Beginners get confused and frustrated when they fight an opponent that uses the Philly Shell defense.
At first glance, it looks impossible to beat.
You throw jabs and your opponent parries them away with his glove. If you throw hooks to the body, you have them blocked by your opponent’s forearm. You throw crosses to the head only to see your opponent shoulder-roll and counterpunch.
However, like all boxing stances, the Philly Shell has its strengths and weaknesses.
Keep reading so you can add the Philly Shell to your arsenal or learn how to break it down when your opponent uses it!
What Is The Philly Shell?
The Philly Shell is a stance that is used for close-distance fighting.
First, you plant your feet and rotate your torso at an angle against your opponent.
Next, unlike a normal boxing stance where your arms have full range of motion, both arms wrap around and stay tight against the body.
Your lead arm forms an L and guards the body; the bicep blocks the rib cage and the forearm stays tight against the stomach. Note that your jab hand will be low and near the waist.
Your rear arm stays tight to the other side of the body, with your glove close to the chin, ready to protect the face and parry away punches.
Lastly, your chin stays tucked behind the lead shoulder.
Advantages Of The Philly Shell
Some of the advantages of using the Philly Shell include:
- The Philly Shell (Almost) Protects Your Whole Body
- The Philly Shell Is Effective In Tight Spaces
- The Philly Shell Is Great For Counterpunching
The Philly Shell (Almost) Protects Your Whole Body
One advantage of using the Philly Shell is that it (almost) protects your whole body.
Its main focus is defense: one hand protects the chin, blocks jabs, and is ready to parry, while the other protects your body.
We say “almost” because the chest is an obvious target for someone looking to break down the Philly Shell, which we’ll discuss later.
The Philly Shell Is Effective In Tight Spaces
Another advantage of using the Philly Shell is that it’s effective in tight spaces.
It’s handy in the pocket and low-space situations: when you’re backed against the ropes or trapped in the corner.
Keep in mind that using the Philly Shell isn’t the same as “shelling up” behind your gloves; you still have full control over your body.
The Philly Shell Is Great For Counterpunching
Lastly, the Philly Shell is great for counterpunching.
One good strategy you can use with this stance is to wait for aggressive opponents to run out of momentum with their combinations.
On offense, you are in good position to counter punch.
If your opponent throws a simple 1-2, you can block the jab with your rear glove, and let the cross roll off your lead shoulder, and counter with your own cross or a tight uppercut.
See the video below to see Floyd Mayweather using the Philly Shell to his advantage when counterpunching.
Disadvantages Of The Philly Shell
On the other hand, the Philly Shell has some disadvantages, including:
- The Philly Shell Tends To Be Stationary
- The Philly Shell Invites Your Opponent’s Punches
- The Philly Shell Takes Away Some Of Your Offense
The Philly Shell Tends To Be Stationary
One disadvantage of the Philly Shell is that boxers using the Philly Shell tend to stay in one place and focus less on footwork.
While this stance can be effective when properly used against the ropes, this becomes less effective in the middle of the ring, where your opponent can use footwork to flank you.
Also, staying in a bladed stance makes it harder to slip towards your back side.
The Philly Shell Invites Your Opponent’s Punches
Another disadvantage of the Philly Shell is that using this stance invites punches: your chest and arms become open targets.
A high-energy volume puncher will aim for your arms, trying to break the shell little by little.
After a few rounds of taking beatings on your arms, your arms will have less power for punches.
The Philly Shell Takes Away Some Of Your Offense
Lastly, using the Philly Shell takes away certain offensive maneuvers.
Your jabs need to travel a greater distance to reach their targets and your power punches will have little windup and less power.
Judges see this technique as defensive, so the points may go to your opponent based on ring control and aggressiveness. Because of this, boxers don’t use this technique for the whole fight.
Boxers That Use The Philly Shell
Many boxers adopt this stance when the situation calls for it.
The most (in)famous boxer to adopt this style is Floyd Mayweather.
He has said that he likes to be in the corner or against the ropes in this stance, saying that “it takes away certain variables”. What he’s talking about is removing the possibility of being outmaneuvered. His opponent’s punches can only come from one direction.
Other boxers that adopted and mastered this stance were George Benton, Roy Jones Jr. and James “Lights Out” Toney.
See how Toney uses the Philly Shell in his own way in the video below.
Conclusion
Now you’re ready to use the Philly Shell or handle it when your opponent uses it.
If you’re only a beginner, master the basics before using this technique. Without proper use, it’ll look like you’re curling up in a ball if you can’t handle your opponent’s pressure. Learn how to defend with a basic stance first.
If you’re a more advanced boxer, you know to use this at the right time and adjust accordingly if the stance isn’t working.
Even if you use it for the whole fight, you’re less able to go on the defensive and you may come across a fighter who is happy to punch your arms for the whole fight.
Next learn how to beat the Philly Shell!
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