Boxing vs Kendo
Boxing and Kendo side by side, from the facts recorded for each art.
| Boxing | Kendo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | England | Japan |
| Type | combat sport and Olympic sport | gendai budō, budō and martial arts |
| Competition at the Olympics | Yes – 60 Olympic events recorded | — |
| Notable practitioners here | 7968 | 1 |
| Top countries of practitioners | United States, United Kingdom and Mexico | Japan |
| Equipment and weapons | boxing glove and boxing ring | shinai, bōgu, hakama and keikogi |
| Belt ranks | — | Yes |
| Weight classes | Yes | — |
| Energy use (MET) | 12.3 MET (Boxing, in ring, general) | — |
Boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two opponents throwing punches at each other for a predetermined amount of time. It is usually done wearing protective equipment, such as protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards.
From the Wikipedia article Boxing (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kendo
Kendo (Japanese: 剣道, Hepburn: Kendō; lit. 'sword way' or 'sword path' or 'way of the sword') is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship exercises, and today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread to many other nations across the world.
From the Wikipedia article Kendo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Facts from Wikidata (CC0): Q32112, Q170931. Practitioner counts are the people with a profile on this site. Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.