When comparing boxing with Muay Thai, one thing we can say for sure that both have one thing in common – punches. However, there is a lot of other stuff which is quite dissimilar to each other when it comes to Muay Thai and boxing. In the following paragraphs, we have discussed in detail the topic: Muay Thai vs Boxing.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – Stance
Boxing:
While boxing, the stance requires the body of the pugilist to stand sideways to the opponent. In this way, the boxer is able to reduce the target area effectively. It is not feasible in Muay Thai since standing sideways would expose the front leg of the fighter to kicks from his rival. For instance, the reputed boxer Floyd Mayweather is known to tuck his head down at the back of his guard which does not allow his rival to get any space to strike. This is the reason why he had such a long stint in the boxing arena!
Muay Thai:
Unlike boxing, the stance in Muay Thai is much more open. In general, both the hips of the fighter are squared up to his rival which enables him to use both legs for striking. As compared to boxing, the stance in Muay Thai is much narrower which allows the fighter to shift his weight quickly between his legs for offensive as well as defensive purposes.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – The Striking
Boxing:
The rules of striking in boxing are not complicated. The boxer can only throw punches above the belt. Moreover, in most of the boxing federations out there, deliberate punches to the rear part of the head and the kidneys are considered to be illegal.
Muay Thai:
A Muay Thai fighter makes use of his fists, elbows, and knees while striking. This provides him with a wide range of strikes, unlike boxing. On top of this, the sport becomes quite brutal with the usage of unpadded knees, elbows, and the shin.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – The Guard
Boxing:
While boxing, the pugilists usually go for a rather low and tight guard with their arms close to their bodies. There is no need to be concerned about the different types of blows that typically take place during a Muay Thai fight given that a boxer can only punch above the belt.
Muay Thai:
The guard in Muay Thai is usually held at a much higher level so as to safeguard oneself against some lethal head kicks that can virtually seal the fate of the fighter if landed properly. It likewise enables the fighter to throw elbows quickly. Apart from this, the extension of the hands helps to avoid any kick away from the head. In case the head kick is blocked while wearing a regular boxer’s guard, it is still feasible to inflict some serious damage since the force is going to be transmitted via the gloves onto the head. Even though it appears like the body is not protected, the fighter is going to bring up the shins so as the block body kicks as well as knee kicks. In Muay Thai, body punches are not much frequent since the head of the fighter is going to become too vulnerable to the lethal head kicks once the hands are dropped.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – The Movement
Boxing:
Even though a boxing match will involve fighting using the hands, a lot of footwork is required as well. Proper footwork is likewise observed from fighters even in the heavyweight category. In fact, a lot of emphases is given on the footwork during the training period and fighters are often seen ducking so as to avoid getting hit by punches thrown at them. This is almost non-existent in a Muay Thai bout where the fighters are going to remain upright and tall while fighting. Boxers are known to master the art of dodging, ducking, and slipping punches in case they like to remain in the profession for a pretty long time. This is not expected from a Muay Thai fighter out there.
Muay Thai:
Here, much less focus is given to footwork. Although the fighters are often seen to creep forward just like the boxers, they do not place much weight on their front legs since they need to stay prepared for delivering a kick or even checking one while fighting. Very often, a Muay Thai fighter is observed to bounce his front knee up as well as down in expectation of this. Since much less time is spent on one leg, they tend to move much less within the ring and their footwork are likewise not that important.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – The Clinch
Boxing:
Once a clinch takes place during a boxing match the referee is going to break it up immediately. This is employed as a defensive measure on most occasions when a fancied rival gets quite close thus resulting in monotonous bouts with very little action.
Muay Thai:
The clinch happens to be one of the most significant parts of a Muay Thai bout. A fighter uses this method for controlling his rival and also setting up all types of close range assaults.
Muay Thai Vs Boxing – The Pace
Boxing:
The majority of the boxing matches are going to last 12 to 15 rounds each of 3 minutes duration. However, as opposed to Muay Thai, some pacing will be required for lasting that duration of time although many boxers get knocked out quite early. The pugilists are going to use longer combinations whenever possible and can unload completely once they feel that the bout is coming to an end. This is hardly seen during a Muay Thai match.
Muay Thai:
The fights are going to last 5 rounds, each of 3 minutes duration. However, the “real” fight is going to start only in the 3rd round while the initial couple of rounds usually witness a rather cautious type of combat between the 2 opponents. In fact, early knockouts are rare in Muay Thai. Even bets are not placed till the 3rd round when the betters are able to get some idea of who could become the eventual winner. The pace will accelerate after the 3rd round with 2 to 3 quick bursts of strikes taking place before the fighters go back to their defensive positions. The fighters do not like to expose themselves too long for counter assaults. In spite of the slow start, a Muay Thai fighter will usually leave the stage after receiving some lethal blows.
Conclusion:
After going through the above-mentioned article on Muay Thai vs Boxing, there should be no doubt regarding the fact that Muay Thai happens to be the more complete type of martial arts as compared to boxing. While a boxer can easily take up Muay Thai in the long run, it will be extremely challenging for a Muay Thai fighter to take up boxing as his new profession. Moreover, Muay Thai is much more brutal as compare to boxing given that some of the hardest parts of the body remain unpadded while striking blows.