The Revival of Bare-Knuckle Boxing: An Unexpected Component of Wing Chun by Armando Sainz

Most people today think of fighting systems as Asian. Some also even think of Brazil or Israel, but most don’t think of martial arts as being European or American. Some have heard of Bare Knuckle Boxing, but don’t equate it with other martial arts. They really don’t know how effective and brutal a street-minded European boxer could be. In fact, Bare-Knuckle Boxing was once considered one of the most effective empty hand systems in the Western world for self-defense.

When we think of Bare-Knuckle Boxing, we envision the sport scene more than the self-defense aspect of the system. We think of the Queensbury rules and black & white visions of fighters who stood in a strange looking, more upright, primary fighting stance. People today consider the system a rather antiquated form of boxing which has grown to become a high level sport. That is exactly what it has become; A SPORT.

There is a large gap between sport and self-defense, however. As a self-defense method, today’s boxing has lost much of its street effectiveness. The Bare knuckle fighter of the past could handle himself quite well against any would-be attacker.

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