Is Boxing Good for Self Defense? Boxing for Real-Life Combats

Foreword About Boxing:

If you have been interested in Boxing or some boxer celebrities, you would know boxers are much stronger than normal untrained people and even many other sports’ athletes. 

But is Boxing good for self defense? Are boxers able to handle real-life conflicts and win most of the fights they encounter? To answer those questions, you need to have a profound understanding of Boxing and its moves on a deeper level. Besides, it will also help if you know about the weaknesses existing in any sport. 

This article will give you all the information you need to know about Boxing and self-defense!

Is Boxing Good for Self Defense? The Advantages and Disadvantages

Is Boxing good for self-defense? The answer is Yes. Boxers are athletes, and they are trained to fight, so they have so many fighting and self-defending skills that ordinary people do not have. However, besides the advantages, this sport also has its disadvantages as it is not originally a sport designed for self-defense. 

In the next section below, we will show you the main reasons why this sport is good or not good for you to protect yourself in real-life fights. Let’s take a look at the pros first!

The Advantages of Boxing in Self Defense

Boxing is one of the Oldest and Most Powerful Combat Sports

Boxing is one of the oldest and most powerful combat sports in human history, and it has been around for thousands of years. Many people have chosen this sport from all over the world because it is effective and powerful. 

Besides the noticeable age, this sport’s effectiveness has also been tested and proven in countless battles. It is also one of the dangerous striking bases in MMA.

Boxers Choose Fight over “Flight”

When we face any problem in life, most of us will have to choose if we want to “fight or flight.” For normal people who have not been trained in fighting skills, flighting (means escaping the fights) can be their choice. 

As you know, real-life conflicts are not like sporty fights, meaning you might not be able to have a chance to run away from the other component. In this situation, boxers will handle the conflicts way better than untrained people and even other trained people. 

When these fighters in the rings appear with the fighting mentality, this mentality is a part of them. So, once these boxers face an opponent, their brain will be more likely to encourage them to fight back with all the skills they have. Moreover, as boxers can handle pain, shock, and even small injuries, they are sure the opponent not many people want to face. 

Your Punches Will Be Powerful and Effective

There are many reasons that make a powerful punch, namely body weight, power convey, accuracy, etc. If you are a robust person and have boxing skills, you can finish your opponent with a few or even one punch. 

In case you are a small person, and your opponent is bigger than you, you might not be able to knock him down easily. However, the skills, the speed, the accuracy, and the volume of your punches are the great factors that help you win the combat. 

Boxers Get Trained with Moves That Are Effective for Real-Life Combats

The best move of Boxing is indeed punching. Besides, boxers have to train with blocking, footwork, and head movements. 

Be Able to Deliver One Punch Knockdown

“Knockout!” What a familiar and exciting word in Boxing, right? Even with gloves that weigh around 8 oz or more, boxers can win the fight after giving out one effective punch. It will be even more powerful in real battles as a skilled boxer can deliver a one-punch knockdown that finishes his opponent right then and there. 

Do you know that a flyweight professional boxer can deliver punches that are at least three times more powerful than a normal person? For heavyweight and super heavyweight boxers, they can give out punches ten times more powerful than the untrained people.

Boxers Can Handle Many Components

In Boxing, we do not see one-fight-two in most battles. But the moves in Boxing will give you a higher chance to fight more than one person simultaneously. 

Street flights are not sports, so there is no rule for anyone to follow. Therefore, you might have to face two, or even worse, more than two opponents simultaneously. 

As Boxing helps you use effective punches, you can finish someone with one knockdown and then handle the other ones next. When it comes to fighting more than one person, knockdown is the best choice. When you are trying to fight or wrestle someone, you normally can only handle one person at a time, and his partner might attack you from the side or from behind. 

Boxers Are Also Trained with Defending Moves for the Rings

Boxers are not only trained to fight, but like any other sport, they are also trained to defend themselves. Any boxer will have to learn the moves and techniques that prevent potential attacks, especially in sensitive areas such as heads and eyes. 

