The drowning boxing style is a tactic employed by the best boxers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Kostya Tszyu, and Vitali Klitschko. This approach is built on continuous pressure with passive-aggressive behavior and bringing opponents to force-fed fights.
This technique allows less energy, thus allowing one to outwait the opponent and dominate him/her with accuracy, not muscles.
The drowning boxing style can be incorporated into your fighting style to help you gain the upper hand in initiatives to master the ring and tire down competitors.
I find this is well suited for intermediate and advanced boxers where it adds a certain elan to the boxing and the tapping skill and strategy over brute force.
How Does the sinking boxing style function?
Try to envision oneself surrounded by deep water that one is unable to subdue and that keeps pushing constantly. In boxing, there is the drowning style and this creates a sensation similar to the one above by putting constant pressure on your opponent.
It differs from the OKU style in that instead of hitting with maximum force and frequency, this style has more contact strength. This way and let your adversary give reckless strikes, missing their mark while you circle and keep your rhythm, you can wear out your opponent in no time.
The artistic point is the aspect of constantly varying the level of aggression and at the same time, being careful. Taking the first and the last hits allows you to set the pace of the battle, while making the opponent expend himself, but not you.
The 6 Best Steps to Master the Drowning Boxing Style
Step One: Exert Constant Pressure
The characteristic of this sort of behavior is continuously applying pressure. Begin by moving in on your adversary and eliminating his or her comfort zone. Tactically slide around the ring so that they’re kept busy with light jabs and feints.
Instead of what Tyson did – mere bulldozing, there is an endless pressure – a combination of careful steps designed to force your opponent without overwhelming them.
Step Two: Working at the Edge of Range
The major thing about this that needs to be worked on is the dynamics of distance between you and your opponent. Keep enough proximity to deliver counters but at the same time be at a range where you aren’t within range of their attacks.
This entails a great sense of space. With time you will be able to dodge the punches by mere inches thus making it easier to retaliate without receiving the punch. It will be easier to perform by fighters with long arms but most fighters when they understand the importance of range can execute this strike.
Step 3: Keep a Flexible Guard
In this style, it is strategic to keep the defenses down, literally and metaphorically. This way you leave a space when your opponent is trying to hit you, and when he fails, he is left open if he tries again or misses and you just block using your arms in awkward positions for them to counter.
The fluid guard makes one unpredictable and drains energy from the opponent while constantly seeking openings to counterattack.
Step 4: Pull Back With Intention
When your opponent starts charging at you, you may prefer stepping a little back to ensure that your distance is safe. The key is subtlety: dance just far enough out of range of their punch, yet close enough to retaliate right away.
This defensive withdrawal is majorly important in maintaining a consistent applied pressure while on the other end of the line not pulling back. Apply this to trap opponents so that they have to be on the back foot.
Step 5: Make Sure you Capitalize Every Single Mistake.
When your opponent has thrown a punch and failed to land it on your body you need to take advantage of that and counter-punch right. A high hook or an overhand right; are short sharp counters that will disorient them; do not look for the perfect punch but merely aim at keeping them off balance.
If you are the sort of person who will engage in a fight, then you can consider bending your knee a little before you make your counter. Stay humble and do not try to overpower them all the time; reserve your strength for when they are least prepared.
Step 6: Going Through the Cycle Again
If you score a counter then familiarize the ring again by applying more pressure to the opponent. Do not allow them to get back their calm. Stay in touch with light strikes and keep the rhythm built upon the opponent’s failure, counterattack, and pressure again.
Essential Skills for the Drowning Boxing Style
Range Management
Your capability to assess your opponent’s range and keep one step beyond it is essential. That means you should be able to punch within a few inches from the target so that you can do so quickly without opening yourself up.
Footwork
In this style, there are not many punches, and as much as the movement of the body is traded off against it. It is your means of attacking and defending yourself as it provides you great mobility in the form of fast footwork that enables you to step forward and backward on command.
Jab Control
Your jab is one of the most important weapons that would help you to keep you out of range, and this would also ignore and frustrate your opponent. This means that instead of going for powerful punches, you should be more interested in the position and the velocity of your jab throughout the fight.
Why the Drowning Style is Advantageous to Taller Boxers
Thus, the drowning boxing style is suitable especially for the fighters with a height and a reach benefit though this style is not restricted to them only. That is why the element of the style, allowing for the management of distance and pressure, then it can be successful for practically any fighter.
Nevertheless, the good point in it is that tall fighters can easily maintain distance to evade their opponent and control the fight from a distance.
Conclusion
Drowning boxing is basically another boring approach to boxing as the fighters rely on accuracy, stamina as well as balance. Since it involves consistent pressure, control of range, and the gradual breakdown of the opponent in the physical and psychological aspects, this has given this style its suitability. I have learned that it is a skill over power and can be a strong appendage to any boxer’s arsenal.
If you are tall or short it does not matter when it comes to the drowning style; the main factor in its application is the ability to control distance and keep up pressure without getting tired. Thus, immerse yourself in it, get the best tips and rules right, and get ready to dominate the ring with the drowning boxing style.
