Wing Chun vs Legitimate Boxing

In this tutorial, Ben Cohen from Wing Chun DC explains how Wing Chun's chi sao skills can be used to effectively counter boxing. It is important to note that without highly proficient sticking skills, Wing Chun cannot be used against boxing or any other long range Martial Art.

[AndresFnt]

In all due respect (seriously) I saw openings for the boxer to counter that he avoided taking simply for demonstration to go well for wing is a common flaw in demonstration. True demonstration of effectiveness of ANY technique should be shown in live fighting/sparring- not choreographed because then it looks setup/fake & therefore ineffective...Anyway. I saw another *better* video on the effectiveness of wing chun in boxing. Wilder used a move thats sort've like wing chun against an opponent where he pulled a guard hand down to open for his haymaker. The philly shell/cross guard is a modified wing chun defensive guard according to a Youtuber/Wing Chun guy. He showed Mayweather as an example with his elbow out and shoulder roll-ready to counter

[kobiesboxing]

It's way more effective to use college wrestling, or Judo when you're in that close of range because those arts really teach you how to effectively clinch, and gain control. And you can mix those arts with something like Muay Thai, or boxing so when you do get control in the clinch you can follow up with strikes.

[Jameskeith]

Hi again. I’m digging these videos. I am glad someone is looking at this realistically.
I agree with you that we need to play the same game as the boxer!
Sun Zi’s maxims found in the Bubishi state this clearly😊
Wing Chun is a short strike sticking art. You are doing a great job of looking at this!

[starshipdjs]

My personal solution is learn how to box at least at a proficient level and absorb it to one's own Wing Chun.
Olympic level boxing footwork and bare knukle fighting foot work both add a tremendous amount of advantage to any fighting purposes.
The boxer in this video clearly had an advantage and was backing of as to help to prove your point.
Yes what you are saying in theory is right, however if a good Wing Chun person against a lousy boxer is fine but what about the other way around?
Have found that having a good boxing foundation is something very worthwhile that works well no matter which discipline is chosen, be it standing or rolling it can do nothing but enhance a fighters repertoire.

[KeytoKungFu]

Finally someone who understands wing chun

[LeiTai]

Great vid Ben, brings me back to Jin‘s chinaboxer utube times:) I think a lot of wc guys actually do look at other arts but instead of then reevaluating wc and peeling the layers to its core fundamentals they keep adding layers to fill their gaps!

[cemarz]

I've seen this on youtube before. Dash inside on a boxer and deliver a few blows. Bounce before you take too many blows. It doesn't work. If you stay inside you'll eat uppercuts and kidney shots. And if you can't escape fast enough you'll eat a few punches to the chin. It takes so long to wear down the boxer that you'll eventually get tagged and KO'd as the boxer adjusts. It's just how it is.

[rodhagerty]

Excellent video, you are absolutely correct.

[grubgoat]

I've been training Wing Chun Do for a few years now, which is James Demile's version of Seattle-era Bruce Lee's wing chun (pre Jun Fan), but Demile had boxing experience as well. A big part of our upper system is "slap-sparring" which looks similar to what you're doing here (chi-sao for us is a different thing, I think). You don't seem to "load into" the opponent from underneath with your hips, or at least not the way we do it. But its a real thing, the harder that guy tries to punch the more he's gonna get pushed back if the load is constant and forward. In reality this is meant for momentary use, you're not gonna dance around with the guy, but constant listening contact can definitely hijack a guy's base. This is the only video I've ever found discussing it, so thanks for that!

[TheFizzyband]

If anything this shows that we need boxing/Muay Thai/MMA as a base and some sneaky WC in the mix. But what's left of the classical WC is little. I love my WC but if I had to start all again, would i spend years doing WC. Prob not.

[Polentaccio]

Another big point in sticking like this is also driving forward as you then force the other guy to back pedal while striking vs him driving forward and over powering you.

[tomdewyn]

Boxing should always be the dish, you can ad wing chun as the sauce

[gnicevids]

This is amazing
Can you explain more on kicking like against a kicker

[boxingwithben]

Sorry bud, I know you mentioned that you couldn't see my comment under the video so I thought I'd repost it for you! Thanks for your engagement and response in advance!