For that reason, boxers or those who know boxing moves can block their opponents’ attack easily because they have been doing it as their job. Moreover, boxers are also more sensitive to potential moves from the other person, and they can naturally guess the next moves from the other one based on simple movements in that person’s body. 

Boxing Training Helps You Get Reactions and Reflexes Time

Focusing, hand-eye coordination, and footwork are crucial in Boxing. Therefore, most boxers will have better motor skills after being trained for a while. 

As they get better motor skills, they can also have or affective reactions and reflexes time. 

Your Physical Strength is Better Than Most Normal People

Besides the powerful and dangerous movements, Boxing also requires its professional participants to train with an intense schedule to build physical strength. 

One typical training section for boxers can burn from 500 up to 1000 calories. Moreover, they also have other combination training sections with anaerobic and aerobic to boost their body conditioning. 

The Disadvantages of Boxing in Self Defense

Like any other sport, Boxing is not perfect for all circumstances and situations. And here are the disadvantages you might face while fighting in real-life using boxing moves and skills:

Your Leg Kicks Might not Be So Effective

Compared to Muay-Thai, leg kicks in Boxing are way less effective. Even though a boxer can handle ordinary people with their skills, when the other opponents can use their legs so effectively, then boxers might be fought against easier. 

Boxers Can Find It Unfamiliar to Fight on the Ground

Boxing is still one of the most legal combat sports globally, so the right they fight is not a concrete floor to ensure they will be safer. However, fighting intensely on the ground might get those who only use boxing movements into trouble. 

When laying on the ground, most boxers’ skills might not be useful, and they might not be able to use them anymore. If you only know boxing skills and do not know any other martial arts or defending movements, try your best not to be taken down on the floor. 

Boxers Are Not Used to Clinch Fighting

In a real battle, there are no rules for any of you to follow, and therefore, many people will do all they can to win you. Unfortunately, most real-life combat starts with two more people clinching each other, and boxers are not familiar with this type of fighting.

No Takedown in Boxing

As takedowns are not allowed in Boxing, most boxers do not spend so much of their time learning about it unless they learn about it in other martial arts besides Boxing. 

Because takedowns can easily attract and hurt someone, most opponents from real-life will try to use it against the one they are fighting against. When being taken down on the floors, you will lose your power. So, try your best to fight while you’re still standing straight.

You Don’t Have Time to Wear Gears for Real-Life Combats

Gears are what protect a boxer as the moves in this sport can cause serious damages. However, most of the time, you will not be able to ask your opponent to wait for you to wear your gears before the fight. Without the gears, boxers can find it unfamiliar, and they can get so hurt while fighting and lost concentration. 

Three necessary gears in modern Boxing are the head guard, gloves, and teeth guard. If a boxer fights on the street and forgets they do not wear gears, they might get seriously hurt one they do not protect the vulnerable parts of their bodies. 

Let’s take an example to make it clear! When you fight without wearing a teeth guard as you do in the ring, your teeth might get hit and even get damaged by the other person’s attack.

Is Boxing Effective for Street Fight? Rules to Make It More Powerful

Is Boxing Effective for Street Fight

With many factors listed in the last section, we already know that Boxing has a few disadvantages besides the advantages. However, Boxing is still effective for street fighting. But if you want to win a street fight using boxing techniques ultimately, you should consider following these rules:

• Rule #1: Try Your Best Not to Get Taken Down on the Floor
• Rule #2: Try Best to Prevent Clinch Fighting
• Rule #3: Try to Finish the Other One with Knockdown Before
• Rule #4: Be Aware That You Are Not Wearing Gears in Real Battle

These rules are super helpful with those who only know boxing skills. But sometimes, it is not easy to follow these rules, especially when your opponent is so strong and can take you down on the floor. If you want to be more effective in street fighting, we will show you how to collectively pick the useful movements from other martial arts later on in this article. 

Spot the Potential Dangers in Real-Life Battles

You should understand that real-life battles can involve many potential dangers. In a boxing match, two boxers will fight each other from a short distance following the fair-play rules. But in real life, the other person might do all they can to win you, including using tools or weapons against you. 

