Why study boxing over kickboxing?

[NewToBoxing8]

I'm really curious about this, so I figured I'd ask you boxers for your opinion.

Why would someone study boxing rather than kickboxing? (If you had the option to do either.)

Reason I ask is because I assume you learn boxing when you learn kickboxing. Maybe it's not the exact same thing, but isn't kickboxing just boxing plus kicking? (Feel free to knock some sense into me if this isn't the case!)

I also assume that being able to utilize your legs offensively would be better for self defense, though I guess not everyone studies martial arts for self defense.

So yeah, how would you convince a customer shopping for martial arts to pick boxing over kickboxing?

[Richard P]

Honestly, my love for Boxing and why I started is because i watched it on TV and unfortunately we dont get much Kick Boxing on TV over here in UK hence why more people box, go to Thailand/singapore/malaysia or even Denmark/Germany and its a different story as Kickboxing is broadcast on TV.

The footwork is different for Kick Boxing over Boxing so you dont in effect learn Boxing in Kick Boxing as you obviously use your feet and legs to protect income kicks so your stance and foot positioning and balance is different.

I wouldnt say that either is better/worse for fitness or self defence as in reality if your attacked on the street, or someone starts throwing punches, its typically over after a few seconds so if you can land clean 3 or 4 times, most people will back off. Im yet to see a fight that goes 3 minutes and has a nice circle and space to work your ringcraft

[toehead]

This may be meandering so I apologize in advance! I started with boxing and then went to kickboxing/muay thai because I was sold on the early 90's retoric "kickboxing is the sport of the future" I honestly wish I would have just stayed in boxing but I'm telling you this as a former competitor, towards the end of my kickboxing career things started to look as if kickboxing was going to finally "take off" with K-1,Glory,WCL etc.. and then BAM a brilliant business mind by the name of Dana White rebooted the UFC and made MMA what kickboxing was trying to be and that was that. if its purely self defense your interested in I would choose an MMA based program because of the old adage "most street fights end up on the ground" as far as learning boxing as part of a kickboxing curriculum yes you will learn the basic boxing punches & combo's, stance & weight distribution & certain defensive moves are totally different between boxing & kickboxing though. when I trained in Thailand certain gyms were known for their puncher's and some for their kicker's while some focused a lot on their elbows and knees, at the end of the day you should train in what YOU have the most passion for you can always switch and try new gyms, trainers, etc..

[Ray Corso]

" isn't kickboxing just boxing plus kicking"?....no it's not!


When you ad legs for kicks your balance chances completely. Your rear legs takes the weight as you lift for front kicks. In boxing your base stance has 65% of your weight forward and you do drop weight to the back for your back hand! You also need to judge distance for the length of the leg in kick boxing thats why the majority of kick fighters and mma competitors do not show boxing punch techniques
they must first defend the length of the leg.
Two completely different sports, boxing's hand techniques are much more complicating than what you need to know and use in other combat sports. Balance & Distance!!!
Defense is a completely different approach also.

Ray

[Jovanny]

It simply seems to me boxing is more beautiful, more pure in a way. Not a good reason for self-defense, obviously.

[ShoulderRoll]

The most sophisticated use of the fists for fighting is found in boxing.

No other art comes close.

[juggernaut666]

Simple answer is boxing will give you better fundamental punching which will be more effective ....if you study kicks Muay Thai or a traditional Karate art like Taekwondo or Shotokan/Ishin ryu is better than kick boxing bc you can seperate the forms . Kick boxing wont let you learn proper punching form in itself worrying about kicks .

You dont need to pick anything over another , Combat is about taking what you need for you ,its not about art vs art !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LillianFord]

Boxing allows a good use of the fists