Boxing vs. Asian Martial Arts

[L175]

Could someone give me a basic rundown of the strengths/weaknesses of boxing as opposed to traditional Asian martial arts such as jujitzu and karate? Which form would be better for a no-rulz street fight?

Thanks

[Guest]

Boxing has many strengths for the streets. It is basic (which is good, too many techniques means none come to mind when they are needed) and Boxers are very fit. They can give and take hard blows.

But there are drawbacks. There is no grappling, so if they hit the deck in a rumble they are out of their league. There is not kicking and, therefore, no defence against kicking.

You can't really compare it to other martial arts, because there are so many different arts. In short, boxers are hard men, but they could do with cross training in other areas.

[terry]

Boxing has a lot of truth in it. They train hard, they hit hard, they adjust and control distance well, they use angulation well, they spar hard and they don't get caught up into too much oriental mumbo jumbo.

It is, however, difficult to answer whether boxing is better than another, Asian in this case, art. I suppose you could go through examples of where knowing only boxing would put you at a disadvantage, such as when you find yourself on the ground or facing a knife wielding opponent. But I would rather steer you in the direction of thinking about when, where and why boxing is most efficient and when, where and why another art, such as BJJ is efficient. To put it another way, it is not so much in focusing on the weaknesses of an art that you will grow but in its strengths. The right place to focus on weaknesses is in yourself.

Respectfully,

Terry

[L175]

Thank you for your replies. I think I know what you are saying--that every martial art shows strengths in different situations and that you should train in one that fits your own style...however, when that style is shown to be weak in one area, you may want to use cross training to make up for that weakness.

Also, knowing a plethora of complex techniques is no substitute for simply being strong, tough, and able to hit hard and take hard hits.

In short, boxing is a good, fundamental sport to train in, but it is also worth the time and effort to train in fast kicks, ground grappling, pressure point manipulation etc. as taught by oriental martial arts. In this way you can become an adaptable fighter.

[TheSod_88]

Oriental arts r a damn joke!

[ryanhall]

Judo, Wing Chun, Muay Thai, Arnis/Kali/Escrima, Jeet Kune Do ("the only non-traditional Chinese style"--Bruce Lee), Ju Jitsu (not in and of itself, but because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was spawned from it and Judo). These are all arts of the "Orient" if you want to be technical. Traditional mumbo jumbo is worthless for reality, but don't think that an Olpymic Judo player won't drop you on your ass.

[TheSod_88]

I personally dislike judo. olympic or any other style.

[ryanhall]

Like it or not, it does work to some extent. It's almost western wrestling with some armbars and chokes.

[TheSod_88]

If you say so.

[ryanhall]

I do.

[swan104]

Originally posted by TheSod_88
Oriental arts r a damn joke!

How about Thai boxing or Bando?

[Great Sage]

Boxing surpasses most Oriental Martial Arts in the use of hands, footwork and philosophy. Boxing is straight forward, simple and effective. It's common for lamen to dismiss boxing as a legitimate fighting art, because they're thinking in terms of sports. However, as many FIGHTERS will tell you, boxing is lethal if you're good. The toughest people you'll ever encounter will have some sort of boxing training. Rather than rely on fancy blocks or forms, boxing provides a sound strategy — make them miss and strike.

On another note, some Oriental arts should not be dismissed, e.g. Judo, Jiu jitsu etc... Some of the toughest fighters have come from these disciplines. A good grappler will tie you in knots if you get too close.

[ryanhall]

Boxing surpasses most Oriental Martial Arts in the use of hands, footwork and philosophy. Boxing is straight forward, simple and effective. It's common for lamen to dismiss boxing as a legitimate fighting art, because they're thinking in terms of sports. However, as many FIGHTERS will tell you, boxing is lethal if you're good. The toughest people you'll ever encounter will have some sort of boxing training. Rather than rely on fancy blocks or forms, boxing provides a sound strategy — make them miss and strike.

I currently box about 5 days a week, and I can definitely attest to your statement of boxers being a tough lot. A good boxer will beat a lot of people, and that's just the way it is. Their use of the hands is excellent, and their training methods are equally good (except for the speed bag, which I hate because it teaches you to open your centerline). That said, boxers are very vulnerable to in close fighting and use of the elbows, knees, and head. Boxers are tough, but there are naster blows than punching out there. As a rule, boxers will top most martial artists. It's not the be all and end all either though. I think the best thing about boxing is that it produces fighters who can hit and be hit in a short time.

[dave_UK_MT]

So as a boxer whats your opinion of Thai Boxing?

Do you see it as being inferior in the hands dept but with superior leg/knee/elbow techniques or does it depend on the indivduals skill.

In a 'boxing vs Muay Thai' fight who would win (all things being equal)???

As a Thai Boxer myself I reckon some pure boxing training would benefit me greatly, something I must look into.

[ryanhall]

Dave,
I don't formally train Thai, but it is definitely an awesome art and my combatives instructor borrows some of the tools (knees/elbows/low Thai kick). If I had a school in my area, I would definitely attend.

From watching some Thai fighters, I know that they would not be able to hold their own in a boxing (punches only) match against a solid boxer. You have to expect that though, as boxers train only with their fists. In an open match, I would put my money on the Muay Thai fighter, all things being equal. Bob...weave...knee to the head...ouch. That said, if the boxer can time the MT guy's low roundhouse and come with a hard cross, it'll be lights out for him.

I like Muay Thai's use of the clinch (even though it's a bit too upright for the street or the octagon), and I think it would be very effective against a boxer. It's easy to acquire, and a knee or an elbow will do a lot of damage. To illustrate the strength of the clinch, just watch an uneven western boxing match. The inferior fighter will stay at range and then come in and grab the better fighter to protect himself from the better figher's punches. It ruins the match, as the better guy doesn't get an opportunity to show his stuff. If the poor puncher was a Thai fighter, he might be able to throw in some knees (which happen to hurt a hell of a lot more than a body hook) and elbows to end the fight.

You should definitely look into western boxing if you're into competition. Even if you're not, it wouldn't be a bad idea. I do it for power and hand speed, which helps me out with my combatives stuff. It's also a great way to work out with a good resisting opponent.

Hope that helps.