Ryu, people don’t use MT on the streets, as you said–even in Bangkok, where I’ve lived and trained for the last 2 years. Thai or not, I don’t know where you get that from.

Boxing is great in any situation. All martial arts can benefit from being able to use the hands. Remember that MT in streetclothes is a different game, too. It’s easy to fight in shorts. When you’re in your work clothes, fighting for your life in a parking garage, boxing is crucial, interspersed with knees, elbows, and low kicks. You won’t be doing any headhunting with the shins.

Style vs Style arguments are only useful when they have a degree of similarity–ie use of the same limbs as weapons. Comparing MT and Boxing is pointless for this reason. Boxing does not train to attack or defend against kicks, just as both styles would be in trouble in a wrestling match. But I don’t think all Style v Style is a waste of time. It is good to take a critical look at the martial arts available and how they stack up to the applications for which they are intended. What art has the most practical and powerful weapons? etc.

I agree with what was said about what I call fighting arts (MT, BJJ, wrestling, boxing, etc) vs martial arts (TKD, Hapkido, Ninjutsu, etc). (This is my own subjective designation; I admit it.) A fighting art is one that trains the way it fights. Martial arts tend to train what-if scenarios: What-if he grabs my wrist and won’t let me go? They memorize and try it out at low speed and minimal force. Fighting arts react instinctively: He grabs my wrist, I knee him in the stomach.

The comment about hating Americans for using “short, crappy punches” was said by someone who’s obviously never been on the receiving end of one of them. Short, crappy punches don’t land so hard they cause brain damage–proper punches thrown by a boxer do.

Savate cannot and will not ever compete with Muay Thai. MT is overpowering in places where Savate has nothing. Savate makes no use of the shin–that’s a big strike against it. Since Savate doesn’t train with the shin, it also cannot defend against the shin kick. You cut the ring on a Savate boxer and clinch, you blast him with knees and elbows (which he does not train to defend against) and he is done. However, as a fighting art it is useful against other martial arts. It emphasises excellent movement and good punching. It also looks quite fluid and graceful. I respect Savate, but I’ll stick with Muay Thai.

If you’re still with me after all of that, thanks for reading.

- Fred

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