Are Spinning Backfists Allowed in Boxing? (Explained)

Spinning backfist is one of the spectacular attacking moves in martial arts. If timed properly, it has the potential to even knock out your opponent. If you’re wondering whether you can do a spinning backfist in boxing or not, here are some of the things you need to read first:

So, Are spinning backfists allowed in boxing?

Spinning backfists are not allowed in boxing in order to improve the overall safety of both fighters. Furthermore, hitting with anything but the front-padded part of the gloves is frowned upon and may lead to a warning, point deduction, or disqualification.

In this article, I’ll go through the effectiveness of the spinning backfist and explain exactly what happens when you try it in the boxing match:

Is Spinning Backfist Attack Effective?

A backfist is definitely not a power punch. It’s just another attack style, which is clearly weaker than a straight well-placed jab or a left hook attack! But, that’s not the case with a spinning backfist.

A spinning backfist is much more powerful and has the potential to knock out someone. Spinning the whole body infuses a lot of momentum and power into it, making it one of the strongest hand blows.

Once fighters learn to properly leverage the momentum force, a spinning backfist can be delivered with a quick whipping action that allows fighters to focus their energy in that instance.

Personally, I considered it as a kind of attack that can create an “All or Nothing” kind of situation for you, depending upon how well you perform it.

If you’re able to place backfist at a correct time, you can catch your opponent off guard and even knock them down. But: If you failed to execute it in a proper way, you might end up in a very bad position, exposed to a solid counter-attack.

Why is Spinning Backfist Not Allowed in Boxing?

In boxing, it is mandatory to punch with the padded side of the gloves. that means you can only strike your opponent with the front-facing knuckle side of gloves hand and that too on the upper body only.

The main reason why spinning backfist is banned in boxing is due to safety concerns of boxers. Its technique itself is prone to far more errors and there are way more chances of making an illegal move while performing a spinning back fist attack.

Furthermore, most of the effectiveness of this attacking technique comes from the spinning velocity, which required you to turn your back first towards the opponent.

If you lose sight of your opponent (even for a half-second), considering the nature of the game, there is a good possibility that your opponent changes their position and you end up striking them with either your elbow or forearm, which is frowned upon in boxing.

In addition to that, back in the boxing days, when boxers used to box without gloves, this method is used by some fighters as a devastating attack that mostly leads to cuts and bleeding.

As it is a direct crack to the sportsmanship spirit, authorities banned such attacks that involve hitting your opponent with anything but the proper front part of your gloves.



What Happens When you Throw Spinning Backfist?

In the current time: It’s completely illegal to do a spinning backfist in boxing and it can result in a warning, a reduction in point, or even a disqualification in case of a repeat offense.

As spinning backfist set you up to get countered like a turd, there is a possibility that you might hit your opponent in the back of the head which causes many serious long-term bad effects.

Spinning backfist is seen as purposefully abusing the boxing rules by making an illegal attack. Due to the devastating consequences of it, the referee seems to be treating it much more harshly as compared to some of the other illegal moves.

You might be thinking, can you fake spinning back fist by turning your back towards your opponent:

Can you Turn your Back in Boxing?

Turning your back towards your opponent is not allowed in boxing and is considered an act of self-preservation.

In most cases: showing your back to the opponent is considered as a sign of giving up and you’re longer want to continue that fight. That’s why whether it is purposeful or accidental, it is either leads to a warning or a fight being called by the referee.

Along with your own personal safety, turning your back towards your opponent also gives an unfair disadvantage to them, because they’re not allowed to hit you on the back.

If the referee believes that the boxer is purposefully turning his back in a boxing match as a part of his strategy to gain some extra advantage by breaking boxing rules, it leads to a warning first and eventually results in a disqualification.

Final Thoughts

Spinning backfists are banned in boxing due to the possibility of errors. There are chances of being hit with an elbow or forearm, which is not allowed.

Lots of the boxing rules are drafted to make boxing as sporting as possible. The main idea of modern boxing sport is punching offense with padded part of the gloves.

That’s why other fighting styles like slaps, grappling, kicks, backfists, etc. are either frowned upon or completely banned in boxing.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t add any unpredictability to your game. Based on the selection of your punches and a mix of other different patterns, you can surprise your opponent with a variety of threats.

Priya Dorge | Cargofighter

Priya Dorge

Priya Dorge is a passionate boxer and author, dedicated to sharing her expertise in the world of combat sports. With her deep knowledge and experience in empowering individuals in their journey has garnered a loyal following, making her a trusted resource in the martial arts community.