Boxing Versus Martial Arts , please read attached article.?

Question

Here it is: http://rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym3.htm

Answer 1

No "versus" about it...

Boxing IS a martial art.

Boxing is incorporated into some other martial arts -- such as Bartitsu.

Answer 2

boxing is a martial art i agree. but it is a severely lacking martial art. you only have 2 weapons to use.

Answer 3

this article didn't prove that boxing is the best. to me, it proved something that i already believe; hard sparring is key to fighting skills. hard sparring and traing in the basics = 1 bad mother-----.

good question.

Answer 4

I consider boxing a martial art, and have great respect for it, which is more then I can say about the author of the article, who runs down traditional arts, particularly karate, because he visited a school(1 school by the way) that sounds like a Mcdojo.

The article is basicly bullsh**, it is one mans opinion/agenda, and is grossly unfair. But I am not going to let that effect how I feel about boxing. It is a great sport and if trained well excellent for self defense. i have sparred with heavyweight boxers and they are definetly not to be taken lightly, and everyone in my school has respect for them, which is more then I can say for the author of the article, but then again, traditional arts emphysize respect, it is a major part of them, sop maybe that explains it.

Boxing= Good style

That article=very slanted and untrue

Edit for Alex- Quit bashing what you don't understand. the fact you were not patient enough to learn the way you were supposed to does not mean that it isn't effective. I have read your answers and I don't even think you train.

Answer 5

Dude anything can happen. A quick side kick to the boxer will knock him down. The clinch will finish the boxer. The double,single leg takedown will finish the boxer. The guard will finish the boxer.

Answer 6

Don't get me wrong, I think boxing is an awesome sport and a great system for self defense, but it is definitely NOT a martial art. The article was interesting, except inaccurate on several accounts. The writer's view of martial arts was obviously biased as he described all MA's as teaching "impractical stances" and techniques that "require" a certain type of attack to be given to be effective, he also claims that traditional MA's don't put time into conditioning or sparring. The writer of the article has either never trained in any martial arts, or has maybe trained in ONE and had a bad experience with it. Traditional martial arts INVENTED sparring and body conditioning, these things existed BEFORE boxing did, boxing is a sport that was invented shortly before America became a country and it isn't original by any means. To begin with why boxing is not a martial art I will discuss what it is missing compared to other MA's: there is not a focus on techniques as a method to victory. The number of moves in boxing can be counted on ten fingers, if that many: jab, hook, uppercut, cross, feint, bob/weave (same move), parry, feet-shuffle, and quick-step. All of these moves are basic and easy to master, after that boxing becomes a muscle contest: who is the strongest puncher, who can take the most hits. This is not martial arts, speed and power always play a part, but a true martial artist seeks to hone his skill and technique, not the size of his muscles. Also, as mentioned, all the moves in boxing are simple, there aren't levels of skill. All martial arts begin with simple moves and then build on top of them as they are mastered. Some MA's only have a few advanced movs, other have as many advanced moves as they have beginner moves. Without these techniques boxing cannot call itself a martial art. Another point, that is pretty ironic considering the article, is that boxing is only meant to be used against other boxers or untrained fighters. If a person throws a low kick or an elbow a boxer has nothing to use for defense or offense, he/she was never trained to take anything but the standard boxing attacks. This is ironic because the writer says that traditional MA's have techniques that only work with specific attacks, but that is boxing! Boxing was created for sport, not for slef-defense or war, it was made for a ring with a specific set of rules. It may be utilized for a real fight, but it cannot claim to be equal with the real warrior arts.

Happy Training

Answer 7

In the first three paragraphs this guy looks like an idiot. I'm not quite sure about what he has to say about the "impractical stance". has he ever been in a real life situation with a master of a martial art? his run-in with a phony in a mcdojo is hardly a real encounter.

he implies that boxers have a superior method to martial artists: are boxers trained to absorb blows to the groin or to offensively use their legs in a fight?

and i can't believe that he thinks practitioners of MA dont spar! you would prove that wrong by watching most any martial arts training (except for maybe tai chi!) and he goes on to quote an all time great martial artist to prove his point?

"Most traditional martial artists do not spend enough time actually fighting to ever learn to fully relax and move with grace and fluidity against a real life opponent." absolute garbage. if he put himself up against someone that had put in as much time to their style than he had boxing, id be eager to see how soon his mentality changed.

im not here trying to say boxing is bad- i believe it has a great deal to offer anybody interested in self-defense. what i am trying to say is that martial arts cannot just be discarded as irrelevant.

Answer 8

First, boxing is a martial art.

Second, styles can't fight.

Answer 9

Started reading your article.. realized how long it was so I skimmed through the rest..  Haha.

Very true stuff.  But first of all, consider the source.  Seems like a rant by a boxer tired of the McDonald's-quality training going on in martial arts studios around the world.  I consider myself a "martial artist" and I couldn't agree more.  The level of combat training in studios world wide is diminishing drastically.  Arts are being watered-down and techniques are taught that couldn't necessarily hold up your average every-day confrontation.  Does that make them wrong?  Nope.

I am a firm believer that every training method in every martial arts studio has its benefit.  Even if it's not combat-effective, it can promote physical health.  As long as you're not killing yourself for no reason in the studio, you're doing yourself good.  (Please keep in mind that these are generalized statements and, as everything, has its exceptions).

