Boxing has stamina, evasion and explosive strikes. Stamina will help you a lot in almost everything you do not just the fight. Some say Muy Thai but it's hard to kick in dress shoes and dress pants that some bodyguards wear.
Judo has good adaptable throws that you can learn easily from every angle. It also gives you good ground work. Most schools teach for competition but you can adapt it yourself.
With those two you get pretty well rounded as a combative and stay off the ground but know moves for the ground if it goes there.
You don't have to do those two arts but you should find good trainers in two complimentary arts. A hard striking art (Boxing, Muy Thai, karate, tkd...) And combine with a nice soft art (Escrima, hapkido, judo, aikido...) Escrima is pretty nice. I know a cop and former merc that train in it.
Martial arts are not a requirement for being a body guard. Years ago I was training where I was around someone that owned a business supplying body guards. I was at the time much better trained than the guys he employed as body guards. I asked him if he could use me. He told me that i was to small. bottom line in a situation where the person being protected is or may be in mortal danger, the body guards are not little guys. not because they can't be effective in physical protection of the client. They hire big guys because the big guys are more likely to be able to get between the client and someone that is shooting at the client. In other words they want a big body to shield the client. Body guards are often big and well trained in covering the client. They may also have training in how to use a firearm and how to deal with someone that threatens their client with a firearm. The real world of body guarding is nothing like the movie portrayals. It is much more like the videos that can be seen of when President Reagan was shot. It is is a few seconds of total confusion and is often over in a matter of only a few seconds. If martial arts skills could be used it would most likely be a grappling based application as in Jujitsu, Aikido or something similar.
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For the vast majority of all "unarmed" situations you will get into, boxing and Judo cover all of the bases. If you're a bodyguard you should also work on other important areas of the job like defensive driving and recognizance.
Awareness 1st , Martial Art 2nd and lots of patients.
its not just about jumping in harms way you have to be aware of whats going on around you, sometimes you have to be a mediator or babysitter for drunk clients, negotiator and sometime the go to man/ middleman, a driver, a coat holder, able to keep your mouth shut sometimes turn a blind eye.
the one you train in, what matters is the instructor and the way you train. if there was a best style we would all be taking that style. there would be no need for any other.
and as a body guard you want to remain standing and avoid the ground. its the worst place you can be when you are trying to protect someone.
sumo
