By printing I assume you mean 3d printing?
One advantage to modeling the pose is that you can easily make sure that everything overlaps to ensure that the final figure is as strong as possible. (such as a hand resting on a hip should overlap even the tiniest to ensure that the connection point will be strong) If you pose it in figure mode you may not be able to do that. (depends on the rig though I suppose.) Additionally, certain fine details won't show in the figure such as wrinkled cloth from a raised arm.
Basically, if you need lots of prints of the same character in different poses then a rigged figure makes the most sense but certain "good printing" practices that I have heard of might be facilitated by modelling the pose.
This is all assuming that you are rigging in anim8or which does not have a cloth simulator or soft-body to skeleton rigging.
Hope this was helpful, I haven't done any 3d printing myself, but I have read a bit about it.
Good luck.
