Do you consider Western Boxing a martial art? and why or why not?

Question

I'm talking about pure boxing here and not the ones that are mixed with kicks, thus, kickboxing.

Ok...to make it more intersteing, if your Martial Arts teacher asks you what martial arts have you learned, would you include boxing, together with the other martial arts that you learned? Like, if you learned Aikido and BJJ, would you also say that you learned Boxing? If you do, would that mean that you consider boxing a martial art?

Just give an answer on a martial artist point of view and don't be like, "Karatekas or MMAers can beat any boxer any day!", because I'm not asking a versus question.

Answer 1

Yes! Of course! Not all martial arts are oriental, nor have flying kicks as most TV shows advertise it. Martial arts, is a combative form of fighting. And boxing fits in as well as wrestling.

Answer 2

not as a martial art. its more combat sport. theres nothing martial in it.

Answer 3

I gotta go out on a limb here and say boxing is a sport. That is what I have always known it to be.

If you are a boxer or have boxing experience your teacher may notice that.  

You could simply mention after stating your Martial Arts experience that you have boxing experience as well.

Answer 4

Is is a sport that can be used for self-defense. It is not by definition a "Martial Art" . Martial means Military. A martial art refers to a combative art that's sole purpose is for use on the battlefield in a kill or be killed situation.  Boxing while fine is not a "Martial Art".

Answer 5

Yes, Western Boxing is as much of a martial art as Muay Thai. Many MMA fighters have a very good boxing backround. I know that Jens Pulver, Forrest Friffin, and Din Thomas. BJ Penn also used to scrap in his backyard.

Boxing is a big factor in MMA, you can't rely solely on BJJ or Wrestling. Fighters have to develop their hand speed and power punches.

Answer 6

boxing is combat sports just like wrestling.

Answer 7

I consider it to be a combat sport/martial art. It's way more martial than Aikido, so if I listed that as an art, there's no way I'd neglect to mention boxing experience.

As for jwbulldogs, I don't think many martial arts fit your criteria.

There is no striking in Judo, Sambo, Wrestling, or BJJ.

There are no jointlocks in Muay Thai or Savate.

There is even less of either in weapons-based martial arts and absolutely none of the things that you mentioned in Kyudo/Kyujutsu.

Even more importantly, regardless of whether or not a martial art 'contains' these things, very few practice all of that which you have mentioned. Yes -- Judo has strikes in the kata, but they don't practice it in randori, hence it isn't valid striking training. Sure, Karate and TKD may have jointlocks hidden within the forms, but unless they actively practice the techniques with resistance, what good is it really?

Arts -- or even dojo -- that fit your criteria must be incredibly scarce.

But back the topic, the only thing that I consider inherent to martial arts is a collection of techniques, strategies, and training methods that should impart a practitioner with the physical skills to dispatch or dispose of an opponent in a practical manner. Practical meaning, more efficient than enraged flailing. Boxing meets this criteria, hence I consider it to be a martial art.

Furthermore, Boxing regularly incorporates resistance training and full contact/intensity sparring, hence I consider it to be an effective martial art.

Answer 8

i consider boxing a marital art/fighing art.  Your studying how to coldcock someone right?  believe me,, you DO NOT want to get hit in the face by a good boxer, your teeth will look like popcorn and your nose will split wide open. Slamming your fist into someone's face is a very good self defense move. One of the best cage fighters of our time, diego sanchez said he's been doing boxing for a while now to improve his skills in the cage.

Answer 9

Yes I consider Pugilism a Martial Art,  a very effective one indeed and one of the best pure striking forms and it's very good for a brawl.

Answer 10

It is considered to be a martial arts. Personally I don't like to think of it that way. When I think of martial arts I tend to think of kicks, strikes, chokes, pressure point, and joint locks. Boxing only has one of these traits. Most martial arts incorporate more than one.

I trained briefly in boxing and I don't want to offend any boxers. I know it is a martial art, but that doesn't change my personally feeling toward. I happen to love the sport!

Edit:

Rear Naked,

If you noticed in my comment I said that it is a martial art. Also I stated that most martial arts contain more than one of those things I listed.

Ex: Judo doesn't strike or kick but it does have throws, chokes, and joint locks.

Read it all..