In boxing defence and offence are achieved via the padded fists. Generally four types of punches exist. All other punches are basically variants of the below. If a boxer is right handed, his lead foot will be his left, and vice versa - the leading hand providing faster punches, the rear conversely used for power punches (more power is employed with the rear hand through weight distribution and greater momentum).
Punches
Jab
This is a quick forward punch thrown with the lead hand. The power comes from a quarter-rotation of the shoulders, while the position of the fist rotates through 180 degrees, bringing the lead shoulder up to guard the chin. This is the most important punch in a boxer's arsenal as it is extremely quick and requires very little shift in stance compared to the other punches. It is the punch that has the longest reach. Thus, it is used as a tool to gauge distances and set up follow up punches: if the jab is thrown but does not connect with the opponent, then the target is too far away.
As a tool to keep the opponent from moving in, the jab can be thrown repeatedly in front of the opponent so they cannot advance. As a tool to test the opponent's defences, it can be thrown early on in a bout to measure the effectiveness, speed, and style of an opponent's defences.
Hook
This punch is thrown in a side arc with a bent arm. It can be thrown with either hand but is typically a lead hand punch. The boxer shifts the weight into the back foot, while rotating the hips and pivoting the foot toward the back, causing the arm to swing with the body in a lead hand hook. The power in a hook comes from the explosive rotation of the hips and shoulders allowing a large amount of bodyweight to be thrown behind the punch.
The classic hook is thrown in a horizontal plane, but the punch can also be thrown at a 45 degree angle (a "Mexican hook" or "shovel hook" or "hook to the ribs"), blending into the uppercut - practically halfway between the two, this punch is aimed at the rib cage (ideally just underneath).
Hooks are not parried but rather bobbed/rolled or simply blocked with the boxers guard against the head. This is very useful when aimed for the head or for the ribs or solar plexus, as the force from the hook tends to travel through a blocked head better than a jab.
Uppercut
This punch is thrown upwards with either hand (although a rear hand uppercut is marginally more common). The uppercut travels vertically up the opponent's chest, underneath the guard and makes contact with the chin.
The power in the uppercut comes from the legs and hips. This can be a devastating power punch because even if it does not connect with the chin itself, it tends to lift up the chin of the opponent, which opens up a bigger target and causes the opponent to be off balance for a moment.
Cross
Also known as a "straight right" or "right". This is a straight punch (with the dominant hand). The rear hand crosses the body, the shoulders rotate toward the target and the rear pivots along with the hips, a half-step forward can be manoeuvred, however many prefer not to do this and do not coach it, just as a jab can be thrown with a step (step-jab) or without.
The power in the cross comes from the rotation of the hips, the extension of the arm and the momentum this builds, as well as the weight behind the punch - a boxers weight transfers to his front foot so as to put the body behind the punch, however, they should always be able to resume a guarded stance immediately after the punch is thrown and never be off-balance.
The cross is the most powerful punch and is responsible for the majority of knockouts. It can be used to set up a hook, and it can be used as a counterpunch against an opponent's jab as the boxer slips to either side. The cross can be thrown right after a jab, creating the classic "one-two punch."
Bolo
The "Bolo punch" is occasionally seen, more often in amateur boxing than professional, although it is used to great effect by some professional fighters.
The bolo is an arm punch which owes its power to the shortening of a circular arc rather than to transference of body weight; it tends to have more of an effect due to the surprise of the odd angle it lands at rather than the actual power of the punch. This is more of a gimmick than a technical manoeuvre, this punch is not taught, it is on the same plane in boxing technicality as is the Ali shuffle.
Defence
Bob and Weave
This movement attempts to avoid an opponent's punch by bending the legs (and, often, the waist) in order to bring the head into a position under the opponent's extending arm. The legs and waist are then extended to bring the body back to its upright position. As the boxer rises, the body his moved either to the boxer's left or right in order to avoid the (presumably) still extended arm.
To move to a position on the outside of the opponent's extended arm is sometimes called "bobbing to the outside" and is, generally, the preferred method of defence.
"Bobbing to the inside", or moving the body to a position on inside of the opponent's extended arm, is considered defensively weak because the boxer is then vulnerable to punches from the opponent's opposite fist.
Slip
The slip is a manoeuvre performed with the defending boxer's legs and hips in order to shift the position of the head. As a straight punch (such as a jab or straight/cross) comes toward the boxer's face, the defending boxer turns the hips and shoulders to one side which shifts the position of the chin sideways, allowing the punch to "slip" by.
The less the boxer has to move his or her head or the vertical angle of the shoulders, the more skilful he or she is considered at this technique.
Parry
The parry is performed most often against a straight punch. As the opponent's arm is extended, the defending boxer moves the fist (most often of the dominant arm) towards the oncoming punch, usually rotating the wrist and elbow so that the palm is facing the opponent. As the opponent's punch makes contact with the extended glove, it is directed away from its initial target.
Clinch
The clinch, or grappling of the opponent while standing, is considered a defensive manoeuvre in modern boxing because it is most often employed to interfere with the opponent's offensive manoeuvres. Since the distance between the fighters is closed, the majority of boxing's offensive techniques (which mostly rely on hip/torso rotation and arm extension) cannot be employed.
Since the clinch is broken up by the referee immediately, the clinch is often seen as a method for the disadvantaged fighter to gain a short reprieve and perhaps interfere with the dominant fighter's concentration.
Stance and Movement
Stance
The modern boxing stance is a reflection of the current system of rules employed by professional boxing. It differs in many ways from the typical boxing stances of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's been stated that Americans adopted a more upright vertical armed guard (as opposed to more horizontally held, knuckles facing the ground guard as seen when looking at early 19th century boxers such as Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, etc.) due to the Americans' confrontations with the Filipino natives as a result of the Philippines Spanish-American war. When engaged in hand to hand combat, the Filipinos would slash the wrists of the American soldiers, the Americans adapted by changing the guarded stance and is thus just one example of a boxing technicality evolving.
The boxer must stand with the legs shoulder-width apart. The boxer places the lead foot (the left foot for a right-handed fighter, the right foot for a left-hander (southpaw) more forward than the back foot so the front foot's heel is in line with the back foots toes. The toes point straight forward, towards the opponent. The lead fist (the jabbing fist) is carried in front, half a dozen inches in front of the face at eye level (both arms should always be held straight and vertical - in line with the shoulders). The back fist is held against the chin and the arm lies in place against the body to protect the rib cage.
Knockouts are usually scored with punches to the chin. Modern boxers can sometimes be seen "tapping" their cheeks or foreheads with their fist in order to remind themselves to kept their fists up in this defensive position (which becomes difficult during long bouts). The torso is kept straight and the chin is tucked into the lead shoulder (which is often kept tense to further protect the chin).
Movement
Modern boxers are taught to "push off" with their feet in order to move effectively. Forward motion involves lifting the lead leg and pushing with the rear leg. Rearward motion involves lifting the rear leg and pushing with the lead leg. During lateral motion the leg in the direction of the movement moves first while the opposite leg provides the force needed to move the body.
