Boxing

[Thaiboxer]

Anuwat is an extremely good puncher...kind of a rarity in Thai Boxing. He has KO'd many of his opponents with his punches while the majority of Thai boxers get KO's by way of knees, elbows and kicks.

Most Thai boxers who do Western Boxing started off with Muay Thai and then made the switch. Unfortunately, Muay Thai doesn't pay nearly what these guys can get doing Western Boxing unless they happen to be the top fighters like Anuwat. Most Thai boxers are relatively poor. Personally, I like Muay Thai more than Western Boxing although watching these Thai guys do Western Boxing is a real treat; I find the matches here to be fast-paced and exciting. I can't say the same about those in the USA.

[Siam_superfly]

Western boxers definitely punch better than Muay Thai fighters but it's the other weapons in Muay Thai that would allow the Muay Thai fighter to dominate the Western boxer. Both disciplines lack groundfighting elements which would be important if one were learning to fight on the street. Muay Boran, the old style of Muay Thai, teaches locking, breaking, throwing and groundfighting techniques in addition to the kicks, punches, knees and elbows. That system is a complete system but unfortunately very few good teachers can be found these days. Modern Muay Thai has elements of the old style combined with some elements of Western Boxing. Some of the best fighting systems in the world are those taught to special forces soldiers. Those systems are brutal, simple and designed to accomplish one thing: to take an enemy out quickly and efficiently.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No one can say that either would dominate in a fight, as every situation is different......I agree very much that a western boxer is lost on the ground...but MT style fighters tend to square up right in front of u...and if ur radar is in and ur feet and hands are fast, the Thai bloke is going to have a couple in his face before he knows whats going on, if ur puches are hard, the shows over....just get out of there fast, before his girlfriend and her friends start on u....

[Thaiboxer]

No one can say that either would dominate in a fight, as every situation is different......I agree very much that a western boxer is lost on the ground...but MT style fighters tend to square up right in front of u...and if ur radar is in and ur feet and hands are fast, the Thai bloke is going to have a couple in his face before he knows whats going on, if ur puches are hard, the shows over....just get out of there fast, before his girlfriend and her friends start on u....

Muay Thai fighters tend to adopt a wide guard. This will often open up an opportunity for a good straight punch, jab or uppercut. I once saw an English guy sneak in a good uppercut and the Thai guy was out cold. This was only 15 or so seconds into the bout.

However, be aware that the typical lowering of the head by Western boxers will often invite a knee to the face or an elbow to the back of the head from a Thai boxer. When Thai boxers fight Westerners, they love to kick the legs as most farang have tender legs. If you're quick enough, you can move in with a good punch or two before the kick lands; especially if it's a rear leg roundkick as those take more time to get off. As far as winning a fight and then getting jumped as you mentioned, just make sure you can run fast!

[Abandon]

it is hard to like John Ruiz, but he does fight everyone.

Now, got to hand it to him again for taking on 7ft tall Valuez ... there's no way he can win this one .... is there?

[chonabot]

it is hard to like John Ruiz, but he does fight everyone.

Now, got to hand it to him again for taking on 7ft tall Valuez ... there's no way he can win this one .... is there?

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Valuez is a freak , but too big to carry much skill into the ring. Ruiz is a very weak Champ , in a richer era he would struggle to make it into the top 20.

I despair for the Heavyweight Boxing world these days.

[mijan24]

Western Boxing is more dangerous in the long run than Muay Thai and kickboxing. . That statistic seems a bit high but a lot of boxers do have brain damage after retirement...and example is Muhammed Ali; he shakes like a twig.

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Muhammed Ali suffers from "Parkinsons Disease" his uncontrolable shaking is not brain damage from his boxing career. Watched a show just the other day where his daughter said he is going well except of course PD which many people end up suffering from!

Edited November 13, 2005 by mijan24

[maamoot]

An American fighter died in the US this week, after a heavy fight. Again the anti boxing crowd are trying to ban the sport. People die all the time in sports, they fall of horses, crash cars, etc...but nobody calls for those sports to be banned...Of course boxing can never be fully banned, its to big...but many young lads and girls out there, who could be great boxers, never get the chance coz of the negative image that the sports attracts....Its one of the oldest sports on earth, and is by far the greatest....nothing comes close...its fast and furious, hard and smart....its not everybodys choice, but have those who oppose it, ever stepped through the ropes, into the square of truth......no way...

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I have been a boxing fan for about 30 years now and while I agree with you on most of your points, the difference between boxing and every other sport is that in other sports when somebody gets hurt its an accident, in boxing it is the intent to hurt your opponent.