent.
See: Hatmaker, M. and Werner, D., 2004. Boxing Mastery. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing.
Elbow-Control - Grabbing the opponent’s elbow and turning them away.
Feint - A false move designed to distract the opponent.
Half-clinch - A clinch with one arm.
Also see: fightTIPS, 2020. 5 Ways to Land the Uppercut. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjvhYzt8QMk> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Head Control - Stopping the opponent from moving their head.
Hold - To grab the opponent’s arms to prevent them from punching.
Immobilization - To stop the opponent from moving their hand.
Lead - An opponent’s first move.
Also see: Nguyen, J., 2013. How to Read Opponents in a Fight. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xStq1UBYp5E> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Look - A move designed to hold the opponent’s attention.
Measure - A way of jabbing to gauge whether to commit to an attack.
Also see: McLeod Scott Boxing, 2020. 27 Traps & Tricks in Boxing | McLeod Scott Boxing. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja3BoZmTgYA> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Negate - To prevent an attack by moving in and out of range with precision.
Nullify - To prevent an opponent from either attacking or counter-attacking.
Occupy - To jab at the opponent’s guard as a distraction and set-up.
Open - To attack the opponent’s arms to expose the head and body.
Also see: McLeod Scott Boxing, 2020. 27 Traps & Tricks in Boxing | McLeod Scott Boxing. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja3BoZmTgYA> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Paw - An uncommitted jab.
Pin - To place a hand in front of the opponent’s hand to prevent them from attacking.
Post - To control the head.
Also see: Robinson, B., 2019. How to Box at World Level - Wall Drills for Controlling Fights with Barry Robinson. [video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkaGlcgytJk&t=11s> [Accessed 14 October 2021].
Pressure - To remain close enough to the opponent to be a threat but far enough to avoid any punches.
Pry Open - To break out of a clinch using the elbows.
Range Finder - A punch thrown to gauge distance.
Reset - To move away and then approach an opponent again.
Also see: Weldon, K., 2018. Boxing: The Weldon reset AKA bumping right. [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPQE2jd7xY> [Accessed 13 October 2021].
Rope-a-Dope - Muhammad Ali’s tactic of pretending to be trapped against the ropes, inviting the opponent to throw punches and eventually tire.
Set-up - A trick prior to an attack.
Shoulder Control - To stop the opponent from attacking at close range by placing a hand on their shoulder and turning them away.
Smother - To move close to an opponent to prevent them from attacking.
Taunt - A remark or posture made to provoke and anger the opponent.
Touch - To distract the opponent by making light contact.
Trap - A posture or movement that invites an opponent to attack. See ‘Bait’ and ‘Set-up’.
Turn - To rotate the opponent by grabbing and pushing.
Wedge - To obstruct a punch by jamming the opponent’s arm at the inner crook of the elbow.
See: Sondhi, R. and Thompson, T., 2011. Advanced Boxing: Training, Skills and Techniques. The Crowood Press Ltd.
White Hips - A feint by squaring the hips before throwing a read hand punch.
Windmill - Circling the rear hand flamboyantly as a distraction before attacking with a surprise punch.
Yank - Vasiliy Lomachenko’s technique of escaping a clinch by pulling the arm in a jerk motion.
Find this useful?
Follow me on social media: