To become a great fighter, you have many martial arts you can potentially learn. There’s no real reason you won’t become a highly effective and competent fighter other than choosing an ineffective fighting style. Two solid options you have are (1) Boxing and (2) Muay Thai. Let’s see which of them is better.
Muay Thai is more effective than Boxing for two primary reasons. The first is that it also teaches kicks, elbow strikes, and knee strikes, which are extremely effective in fights. The second is that it utilizes a square fighting stance and footwork, which is more than effective against both boxers and non-martial artists.
However, Boxing is very effective as well. I’ve been a Boxer before transitioning to Muay Thia and I know how hard training in both of these fighting styles really is. You won’t be able to tell the difference in your skill level until you face someone in a real fight.
To be honest with you, what I learned in Boxing can be beaten quite easily by knowing to kick and clinch, which you learn in Thai Boxing. It’s called “the art of 8 limbs” for a reason. You’ll learn to punch, kick, knee, and elbow, which will make you a more versatile fighter than most fighters
This is why I love Muay Thai. However, learning to box has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, as it gave me such a good basis for punching and creating openings, so it’s also quite effective. Let’s now break down the differences between Boxing and Muay Thai!
Table of Contents
- The Differences Between Muay Thai and Boxing
- The Similarities Between Muay Thai and Boxing
- Should I Learn Boxing or Muay Thai?
- Which Is Better for Self-Defense, Muay Thai or Boxing?
- Which Is Harder to Learn, Muay Thai or Boxing?
- Is Muay Thai Better Than Boxing for MMA?
- Testimonials (Real Trainees)
- Final Words
The Differences Between Muay Thai and Boxing
Alright. This is going to be the most important part of this article. What we’ll do is review and break down the primary differences between Muay Thai and Boxing. If you’re thinking about which one you’ll learn, this is perhaps the most important section.
Of course, understanding how Muay Thai and Boxing differ is critical when you consider learning either one. Before I chose to study Boxing, I examined a few martial arts and made sure to understand how they differ, which is why this section is important.
Let’s delve straight into the first one.
#1 – Origin
The first difference is also the most obvious one. What we’ll review in this section is the difference in their origins.
This difference might be odd for people who don’t do martial arts because it doesn’t seem to make a difference in what the martial art looks like today. However, the origin of any martial art is one of the most influential factors in how it plays out and what it looks like today.
So let’s begin with Boxing.
Boxing
Many people, even boxers, think that Boxing originates in England. However, that’s only partially true. The earliest evidence of the sport of Boxing was found in Egypt.
However, that’s not where it was founded. It was founded as part of the Greek Ancient Olympic Games, which happened in 688 bc. Many years after that, England promoted it as a sport and made it a global sport. As of today, it’s one of the most popular martial arts worldwide.
Muay Thai
The origin of Muay Thai is Thailand. Today, it’s also the national sport there and that’s because of the heavy influence it had on this country throughout history. Not only has it helped them financially wise, but it has also helped them defend their country.
This is actually an interesting story.
Around the 13th century, times were times of war in Thailand, and so the Thai people needed to know to fight so they could defend their kingdom. That’s when Muay Thai developed and it was curated and perfect throughout the years. Today, it’s one of the most popular and effective fighting styles worldwide.
#2 – Fighting Techniques
The second difference we’ll review is the use of kicks, knee strikes, elbow strikes, and clinching. Most people, by the way, don’t know that there are also throws and sweeps in one of the martial arts we’re reviewing in this article.
Muay Thai includes more fighting techniques than Boxing. As you know, the latter solely teaches punching while the first teaches to use all “8 limbs.” The 8 limbs are your two fists, two shins, two elbows, and two knees. Muay Thai also teaches you to clinch and throw your opponent, which is as important.
This is perhaps the one factor you want to review when deciding which fighting style you’ll learn. If we think about it, it’ll be worth it to invest time thinking about what you want to learn. If you’re interested in learning to kick and you wouldn’t want to pass on that opportunity, definitely choose Muay Thai.
The fact that Muay Thai teaches more fighting techniques than Boxing makes it far more dynamic and overall more effective. If you can kick or clinch a boxer, he wouldn’t know how to react, giving you the advantage.
#3 – Rules
The third difference we’ll review is the rules of each fighting style. This is a difference you want to familiarize yourself with, as it’ll allow you to understand how each martial art truly plays out. Let’s begin and examine the different rules.
Boxing
Here are the rules of Boxing:
- The objective is to win either by knockout or points
- The ring will be a maximum of 20ft by 20ft
- Each fighter will wear gloves, mouthguard, and boxing boots
- Only punches are allowed
- You can only hit above the waist
- In a case of a knockout, your opponent must stand up within a 10 seconds time frame
- The fight can be up to 12 rounds
- Every round will be 3 minutes
- Between rounds, there’ll be a 1-minute break
Muay Thai
Here are the rules of Muay Thai:
- The object is to win the bout by either (A) knockout or (B) points
- The maximum size of a ring will be 24ft by 24ft
- Ropes will surround the ring
- The fighters can either wear rope gloves or Muay Thai gloves, depending on the tournament
- You’re allowed to punch, kick, elbow, and knee
- You’re allowed to throw and sweep your opponent
- The objective is to hit the opponent while avoiding getting hit
- If you knock out your opponent, he has 10 seconds to recover
- You win the fight if your opponent can’t continue to fight due to knockout
- Judges decide the winner by who was the superior fighter in the fight (if no knockout)
- Each round is three minutes in length
- There are either three or five rounds in a bout
- You’re allowed to clinch
#4 – Equipment
The last difference we’ll review is the equipment. Because Muay Thai and Boxing utilize different fighting techniques, you’ll wear different equipment in them. For instance, kicks aren’t allowed in Boxing. Therefore, there’s no good reason for you to wear any leg protective equipment. That’s not the case with the art of eight limbs.
Let’s start with Muay Thai. Here’s the equipment you’ll need for training and competing:
- Hand Wraps
- Muay Thai Gloves
- Shin Guards (not in pro fights)
- Mouthguard
- Groin Protector (not in pro fights)
- Muay Thai Shorts
I wrote an ultimate guide to Muay Thai equipment that explains everything you’ll ever need to train, spar, and compete. Follow the link to learn more about it.
Here’s the equipment you’ll need to train and compete in Boxing:
- Hand Wraps
- Boxing Gloves
- Mouthguard
- Shorts
- Boxing Shoes
- Groin Protector (not in pro fights)
The Similarities Between Muay Thai and Boxing
Let’s now review the three similarities between Muay Thai and Boxing. I think these are as important to understand as the differences because there’s much more in common between them than the average person thinks.
If you’re currently still deciding which one you want to learn, there’s really not that much to think about. Once you understand that you’ll become an excellent fighter in both of them, it’s just a matter of whether you want to learn to kick or not.
#1 – Purpose
The first similar trait is the purpose of both of these martial arts. When you’re learning a martial art, you want it to teach you to fight while benefiting your life. This is what martial arts are really here to teach us.
The purpose of both Muay Thai and Boxing is to teach you how to fight while improving yourself. Let me be clear, your life is going to drastically improve once you pick up either one of them, as your physical shape will improve, your confidence and self-esteem will skyrocket, and you’ll learn to fight.
So all in all, it’s one of the best choices you’ll make.
Read more about the benefits of Muay Thai by following this link.
#2 – Conditioning
The second similar trait is the conditioning you’ll go through when you participate in both Boxing and Muay Thai. The primary lesson here is that you’ll become someone who’s capable of getting hit numerous times without giving a care in the world.
This is what learning one of these fighting styles will do to you. It’ll build you an iron mind and body that’s capable of getting hit without moving a single inch. This is the power of Boxing and Muay Thai.
#3 – Effective Striking Techniques
The third and final similar trait we’ll review is their effectiveness. Frankly, I don’t see a reason to learn anything if it doesn’t benefit your journey. Of course, learning about history and common knowledge can be helpful to your development. So I’m not suggesting you stop learning everything that won’t benefit you at this very moment. However, what I am advising you is to think about yourself and to use your time efficiently.
Muay Thai and Boxing will help you become a much more fulfilled and overall better person. You’ll also become a great fighter who knows how to throw a strike and get hit, as we have seen in the previous section.
So if you’re interested in becoming a fighter, you’ll be able to do so with both of these martial arts.
Should I Learn Boxing or Muay Thai?
To answer this question for you, I need to know you. So first, if you want to tell your story in the comment section at the end of this article, I would love for you to do that. I’ll be sure to read your story and give you advice if you want that.
Now, let’s answer the question.
You should learn Muay Thai if you want to familiarize yourself with more fighting techniques, including punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. On the other hand, Boxing is for you if you want to become a master of punches, who knows how to open angles and create openings with footwork and your hands.
I think that Boxing is one of the most effective fighting styles in the world. However, it simply lacks in more things than it has, which are grappling and more types of striking techniques. Thai Boxing, on the other hand, compensates for that perfectly.
Other than ground grappling, it teaches everything.
Which Is Better for Self-Defense, Muay Thai or Boxing?
Muay Thai is better for self-defense than Boxing because it allows you to be more dynamic by knowing more fighting techniques. The primary difference is the fact that you’ll know how to kick, knee, and elbow, which are three fundamental and potent striking techniques.
Which Is Harder to Learn, Muay Thai or Boxing?
