Hey guys just wanted to know if you can still use boxing for realistisc self defense. My bro says its the only combat Olympic sport that can still be used for the street. I just wanted to know if any of you think it still is a good art to learn for some self defense skills??

Boxing is reputedly very effective on the street but I hear that Judo also shares that reputation (and is an Olympic sport). Boxing with a few modifications provides a simple basis of techniques which can be drawn upon easily under pressure. Of course it is not a complete system of defense, but very few martial arts can claim to be "complete". I'd say it's a good place to start training if you don't mind heavy contact and getting hit in the head. It's lacking in grappling techniques, weapon techniques/disarms and kicks/defense against low kicks. But this is mostly made up for by its excellent punches. Before the MT guys have a go at me, I'll mention that Muay Thai covers a better range of striking techniques in a heavy contact environment too, as do many other martial arts, depending on the school.

Btw, why does it need to be an Olympic sport in particular?

I think boxing is one of the core martial arts that someone interesting in self defense and sparring should learn. If you practice boxing for a year you would be light years ahead of someone who just practiced traditional or point sparring in karate. You have to be real careful with punches to the head as I can testify this can result in the provebial boxer's fracture. I now have a missing knuckle to prove this is true. You will not go wrong in learning the basics of boxing punches, defences, etc. It will be a good foundation for any fighter.

most street fights i have been in or seen, have ended up on the ground. Boxing will be great for toe-to-toe/striking, but I would also suggest some form of ground work training

It doesn't need to be and Olympic sport I was just trying to say that since the Olympics have pretty much made some art less efective, and I don;t mean to smash tkd guys but yes I believe the olympics have made tkd less efective than it was before. I just really wanted to know what boxing has to offer in self defense and when is the right age to stop practicing boxing moves since it might be hard on your body.

I should imagine fencing would be quite impressive as a means of self defence.
Snapping an ariel off a car and using it to whip an opponent has been very useful to me in the past.
That's kind of like fencing, innit?

Olympics has not made TKD less effective.Some dojo's that gear their art toward point tournaments and hand out blackbelts for money do and not just TKD does that.
Back to your original question: Yes,boxing would improve your self defense.Good footwork and handspeed is very important,but like has been said it doesn't cover all ranges.

The problem I have about boxing is yes the art doesn't cover all ranges. But which martial art does that hese days un less you mix up some Jujitsu, Muay Thai, and Boxing then bam!! You got your self an all range fighter. Boxing to me looks like it can really teach me how to dodge, duck, and hit hard with my fists. I guess I should mix it up a little though so that I can have some knowledge in how to engage in any situation I might face. Thanks guys for your posts it really helps keep em coming.

Sorry to be pedantic but boxing isn't strictly a martial art, it's a sport. That's not to say that it's not useful as a form of self defence, perhaps quite the opposite. And I agree that it would be a good asset to anyone who is keen to improve their self defence skills.

Regardless of opinion on where fights end up, they all begin stood up, and every unarmed attack i have witnessed or experienced has started with a punch or headbutt boxing guard is designed to deal with exactly these weapons. Add to that the fact that your training will involve lots of hard sparring,and the learning of footwork and sharp accurate punching and you have a very good foundation for self defense.
Examples always tell more about the individual than the methods used, but Lenny McClean, one of the most feared and respected underworld enforcers, renknowned for his unarmed fighting ability, was a boxer by style. The only 'ground game' he studied were the victims of his left hook lying on it.