Is Kickboxing Dead?

[Great Sage]

One of my training partners was a professional boxer for 10 years and a kickboxer for the remainder of his martial arts career. We were having a discussion about kickboxing (traditional NOT Muay Thai) and we both agreed that it is close to nonexistent.

One of the truths of “old” kickboxing is this: Long ago, kickboxing was created when karate men decided that tournament fighting was too restrictive. Thus, kickboxing evolved from professional karate men who wanted to compete at a higher level. However, kickboxing became overrun by boxers who learned to kick and knocked out the karate guy with boxing skills. Such is the case with my partner, who knocked out his share of karate men.

Will there be a resurgence of American kickboxing, or is it a thing of the past?

[Rockets]

Oh it will always be around.

[Whtown]

if it stays around it will evolve or die, who is going to want to learn traditional kickboxing when the moves are outdated

[Rockets]

Yes of course it will evolve. I meant it would always be around in some form.

[JaredExtreme]

Well I saw some traditional kick boxing on espn2 a couple months ago. The match took place somewhere in New York I believe, an as a whole it was very boring. The kicks and punches were very weak compared to muay thai. With the increased popularity of MMA/K-1, I don't see demand for traditional kickboxing increasing.

[Boromir]

a footnote in history.. lol. I doubt it. Everything will probably melt together eventually.

[Ryu (JKD?)]

calling Muay Thai "non-traditional" kickboxing is really quite funny.

[AznWarrior]

lol. Muay Thai IS TRADITIONAL kickboxing, well not fully, but It was around alot longer.

[Sensei Saki]

I'm glad you find this amusing.I think Muay Thai is a lot of things.

[AznWarrior]

But it's basically kickboxing, I mean some differences, but their kinda the same thing, and it's been around waaaaaaaaaaay longer.

[Hardball]

A kick is just a kick, a punch is just a punch. "Bruce Lee" .. For self defense kickboxing is still good, to be a total warrior you have to know grappling and all other aspects of fighting including kicking, locking, takedowns, throws, strikes, weapons, evasion, and most of all strategy.

[vadrip]

In kickboxing, their boxing is generally better than in muay thai because they can sit on their punches like boxers do meaning they can go low and get that power from the ground up because they don't have to worry about low kicks, knees, clinches and elbows which are found in muay thai. Muay thai has to worry about these things so they punch while keeping in an upright stance while on the balls on their feet.

[wardancer]

One of my training partners was a professional boxer for 10 years and a kickboxer for the remainder of his martial arts career. We were having a discussion about kickboxing (traditional NOT Muay Thai) and we both agreed that it is close to nonexistent.

One of the truths of “old” kickboxing is this: Long ago, kickboxing was created when karate men decided that tournament fighting was too restrictive. Thus, kickboxing evolved from professional karate men who wanted to compete at a higher level. However, kickboxing became overrun by boxers who learned to kick and knocked out the karate guy with boxing skills. Such is the case with my partner, who knocked out his share of karate men.

Will there be a resurgence of American kickboxing, or is it a thing of the past?

It is about who win the K1 at the moment?
mostly Muy Thai fighters win K1 even if the rules are different, they do come from all from differents nationalities.
I think american kickboxing fighters can do well in K1.
It is just a question of having some americans Kickboxers wanting to do well in K1!

[THT]

It is about who win the K1 at the moment?
mostly Muy Thai fighters win K1 even if the rules are different, they do come from all from differents nationalities.
I think american kickboxing fighters can do well in K1.
It is just a question of having some americans Kickboxers wanting to do well in K1!

...and then getting used to being kicked in the legs. And being clinched. And kneed in the stomach or head.

I think their kicking may LOOK better but I'd say it's the same reason a TMA kick looks so good. It's because there is no worry of a cut kick or having the gap closed real quick and clinching or any other counter that Muay Thai would allow. BTW I personally think that a nice thai kick to the noggin looks at least as good as anything else kick-wise.