Whether a martial art is hard to learn comes back to what it teaches. For instance, if a fighting style focuses on many techniques, including grappling and striking, it’s going to be hard to learn.
Likewise, conditioning in a martial art will make it harder to learn. For instance, if in every training session, you were to get hit 20 times by sparring, it would be considered hard. Let’s examine our two martial arts.
Muay Thai is harder to learn than Boxing because (1) it teaches more fighting techniques, which are knee and elbow strikes, and kicking techniques, making it more complicated. And (2) it includes more conditioning and sparring, which is more physically and mentally demanding.
However, in my experience, it also means that you’ll be able to reap more rewards. I wish I understood this sooner in life, but life is all about hard work. It’s putting yourself in situations where you’re extremely uncomfortable and having to climb out of these situations. And if you make it, you’ll be stronger than you were ever before.
This is why I love martial arts and I started embracing the struggle, and so should you. All in all, they’re both difficult martial arts to learn, both studying the techniques and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, such as sparring.
If you want to learn Muay Thai at home (in 9 simple steps) follow this link.
Is Muay Thai Better Than Boxing for MMA?
For MMA, Muay Thai is superior to Boxing because it teaches more striking techniques that will serve you when fighting in the cage. For instance, you’ll be able to create more openings to grapple the opponent when you know how to clinch and knee, which you don’t learn in Boxing.
All in all, Thai Boxing is going to dominate Boxing when it comes to MMA. The more you know in the cage, the more you’ll be able to create. For instance, many MMA fighters have mastered the art of opening, such as Khabib. He knows how to get into the opponent and wrestle him close-range.
You will be able to get to a similar level of thinking by having more fighting techniques to pull from your sleeve. It’s not called the art of eight limbs for no reason.
Learn whether doing Muay Thai when you’re skinny is possible by following this link to an article of mine on the topic.
Testimonials (Real Trainees)
Now that you have all the knowledge in the world regarding these two highly effective martial arts, it’s time we hear what other people have to say.
I love having the stage to give you as much knowledge as possible. But sometimes, it’s better for me to step back and give the people the stage to speak their minds.
What I did here is collected testimonials from real Muay Thai and Boxing trainees. They’re saying what they think about the martial art they do. This is the unfiltered version; have a great read.
Muay Thai
For me, and most of the people I talk to at the gym it also instilled a lot of self confidence. It’s hard training and you often have a lot to feel good about as you progress or even after making it through an especially hard class or training session.
I know from experience. I’ve been training for 37 years. I was scrawny when I started, like you. After about a year of training, I not only caught up to my peers, my physique passed theirs. Train a few times a week, and eat clean, and you’ll be jacked in no time.
It’s usually people that are shy and timid that work hard. Some of my Muay Thai students when they came in were shy and timid, they kept to themselves, worked hard and never got deterred by failure. Over time they became some of the best students I’ve ever taught becoming champions of all sorts.
But when someone asks if they should start muay thai there is only one answer YES. No matter your circumstances do it you wont regret it.
Boxing
It’s become a massive part of my life already and I feel immensely more confident and fit than i have in a long time. I highly, highly recommend it.
Boxing is a beautiful sport. Since you’re a beginner, you might just want to get used to hitting the bag and developing your punches. After that, you could start sparring if you want. It’s up to you really. For example, I started to lose weight and get lean, but I had no intention of ever getting in the ring. Now I spar usually twice a week because I love the sport.
Your fitness will explode. I’ve never been fitter than since I started boxing. My body fat just melted away. So, ya know, if you want to be healthy and live a nice long life, then it’s a pretty good sport to take up!
Well boxing is really fun and interesting so why not give it a try. It really is not for everyone but it teaches and increases self disipline, courage, strategy( when you get good), quick thinking, fitness, speed and much much more.
Final Words
This has been this article. I absolutely love both Boxing and Muay Thai, as they’re the most honest factories for competent fighters I’ve stumbled upon. The thing I love most about these two is the level of conditioning it preaches.
When you watch a boxer and a nuk muay fight, you’ll notice that their pain tolerance is higher than almost everyone else. They can get hit and kicked endless times before calling it a day. This is the result of extremely vigorous work, which I know what it feels like. p.s, it’s not fun.
Alright. Here are other articles you’ll definitely benefit from reading if you read thus far:
Silat vs. Muay Thai – Differences (Which Is Better)
Muay Thai vs. MMA – Who Will Win in a Real Fight?
Krav Maga vs. Muay Thai (Who Really Wins) – Showdown!
Muay Thai vs. Kung Fu – Who Wins? (Differences & Advantages)
Judo vs. Muay Thai – The Ultimate Showdown (Who Wins?)
Muay Thai vs. Bokator – The Ultimate Showdown
Muay Thai vs. Taekwondo – Which Is Better (Differences)