Zero
Master Black Belt
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2006
- Messages
- 1,284
- Reaction score
- 297
No doubt about it, boxing is an awesome sport and aside from its limitations/ restrictions (as with any competitive sport with rules) is also a discipline that equips you with the basics needed for defence situations and street fights.
I have trained in various martial arts and with a strong judo, TKD and karate background love kicking - both leg attacks and high kicks - in competition and when competing in freestyle events often resort to submission holds and takedowns as well. That said, for the last few years I have trained with and sparred with boxers in recognition of their great hand skills. The speed and versatility of combos and in close hand defence skills I have picked up (and which before was relatively woefull!) is down to being trained by these 'masters of the gloves'.
I have fought a couple of boxers in mma and been able to win due to leg attacks and head locks - which they of course are not used to - but again, this is down in part I belive to the level and calibre of the fighter you are up against. I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to now be training with an ex national heavyweight and as my training overall is for mma we at times mix it up in the ring aside from just boxing. I have hurt many non-kickers and kickers alike with leg attacks but this guy is very hard to connect with as he is very well versed in reading body movement and hip movement. And once you throw your move he is in very quick and it can be quite overwhelming the speed and power that his punches come in. At times I can combat this with grappling and take downs but again I have to time my take downs almost perfectly as if you leave one of his arms you are exposed to a punishing upper cut etc.
But of course boxing on its own, as with any ma - and as said numerous times in this link - is not 'greatest of all'. It's always good to be able to deliver quick, powerfull and accurate in close blows but when you find yourself on the ground in a grapple or taking withering knee attacks it is essential to be well rounded in combating and nutralising other arts.
As an aside, as Odin said, it is not at all one of the simpler arts. Although the focus is on the fists, the art is indeed a sweet science due to the incredible amount of time focused on every aspect of delivering and evading a blow and of course ring movement and strategy.
Anyway, before this turns into a novel, I gotta say boxing is fantastic, in part it does equip you to handle situations quickly on the street or in a brawl but unless yo're purely training for the ring sport it does need supplementing if you are serious on street defence or mma.
I have trained in various martial arts and with a strong judo, TKD and karate background love kicking - both leg attacks and high kicks - in competition and when competing in freestyle events often resort to submission holds and takedowns as well. That said, for the last few years I have trained with and sparred with boxers in recognition of their great hand skills. The speed and versatility of combos and in close hand defence skills I have picked up (and which before was relatively woefull!) is down to being trained by these 'masters of the gloves'.
I have fought a couple of boxers in mma and been able to win due to leg attacks and head locks - which they of course are not used to - but again, this is down in part I belive to the level and calibre of the fighter you are up against. I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to now be training with an ex national heavyweight and as my training overall is for mma we at times mix it up in the ring aside from just boxing. I have hurt many non-kickers and kickers alike with leg attacks but this guy is very hard to connect with as he is very well versed in reading body movement and hip movement. And once you throw your move he is in very quick and it can be quite overwhelming the speed and power that his punches come in. At times I can combat this with grappling and take downs but again I have to time my take downs almost perfectly as if you leave one of his arms you are exposed to a punishing upper cut etc.
But of course boxing on its own, as with any ma - and as said numerous times in this link - is not 'greatest of all'. It's always good to be able to deliver quick, powerfull and accurate in close blows but when you find yourself on the ground in a grapple or taking withering knee attacks it is essential to be well rounded in combating and nutralising other arts.
As an aside, as Odin said, it is not at all one of the simpler arts. Although the focus is on the fists, the art is indeed a sweet science due to the incredible amount of time focused on every aspect of delivering and evading a blow and of course ring movement and strategy.
Anyway, before this turns into a novel, I gotta say boxing is fantastic, in part it does equip you to handle situations quickly on the street or in a brawl but unless yo're purely training for the ring sport it does need supplementing if you are serious on street defence or mma.