Boxing As Self Defense

[Photon Guy]

Anybody take up boxing primarily for the reason of self defense? I do know boxing is sport fighting and that most people go into it as a sport but I also believe it has great value as a form of self defense. Would the training be any different if you train in boxing for self defense as opposed if you train in boxing for sport fighting?

[famicommander]

1. Fighting is only one small component of self defense. Self defense is informing yourself about dangerous areas and situations near you and avoiding them if possible, self defense is informing yourself about the laws where you are (what weapons are you allowed to carry, when are you allowed to use them, when do you have a duty to walk away, when is it okay to use force and to what degree, etc), self defense is learning deescalation tactics, self defense is cutting ****** or dangerous people out of your life. Sometimes self defense is giving up your wallet and letting them take it; no amount of fight training is gonna help you stop a bullet. Self defense means getting yourself home without injuries or ending up in jail. Nothing more, nothing less.

2. Boxing is only one component of fighting. In general boxing is a good martial art to practice because the training methods are practical and well tested. And the first thing most people do in a fight is start throwing haymakers, so it's always good to know how to handle that and boxing is a great way. But you should also know some basic grappling or wrestling (freestyle, folkstyle, Judo, BJJ, sambo, something), because the next thing people try when their haymakers don't work is usually grabbing, tackling, or bum-rushing you.

So yes, you should learn to fight as part of self defense. And yes, you should learn to box as part of learning how to fight.

But learning how to fight doesn't mean you are now an expert in self defense, and learning how to box doesn't mean you're now an expert in fighting.

[Photon Guy]

1. Fighting is only one small component of self defense. Self defense is informing yourself about dangerous areas and situations near you and avoiding them if possible, self defense is informing yourself about the laws where you are (what weapons are you allowed to carry, when are you allowed to use them, when do you have a duty to walk away, when is it okay to use force and to what degree, etc), self defense is learning deescalation tactics, self defense is cutting ****** or dangerous people out of your life. Sometimes self defense is giving up your wallet and letting them take it; no amount of fight training is gonna help you stop a bullet. Self defense means getting yourself home without injuries or ending up in jail. Nothing more, nothing less.

You're right that self defense does involve all the stuff you mentioned but the part about the law and about not ending up in jail, that is where I think boxing has an advantage. If you have a background in an asian martial art, particularly if you hold a high belt, that can be used against you in court. It is common in the asian martial arts to have ranking systems based on belt color with black being the highest color. Thus if you've got a black belt in an asian martial art and you end up hurting somebody in a fight it can be brought up in court that you've got a black belt and you could end up really having the book thrown at you. With boxing on the other hand, you can't have it used against you in court that you're a black belt in boxing because they don't have black belts in boxing, or any belts of rank for that matter. So that could really be an advantage in court if you ever find yourself in a situation where you used your skill as a boxer in a fight. Boxing is more or less viewed mostly as a sport so if you are a boxer its not something that will probably be used against you in a court of law should you ever find yourself in a fight (a street fight not a ring fight.)

2. Boxing is only one component of fighting. In general boxing is a good martial art to practice because the training methods are practical and well tested. And the first thing most people do in a fight is start throwing haymakers, so it's always good to know how to handle that and boxing is a great way. But you should also know some basic grappling or wrestling (freestyle, folkstyle, Judo, BJJ, sambo, something), because the next thing people try when their haymakers don't work is usually grabbing, tackling, or bum-rushing you.

Wrestling is good but Judo and BJJ both have belts of rank and both are seen as arts for the street not for the ring, thus the courts can come down harder on you if you do have backgrounds in such arts should you find yourself in a physical confrontation where you end up hurting somebody and should it go to court. Particularly if you hold high belts in those systems. But wrestling, like boxing, is viewed mainly as a sport and like boxing, does not have belts of rank.

So yes, you should learn to fight as part of self defense. And yes, you should learn to box as part of learning how to fight.

Yes and as I stated above, I believe one of the main advantages that boxing has over the asian martial arts is dealing with the legal aftermath should you end up hurting somebody in a fight, even if it was in self defense.

But learning how to fight doesn't mean you are now an expert in self defense, and learning how to box doesn't mean you're now an expert in fighting.

As you pointed out there is much more to self defense than being good at fighting and I agree but I believe boxing can play a good role in self defense, not the least in that it won't bring the legal backlash that backgrounds in asian martial arts might bring should you find yourself in a physical confrontation and end up using it.

[famicommander]

You're right that self defense does involve all the stuff you mentioned but the part about the law and about not ending up in jail, that is where I think boxing has an advantage. If you have a background in an asian martial art, particularly if you hold a high belt, that can be used against you in court. It is common in the asian martial arts to have ranking systems based on belt color with black being the highest color. Thus if you've got a black belt in an asian martial art and you end up hurting somebody in a fight it can be brought up in court that you've got a black belt and you could end up really having the book thrown at you. With boxing on the other hand, you can't have it used against you in court that you're a black belt in boxing because they don't have black belts in boxing, or any belts of rank for that matter. So that could really be an advantage in court if you ever find yourself in a situation where you used your skill as a boxer in a fight. Boxing is more or less viewed mostly as a sport so if you are a boxer its not something that will probably be used against you in a court of law should you ever find yourself in a fight (a street fight not a ring fight.)


