I am sure you have always wondered what kind of martial arts can help in real life situations, especially when it comes to street fights. People usually ask the question before signing up for a combat sport between Muay Thai, MMA or Boxing that can be useful in street fights. So let’s tell you how effective boxing is in a street fight.
Boxers combine defensive and offensive skills with effective footwork and distance control, and this is what makes boxing so effective in a street fight.
While there are disadvantages associated with it, the advantages are more numerous when you consider that you are rooted in your boxing skills when attacked in a street fight. The most important skill useful for boxing in a street fight is the boxer’s ability to get out of danger and end the fight with one punch that knocks out the opponent. Isn’t that amazing?
Is boxing effective in street fighting?
While boxing may not be the best skill when faced with defending yourself in a street fight, it does go a long way if you can follow the right technique.
Most of the time the people who attack others in a street fight are usually untrained or drunken individuals who know little or nothing about fighting techniques, this would be an advantage for the boxer who is being attacked to finish the fight quickly with a punch if possible.
However, if a boxer gets into a fight against a trained person, for example, someone who is also taught in martial arts, it can become a little tricky depending on how quickly the boxer avoids falling to the ground due to boxing. You don’t know how to fight on the ground.
The boxer will also have to note his distance when fighting someone who is good with his feet as it could be to his disadvantage.
Another advantage of boxing in a street fight that is not possible with other martial arts is that a boxer can take on multiple attackers at once. It’s more punches per attacker and within 20 seconds, the fight is over.
The truth is that boxers are well built with very heavy fists and have learned how to tolerate pain straight from the training sections. You also agree that the boxer has an advantage in positioning himself to dodge and block punches.
Only one thing you need to know is that as long as a boxer can stay on his feet in a street fight, he will always have an advantage over all the other people; Drop a boxer to the ground and he will be at the mercy of a request to save his life.
Is boxing good for self-defense in a street fight?
Self defense comes from different points of view, it can be in the gym or anywhere, and it usually isn’t what you planned for. It’s the same with street fights, it’s not something planned and it happens suddenly when the going gets tough.
You will do yourself a great favor if you can learn some boxing skills as a means of self-defense in any kind of difficult situation that you find yourself in.
Boxers combine defensive and offensive skills with effective footwork and distance control, and that should be enough to beat an untrained person and the good thing is that you don’t have to be an expert before you can use it for self-defense.
Things to consider as a boxer in a street fight
There are several things that a boxer has to keep in mind when he is facing danger in a street fight and this means that if you are a boxer, you will need to make sure of a few things which we will discuss below when you find yourself in such situations.
- Make sure your timing is good so you can slide, block or dodge the punches.
- Use your footwork as a defensive maneuver or attack without losing balance.
- Use your jab as a tool to keep your distance.
- Since street fights often end up on the ground, you have to keep yourself off the ground and that means you have to be quick with your punches.
Advantages of boxing in a street fight
If you are deciding which combat sports to take up based on learning to defend yourself against street fights or in real life situations, boxing will help you in many ways. Let’s see some advantages below:
- Boxing helps develop punches better because street fights are usually about punching before thinking about the wrestling part and then kicking.
- Boxing will help you to defend yourself against brawlers and punchers. Boxers are usually trained on how to avoid punches and this helps them avoid serious injuries.
- If you can pull a big punch, the fight will be over quickly. Boxing is fought with gloves and sometimes famous boxers hit their opponents with one punch, imagine punching someone with his bare hand to deliver it so quickly and accurately, the opponent is sure to regret starting the fight.
- Boxing helps you stay afloat. You will be confident using your feet and it may help to escape or watch your back.
- You will be able to fight more than one opponent one on one as long as you can knock them down with your punch.
- Boxing helps you to have the mindset of a fighter, and you won’t be surprised by the trauma and pain that comes with street fights because it’s something you’re already used to.
Disadvantages of boxing in street fighting
After checking out some of the advantages associated with street fight boxing, we must check out the disadvantages as well.
- Boxers are not trained to fight on the ground and this can be a disadvantage because street fights can sometimes end on the ground and your boxing skills will become useless at that point.
- Boxers are usually used to fight with gloves and this can be a disadvantage because a high guard without using your large gloves will be less effective, allowing the opponent to find an opening.
- Boxing does not train you to learn finished fighting where the opponent makes use of elbows, knees and other dirty kick boxing combinations mainly used by Muay Thai fighters.
- Boxing doesn’t teach you how to defend your takedowns or leg kicks and that can be a big problem
Boxing is very effective for street fighting, and it may not be the best, but if you use it the right way and take the right precautions, you should have no problem if you get into a street fight.