If you are about to involve in a street battle, here are what you should pay attention to:

#1: Weapon and Attacking Tools

You should seriously consider to fight back or find help when your opponents have weapons or attacking tools. If you have been trained fighting people with fighting tools such as knives, rock, or sticks, then you might be able to fight back. 

However, if you have no clue how to deal with this situation, we do not suggest you always fight back unless you have no choice.

#2: Number of Opponents

In the first section of this article, we mentioned boxers’ ability to handle more than one opponent at a time, and we did mean it. However, if many people are trying to attack you and hit you simultaneously, then it is another story.  

#3: The Ability of Your Opponent(s)

It is always easier for boxers to fight an untrained person or someone who is not physically stronger. But when your attacker is also a pro in some martial art, or he is a huge person, then you should also consider whether to go for a fight. 

In case you have to fight anyway, try your best to take advantage of their weaknesses and ultimately the effectiveness of your best moves. 

#4: Environment

The environment plays a crucial role. Suppose you fight on the street, near the road with many transportations around, near the rocky areas, etc. In that case, you should be super careful because these environmental conditions can reduce your effectiveness or add more danger to your fight. 

Should I Choose Boxing as the First Option for Street Fights?

Compare Boxing with Other Combat Sports

Mixed Martial Arts VS Boxing

MMA is better than Boxing and the best option for street fighting because, as it says in the name, MMA is a mix of many different martial arts. It takes the best movements and puts them all together.

Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) VS Boxing

Jiu-Jitsu and Boxing are more effective than the other in certain situations. 

In one-on-one combats with an average person, Jiu-Jitsu is more effective as it has many good movements to handle the other person. When someone lacks martial art skills, he can easily be controlled by a good Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. 

On the other hand, Boxing is more effective when you have to fight many people at the same time because BJJ practitioners cannot deal with someone attacking them in the head or from behind so effectively when they are fighting another opponent. 

Wrestling and Boxing

Wrestling is better for you if you are bigger or at least the same size as your opponent because wrestling will require so much strength in the body. Moreover, this technique is better than Boxing in terms of fighting on the ground. 

If you are smaller than the other person, then Boxing will be a better option as you can use punches and kicks to finish them. It is also better because when you wrestle a bigger person, they can easily win you, only crushing you with their body weight. 

Muay-Thai VS Boxing

Muay-Thai and Boxing are useful in their ways. If you are someone with good boxing skills, it is really hard for a skilled person to take you on the ground. So in terms of defending and maintaining the best fighting condition (fighting while standing on the ground), Boxing is better. 

However, Muay-Thai might be more dangerous for the other person because Muay-Thai movements can deliver many attacks and strikes constantly. Seven out of ten times, someone who only uses boxing skills will be beaten down by Muay-Thai’s kicks.

Combine Boxing Moves with Other Combat Sport

There is no perfect martial art or sport that can be effective in all environments and situations. The best thing you can do if you want to defend yourself is to learn about different types of movements and martial art and pick the most suitable moves in certain circumstances. 

After talking about some of the most common and effective martial arts in the world at the moment, you can selectively choose the best skills in these combat sports for self-defense, especially on the streets. 

Some common boxers’ most common weaknesses are leg kicking, taking down, and fighting while lying on the ground. You can fill these holes in your skills by learning wrestling skills. 

Even with some basic wrestling skills, you will be able to take the other person down while they try to clinch you or kick you. In this situation, you need to grab the other person’s leg and take him down to the floor. This technique is super effective when you are fighting a Muay-Thai practitioner. 

When fighting someone with good skills of fighting on the ground, you can combine wrestling and even MMA skills to defend the takedown attempts. Even when you are taking down on the ground, the skills from MMA and some martial arts can help you to defend yourself or even take control. 

>Also read: Is boxing a martial art?

In Sum

Is Boxing good for self defense? Until this point, we hope you already have your answer and understand that all sports or martial arts have their strengths and weaknesses. 

To be more effective in a street fight and real-life self-defense, you should ultimately take advantage of Boxing’s strength and fix its weaknesses by learning great real-life fighting movements from other combat sports and martial arts.