boxing for self defense

[Riptor]

It all depends on how much of a **** you are, because to be totally honest with you thats the worst reason to start boxing, to better defend yourself on the streets? What the **** is that? I will let you know right now that I used to go get into street fights but after the discipline I recieved in the Army and throughout my years of Boxing that fighting is not worth it, furthermore I live in the city and havent been in a fight now on the streets in over 6 years. It's not that bad out there on the streets unless you make it that way. Keep your mouth shut, learn to just ignore **** and walk away your the bigger man for doing it.

I agree with you some and also disagree with you. When I learned to box and such I was learning it as I enjoyed it etc. However it was usefull in helping me to defend myself in the streets. Should you learn it just to be able to defend yourself? Hell Yes!! Reason being. If you use your logic of shutting the hell up and walking away that is great and 99% of the time that will work . However there were times when I was in the street and I have seen people turn to walk away and get the hell beat out of them becuase you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time or some person wanted an ass to beat on that day. If you study boxing or kickboxing and you never have to use it in self defense in your lifetime then that is great. However when the opportunity presents itself and you need to get out of a situation and the only way out is to fight then having learned it was well worth it. Sometimes walking off is not always an option. Of course this is not advocating one going into the street with their chest poked out asking for anyone who dares challenge them to step across the imaginary line of personal space that they create. However when someone resorts to violence and you can beat the hell out of them and defend yourself nothing feels better.

[Super_Lightweight]

hmm

I don't like fighting in the streets. Never have. **** gets crazy. Only a couple times have I been in fights where I threw punches and the fight was over very quickly. The damage is horrendous now that I've learned to box, so it makes you feel bad because you could almost kill someone. Not to mention the chance that you yourself can get ****ed up bad. I broke my bros nose and shut his eye with one punch and his face was all discolored. I did it for a reason (he was disrespectful and unapolagetic about it to our mom and also stole things from me) but even then I didn't feel so great about it afterwards.

Now I have this guy givin me **** in football class at FSU and so far I am just saying "whatever" to him but the pressure to "prove" yourself by fighting him is powerful. He is big guy though. It just makes me sad that ppl can find it so easy to want to fight when I have no beef with him. All because my elbow hit him on his arm just a bit when I was running a passing route by him. I think I'm just gonna say "stix and stones" if he has any more smartass comments but it's hard man. I also might offer to him to come to my boxing gym and see what he's about.

[Martin (Top Knowledge)]

I've been taking Muay Thai classes for 2 years and IMO, it's the best for self defense. Muay Thai and street fighting have 2 things in common "everything goes". Muay Thai they teach you how to throw and set your punches up, knees,elbows,shin etc.

Very brutal sport.

I spent nearly two years in S.E.Asia and a lot of that time was spent in Thailand.

In Thailand I spent every other evening sitting at a bar next to the ring watching Muay Thai fighting... I used to be a pretty handy amatuer boxer and know quite alot about how to fight aggressivly and defensivly... (Excuse me while I blow my own trumpet!... LOL!..)

Anyway, I used to watch the Muay Thai thinking... "DAMN! They're so open!... A half decent boxer would beat them within a round!"