Boxing has elements that teach you more about fighting than you think possible. Some people who have never tried it think that because boxing only involves using the hands that it’s too limited. Those who have tried boxing know that it’s tough sport that involves strict training and tough competition, and it’s genuine fighting that requires speed, stamina, and power. Your reflexes in boxing need to be quick and that involves fast reaction time on the part of the boxer.

All mixed martial arts fighters should learn to box, because it will improve your athletic performance, speed, stamina, and your reflexes and reaction time.

Here are 5 viable reasons why every fighter should get some boxing skills.

1. Speedy Reflexes are important in boxing. Boxing matches are faster paced than other fighting/combat sports. The opponents are closer in proximity with both attacking and defending at the same time. You don’t hear the bell, walk out and walk around in boxing. You step out and start fighting. Sure, that’s great for hand-to-hand, but what about with weapons or kicking? The techniques used in boxing improve your reaction time and reflexes, which helps you be faster when you need to be, and teaches you how to use your hands when you’re without a weapon or unable to kick.
2. Master the Art of Slickness by learning to box. You can master the art of slickness known as the sweet science of boxing: Art + Efficiency = Slickness. Being slick helps you overwhelm and shutdown your opponent. While it’s a rare occurrence, slickness looks like a beat down with all the boxing combinations being thrown rapidly in a continuous flow. It also allows you artistic expression.
3. Punching Performance, or functionality is crucial in boxing, but it’s also useful in other forms of martial and fighting arts. Punching is a basic boxing term, but it comes with so many variations of punches and techniques, that it will surprise you. Various angles and the amount of power behind the punches are part of that. Punching performance gives you more power, speed, angles, versatility, efficiency, and better timing, precision, and overall punching functionality that you can bring to almost any sport.
4. A Collaborative Skills Atmosphere is what you can expect in the training arena in boxing. It’s more than a place to train. It’s a factory that teaches you to punch and to fight through boxing techniques. You also get to collaborate with fellow boxers and spar with them to learn more. Most people in boxing training are willing to help you, which also helps them.
5. Fully Intense Combat is the cornerstone of boxing. It’s one of the top fighting arts that will teach you full-intensity combat. That means you fight at full speed, with full force, and with full brutality. Some martial arts use bare hand fighting, which doesn’t allow them to use full force or brutality in most instances. Consider judo and wrestling where you really don’t worry about or fear getting a punch in the face. Boxing is a sport where you have to defend yourself against that kind of brutality. While protective gear is used in boxing, it won’t deter your performance, speed, or technique.

Overall, boxing is more competitive than other fighting arts. When you learn to box, you get the true, full fighting experience. You can take the techniques, slickness, speed, stamina, and other things you learn from boxing into any other fighting art you choose.