If you're asking if boxing (as a style of martial art) is better than everything else, I'm going to say no.  As I say all day long, no one is better than anyone else.  Practitioners are better than others which is why in these "My style vs. your style" matches, someone loses.  But say a boxer went up against a long range fighter.  For the sake of argument, a well-seasoned Tae Kwon Do practitioner.  Same weight, same skill level, put 'em in a deng vacuum if you want.  Do you think that boxer would be able to get inside to throw a punch?  Doubtful.. He'd probably eat a kick every time he shuffles in.  Say that boxer did get inside.  Say the TKD fighter focuses mainly on kicking and didn't take the time to practice his punches.  He wouldn't stand a chance.  Even if he did practice his punching, he probably wouldn't be able to keep up with a skilled boxer's tight footwork.  Everyone's going to shine in the area they train the hardest in.  I also know that some MA practitioners are true artist and living historic evidence of a system created many years ago.  A system that could cease to exist, as many languages do, without constant practice and individuals willing to continue its legacy.

So who do I side with?  How about you put them together..  Teach a boxer the kicking techniques and train him in the dexterity of the TKD fighter.  Now you've got a well-rounded practitioner.  Quick footwork, proficient in long, mid, and close range.  But what I take him to the ground.. Denggit.. here we go again..

Again, bottom line!!  Cross-train, cross-train, cross-train!! And also.. not all martial artists utilize an unorthodox and inefficient stance.  I'll square up just like a boxer.  At my studio, I hold focus mitts for my partner, too.  I know how to keep my hands up, bob, weave, slip.  I know when to use a quarter turn, when to switch leads, and I also know how to kick.  I know takedowns.  Heck.. I'll even pick up a stick and go toe to toe with another fighter.  Why?  Because I know the sky's the limit and a true practitioner never stops learning.

Answer 10

boxing is a simple martial art system that deal with punches only. It is a well thought out art that use gloves. Very effective against opponents who use punches and also wear gloves.

Boxers have very good timing, power, speed, endurance, sparring experience within the rules of boxing. Any martial art would have difficulty out punch boxing., unless they are more skillful with their hands, such as wingchun and southern praying mantis. (still depends on the individual). Boxers will have trouble dealing with claws, hands traping, sticky hands, head butt, elbows.

in a closer range, boxers have trouble with clinch, throws, take down, ground game like bjj,

in a longer range, boxers have trouble with kicks, particular low kicks to the thigh, or knees.

So a boxer would do well, if he learns and train to counter some of his weaknesses. But the problem is that most boxers sparr with other boxers only, so, their experience in fighting someone who kicks or do bjj, is so limiited.

Boxing is no where near a complete self defence art, it is definitely not a complete fighting art. It is a fighting system within the rules of boxing, and within the boxing rings.

You can not expect people to only throw a jab, hook, upper cut, cross in a street fight Most thugs throw punches, so boxing would have a good chance. Boxing have no answer to other variety of techniques or ranges used by martial artists.

knowing only boxing in a street fight is like knowing only mathematic in a multi subjects quiz show. Ask you about maths and you answer the questions with flying colors. Ask you about non math related questions, and you have no idea what they are talking about.

If you only know boxing, you are not prepared for a street fight, you are not a complete fighter. You need to learn how to counter other techniques, and ranges, before you are equipped to fight in the street.

Answer 11

I agree with just about everything in the article.  Boxers (and kickboxers) train more realistically than most martial arts styles.  When I first started martial arts (kempo), my sparring was terrible.  Then I started studying boxing on my own, just by watching it on TV and imitating the footwork and combinations on an improvised heavy bag.  My sparring quickly improved and I was soon dominating higher belts.

Answer 12

Because it's a dumb uninformed question denoting lack of life experience.

I can introduce you to 10 boxers who have defeated karate  fighters and I can introduce you to 10  karate guys who have defeated boxers.Nothing is proven except some guys can defeat different types of fighters  and some can't hasn't anything to do with their method but their training.

Answer 13

The general consensus is (and I agree) that boxing IS a martial art.

I think what the article is trying to argue, is that boxing's "live training" is preferential to "dead repetition", and it's better for a person to  develop their own style rather than everyone doing everything exactly the same.

Answer 14

Even the article says that there's no boxing vs martial arts, as boxing is a martial art.  And he's right about a lot of martial arts classes, they're more worried about the forms than the martial ability of the individual.

Answer 15

Hey look man.... I have a team and my best student is 3 - 1 in cage events.  He counters the ground game quite well and uses "Boxing" skills to put his opponents away with although his landed punches are accomplished using Karates index and middle knuckle punching technique.  His name is "Mike Reinzan" and you can yahoo or google him to see what he's all about.  I've had a ton of people that don't even train fighters tell me how "scrappy" he is because they don't understand the skills that the kid has.  He was trained under many different aspects of the martial arts including Boxing and karate as well as jujitsu and muay thai.  So from an instructor's point of view I just can't buy any arguements about one art being better than another no matter what art comparisons any one makes.

Is boxing a skillful art form sure it is and it's a very under estimated combat skill, both in the cage, and on the streets as well.

Suburbanites will always have their misconceptions and assumptions about things they only think they know from watching T.V. but practitioners know what the score really is.  They're not called the "Mixed Martial Arts" for nothing.