Panantukan - Filipino Dirty Boxing

Panantukan (often called Filipino Dirty Boxing) is a close-range striking art from the Philippines, rooted in Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) like Kali, Eskrima, and Arnis. It is an integral part of the training at Strickland’s Martial Arts.

It’s called “dirty boxing” not because it’s unethical, but because it uses everything boxing rules forbid—and does so intentionally 😈

What Panantukan Is

Think boxing + street survival.

It focuses on:

• Real-world self-defense

• Close-quarters fighting

• Disabling an opponent fast, not winning on points

• Staying composed when things get chaotic

  Unlike Western boxing, Panantukan assumes no gloves, no referee, no rules.

Core Elements of Panantukan

🥊 Boxing-style punches

• Jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts

• Angles, footwork, head movement

🦴 “Dirty” techniques

• Elbows (horizontal, vertical, spinning)

• Headbutts

• Forearm strikes

• Hammerfists

🎯 Targeting

• Eyes

• Throat

• Groin

• Knees

• Nerves

• Collarbone

🤼 Limb destruction (Gunting)

• Striking the opponent’s arms as they punch

• Elbowing the biceps, forearms, hands

• Meant to damage or deaden limbs over time

🪢 Clinch & control

• Neck ties

• Shoulder bumps

• Off-balancing

• Trapping hands while striking

How It’s Different from Regular Boxing

Boxing: Wears Boxing Gloves, follows Sport rules with punches only to head & body targets. No elbows/headbuttsor. No limb attacks.

Panantukan: Bare handed street survival with whole body targets. Elbows & headbutts are central and limb destruction is encouraged.

Training Style

• Flow drills

• Pad work

• Clinch sparring

• Reaction-based drills

• Often trained alongside knives and sticks (to understand transitions)

Why People Train It

• Extremely practical for self-defense

• Translates well to MMA and Muay Thai clinch work

• Great for people who like realism over sport