If you’re learning boxing, you may be asking yourself: “Does boxing work in a street fight?”
After spending time fighting in the ring, you’ll have basic combat and self-defense skills, but do those skills apply outside of the gym?
This article will discuss whether boxing works in street fights. We’ll also talk about advantages and disadvantages of boxing for street fighting and how you can avoid street fights.
Does Boxing Work In A Street Fight?
Yes, boxing works in a street fight for both self defense and attacking.
The ability to escape danger with footwork and distance control combined with the skill to throw efficient, strong punches is extremely handy.
Most of the time, street fighting is between two untrained individuals, so even if you have basic boxing skills, you’ll be well-prepared.
What Boxing Skills Help In A Street Fight?
Boxers combine defensive and attacking skills to create an effective fighting style. Important boxing techniques that help in street fights are:
- Powerful punches
- Footwork
- Blocking and parrying punches
Powerful Punches
First, boxing teaches you to throw powerful punches.
Most street fights are two people throwing wild shots, winding up and flailing their arms. If you use correct technique, you can end the fight with a single punch.
Footwork
Next, boxing training gives you better footwork in street fights.
Light footwork without losing balance is essential for self defense and distance control in any martial art. Your opponent won’t be able to hit you if you’re always out of range.
In most street fights, each person charges head on, attacking in a straight line. By using effective footwork to control the range and create angles of attack, you’ll have a huge advantage against your opponent.
Block and Parrying Punches
Lastly, blocking and parrying punches are useful defensive moves to have in a street fight.
With your basic boxing stance, you’ll be ready to defend yourself against most attacks your opponent will throw in a fight. You can parry punches away with an extended lead arm or you can block punches with your forearm.
Can A Boxer Lose A Street Fight?
Yes, even a skilled boxer can lose in a street fight even against an untrained person. This is because fighting in the street is much different than fighting in a boxing ring.
It’s important to remember that boxing is a closed environment. In a boxing match, there are set rules, only one opponent with a similar weight, and a referee to stop the fight if things get out of hand.
In street fights, you’re in an open environment. There are too many variables involved that are out of your control, such as the weight of your opponent, the number of opponents, and the weapons involved.
Let’s weigh the advantages and disadvantages attached with boxing for street fights.
Advantages of Boxing In A Street Fight
Boxing gives many advantages in a street fight.
The offensive and defensive techniques mentioned above, such as knowing how to throw powerful punches, use effective footwork, and how to block and parry punches, are essential.
Another big advantage of boxing in a street fight is that boxing teaches you to use strategy and to pay attention to your opponent and his habits.
In street fights, the person who throws the first punch can end the fight quickly. Knowing this, you should expect your opponent to use all his energy in the first punch and be ready to dodge or defend against it.
If you’re a better boxer, you’ll have an increased reaction time and a sharper instinct to rely on.
Disadvantages of Boxing In A Street Fight
We should also consider the disadvantages of boxing in a street fight. Boxing training, or any martial art, will not fully prepare you for street fighting.
In real fights, proper technique goes out the window. Your high guard will be less effective since you could rely on your gloves to block a jab. Without them, straight punches will go through. Your head movement works less since your whole body is a target now.
If there are multiple opponents, you’re in a tricky situation. You can’t dodge all of their attacks at the same time, no matter how good your defensive techniques are or how many advanced skills you have.
Boxing training also assumes that your fists are the only weapons. In street fighting, there is no referee to stop any dirty fighting techniques or to stop your opponent from using weapons.
If you lose your balance and fall against more than one opponent, there are no boxing techniques that show you how to defend against opponents on the ground.
How To Avoid A Street Fight
Now that you’ve seen how the disadvantages outweigh and outnumber the advantages of using boxing for street fights, you should know how to avoid street fights and prevent serious injuries.
To avoid a street fight, you must know how to:
- Practice self-control
- Read body language
- Pay attention to your surroundings
First, the most important skill to have if you want to avoid a street fight is practicing self-control. Your training regimen builds up physical toughness, but it also teaches you mental toughness.
Boxing helps you to understand how powerful and dangerous any person can be.
Next, you should also know how to read body language in real life situations. If your opponent is staring you down or clenching his fists, the best defensive maneuver you can do is keep your hands up and open.
You should try to diffuse the situation but always be ready to react against a sucker punch.
Lastly, pay attention to your surroundings. If you’re up against multiple opponents, your boxing skills won’t be enough.
Position yourself so that you always have an escape route against multiple attackers.
Conclusion
Our definitive answer is that boxing does work in a street fight. However, it’s important to remember that no amount of boxing training will totally prepare you for street fighting.
If you want to become a better fighter, you should learn other forms of martial arts. This will make you more prepared for such situations by giving you a wider range of fighting techniques.
For example, martial arts such as muay thai that let you perform leg kicks is useful. You’ll learn to target the whole body and the defensive skills to protect yourself against these attacks.
Another example is to learn a combat sport with striking ability like jiu jitsu or krav maga that teaches you to protect yourself on the ground. If you watch an MMA fighter, you’ll notice that he’s just as comfortable standing up as he is on the ground.
For both men and women boxing combined with other martial arts will make you a flexible, well-trained person.
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