Wrestling is good but Judo and BJJ both have belts of rank and both are seen as arts for the street not for the ring, thus the courts can come down harder on you if you do have backgrounds in such arts should you find yourself in a physical confrontation where you end up hurting somebody and should it go to court. Particularly if you hold high belts in those systems. But wrestling, like boxing, is viewed mainly as a sport and like boxing, does not have belts of rank.


Yes and as I stated above, I believe one of the main advantages that boxing has over the asian martial arts is dealing with the legal aftermath should you end up hurting somebody in a fight, even if it was in self defense.


As you pointed out there is much more to self defense than being good at fighting and I agree but I believe boxing can play a good role in self defense, not the least in that it won't bring the legal backlash that backgrounds in asian martial arts might bring should you find yourself in a physical confrontation and end up using it.

Actually, as far as US states and territories, the only place where your belt rank could hurt you in court is Guam. In any other state or US territory it doesn't matter and the whole thing about "registering your hands as deadly weapons" is just a myth.

There are specific regions of Japan where you actually have to register, and like mentioned Guam, but in most places it's not actually a real thing.

[OctoberRed]

I think most people take up boxing either as self-defense or to get in shape. The minority do it in terms of making a career out of it.

[Photon Guy]

Actually, as far as US states and territories, the only place where your belt rank could hurt you in court is Guam. In any other state or US territory it doesn't matter and the whole thing about "registering your hands as deadly weapons" is just a myth.

There are specific regions of Japan where you actually have to register, and like mentioned Guam, but in most places it's not actually a real thing.

In mainland USA no you don't need to register your hands as deadly weapons but lets say you've got a black belt in some asian martial art, that could be used against you in a court of law if you ever are in a physical confrontation and you hurt somebody. If a prosecutor were to dig up information about you having a black belt in a particular martial art it could be used against you. On the other hand, since boxing does not have belts of rank it couldn't be used against you in court about you having whatever belt color in boxing, since belt colors and belts of rank don't exist in boxing. So that is what Im getting at, being good at boxing can be effective in self defense not only because its a good form of fighting but also because it doesn't have "rank" which can be used against you in court, should you ever find yourself in a physical confrontation and end up hurting somebody.

[Rockin'1]

In mainland USA no you don't need to register your hands as deadly weapons but lets say you've got a black belt in some asian martial art, that could be used against you in a court of law if you ever are in a physical confrontation and you hurt somebody. If a prosecutor were to dig up information about you having a black belt in a particular martial art it could be used against you. On the other hand, since boxing does not have belts of rank it couldn't be used against you in court about you having whatever belt color in boxing, since belt colors and belts of rank don't exist in boxing. So that is what Im getting at, being good at boxing can be effective in self defense not only because its a good form of fighting but also because it doesn't have "rank" which can be used against you in court, should you ever find yourself in a physical confrontation and end up hurting somebody.

I was told that knocking some know nothing on his ass, as a former professional boxer, that I'd be screwed. If not than I have some people that I would love to meet up with face to face. I would love for one of these fools to throw first doe. Once they do they become fair game.............Rockin'

[ShoulderRoll]

Yes and no.

It's good for defending yourself against punches. But you can get a false sense of confidence that the combinations you throw with wraps and gloves on are what you'll throw bareknuckle.

Boxer's fracture is very real. So is getting your hands gashed on some dirtbag's teeth and getting an infection.

[Rockin'1]

Yes and no.

It's good for defending yourself against punches. But you can get a false sense of confidence that the combinations you throw with wraps and gloves on are what you'll throw bareknuckle.

Boxer's fracture is very real. So is getting your hands gashed on some dirtbag's teeth and getting an infection.

That was an example of what my trainer used to tell me. Why would you want to fight some clown in the street? You'll just end up hurting your hands on their teeth or something.

But I know that you realize that a trained fighter will have muscles all built for punching. From his stomach to his shoulders through the fore arm and in to the muscles surrounding your hand. It is not like a done nothin' punching somebody with '******' hands. A fighters hand is solid so far beyond a done nothins hands.

I understand that there are those who could quickly set me in my place, but it is rare to run in to somebody like that. 1 in a 1,000 or 1 in 10,000? How many professionally trained fighters are walking this planet. A lot of people talk it but very few have walked it. I'm not doubting the people in this thread, I doubt the other people walking this planet. Just sayin'.............Rockin'

[ShoulderRoll]

That was an example of what my trainer used to tell me. Why would you want to fight some clown in the street? You'll just end up hurting your hands on their teeth or something.

But I know that you realize that a trained fighter will have muscles all built for punching. From his stomach to his shoulders through the fore arm and in to the muscles surrounding your hand. It is not like a done nothin' punching somebody with '******' hands. A fighters hand is solid so far beyond a done nothins hands.

I understand that there are those who could quickly set me in my place, but it is rare to run in to somebody like that. 1 in a 1,000 or 1 in 10,000? How many professionally trained fighters are walking this planet. A lot of people talk it but very few have walked it. I'm not doubting the people in this thread, I doubt the other people walking this planet. Just sayin'.............Rockin'

No doubt that a trained fighter will have muscles (and cardio endurance) far beyond the average Joe.

It has just been my experience that barefist fighting requires some extra care in placing your punches, you don't want to accidentally land on an elbow or the top of the head or a belt buckle etc. And you should condition the hands for it with things like knuckle pushups and occasionally hitting the heavy bag barehanded too.

Even Mike Tyson broke his hand in a street fight when he was heavyweight champion of the world. So everyone below his level should be cautious in my opinion.