There are so many other elements to training for years in boxing that make it challenging for a wing chun fighter to best... Firstly, uppercuts are a brutal and effective tool at close range, hooks when practised for years carry concussive power, boxers have superb and efficient footwork and command of range and distance, slick head movement, a range of defensive methods (blocking, parrying, bobbing, weaving, shoulder rolling, stepping off at angles etc), cardiovascular conditioning, calmness under fire due to utilisation of full contact sparring in training (so the skills are refined in a semi-realistic context so a boxer is used to how it feels to be punched, how their style translates when tested by a game and ready sparring partner etc).

This isn't me sniping at wing chun. I have been a lifelong fan of martial arts, wing chun is no different; I very much enjoy watching the style and the way it ebbs and flows. I have a pal who practises a combination of wing chun and Escrima (I too practice Escrima), and he admitted that whilst he sees the utility of Escrima outside of the Dojo, he sees wing chun as more so an artform, a very engaging and enjoyable form of exercise and a source of mental gymnastics. We've done some drills where he has shown me similar techniques to the one's you demonstrate here, which work beautifully when a boxer is advancing in a straight line, throwing straight shots. Most untrained fighters on the street will do exactly that, and both myself and my pal agree that training in wing chun to the point at which you are proficient will dismantle your average layperson on the street, as most individuals do not come from a martial arts or self defence background. However, we also both found that were I to use the array of technical assets that I describe above, box AS I WOULD in a serious or life threatening encounter (any engagement on the street can be lethal, regardless of weapons being involved, multiple attackers etc) and throw jabs, crosses, hooks and uppercuts with venom and spite, then the system gets overwhelmed and falls apart. No doubt some of the best practitioners in the world would say otherwise. That's because they are one of the best practitioners in the world! But your average individual who studies wing chun would fall apart against a skilled boxer in my opinion due to the fact that these demonstrations make boxing seem more stagnant, flat footed and one dimensional than it is in reality.


Great video though man, very interesting take!

[yilmazkaraman]

bla bla bla. For wing chun you need near contact to your rival. But a boxer can attack you from every distance. And also it is not so easy to catch the arms of a boxer. And if you catch it he can push you away. With wing chun you will not have a chance against a boxer. And you forget he has boxing gloves and you not. If both have boxing gloves wing chun master will catch nothing. And if both does not have boxing gloves, its very difficult for the wing chun master to catch the arms of the boxer. And boxer are in fight very good. So that what you show is only Show.

[juanoncho]

Congratulations, nice video. I'm sure if you keep studding how to beat a boxer.. you could find a way.. there is always a way.
I love you say it's not perfect, very honest from you I appreciate that comment (as others try to show wing chun as invincible) I used to practice boxing... so i know it's weakness.. it's not perfect as a martial art, it's a good sport.

[roarblast]

Wow. This makes so much more sense. I always see those weird wing chun videos and I always assume you were trying to react to blows. Which is stupid. The whole sticky hand thing makes so much more sense.

[JackHernandezGentlemanJack]

If you have a boxer holding back, fair enough. He could blast straight through those sticky hands in reality.

[makoshark]

Forgotten Kung Fu art called Pa Hok"Chinese white crane..." there is a a small form "Kata" that really and totally disarms if not totally demolish every Wing Chun movements I . wing chun was actaully form of White crane in the past ...

[PaulMatthewsEsq]

Your analysis is pretty accurate however a good wing chin man also has kicks so the wing chun man would want to be either in kicking range or in the clinch range. This makes it difficult for the boxer because he has to avoid both being too close or being too far. As for the critics below some of their points are valid however if you think of wing chun as the ultimate clinch game (although must Thai could also make that claim) it can work extremely well in the clinch range because it ha a very sophisticated clinch game which includes elbows joint kicks and even throws. If you are good at chi sao once you clinch up it’s going to be very hard for the boxer to hit you but you can use tricks like sliding leverage to hit him