Boxing vs MMA - The Truth

[Solid Chin]

I see boxing as a grass roots sport and unless you have had people around you when you were younger who were big into boxing the chances of you becoming a hardcore fan would of been pretty slim. There will always be exceptions to the rule but I believe that Boxing is a grass roots sport for the most part.

Boxing will always be the number 1 sport for me because even when you watch UFC you end up looking at the boxing skills, like for instance, Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin on UFC 101, Anderson Silva was awesome and he showed that boxing skills can win fights in MMA. He was bobbing and weaving and he executed very well and it would of been appreciated by any real boxing fan.

The number 1 thing that is letting down boxing now in my opinion is the fact that TOO MANY TOP FIGHTERS HANDPICK WHO THEY FIGHT AND THE REAL FIGHTS DO NOT GET MADE OFTEN ENOUGH. If this keeps on happening the fans will soon wake up and lose patience.

UFC put on consistent main events and even co-main events and undercards that are all normally all evenly matched. When I watch boxing I appreciate the sweet science but I could not watch 3, 12 round boring boxing fights on a card. I watch boxing and I can appreciate the sweet science but eventually I want to see a fight break out, I guess its the animal instinct in me.

Alot of top level fights can be a huge flop. Mayweather vs Oscar in my opinion did not live up to any of the advertised hype and it wasn't worth all of that promotion because 1 of 2 fighters just fought safety first and got the job done which is fantastic for the purist but I am talking about appealling to the fans, it was not fan friendly and so this is where UFC will always cash in and get one over on boxing.

Everytime there is a big boxing card that ends up being disappointing for the fans, UFC capitalise on it and give people a new alternative to enjoy

What is your view on Boxing and MMA (UFC) and the future of boxing ?

[doubleplaidinum]

my view? that chick in your avatar is firing. that is all. :good

[janeschicken]

I'm glad someone finally decided to post a UFC vs boxing thread for a fresh take.

[JuanMa]

I seem to have a problem with the MMA fan's who seem to think that Boxing is on it's way out and the UFC will consume it in a matter of time..:-(

[NALLEGE]

MMA's was good when Royce Gracie was fighting. You only have very few skilled artists in the sport of MMA. Most of the guys are college wrestlers learning a few judo moves, and throwing punches. I hate watching the sport, but will watch Cung Lee and a few others.

[BlueApollo]

I think Booradley brought up a great point yesterday, that UFC naturally fills a vacuum for people who either remember or have grown out of pro wrestling. I wish boxing could regain this kind of rabid following, but not being much of a promoter, I don't even know where it would start, or how it should be remolded to grab people's attention.

The sad thing is that the only fights mainstream sports fans tune in for anymore are the major megafight PPVs, and these cards have been hit or miss and mostly miss recently. The general reaction to Hatton - Pacquiao though was a reminder that people still love boxing, they just wonder why it's so hard to see a great, exciting fight.

[PH|LLA]

I was watching Arlovsky vs Fedor today. Fedor is recognized as the #1 MMA fighter in the world and an extremely well rounded fighter who can do it all.

Arlovsky had been training with Freddie Roach before his fight against Fedor and essentially came out boxing him and using his leg kicks to keep Fedor at a distance. He was controlling the fight, landing jabs, straight right hands and even a counter-uppercut at some point, and getting hit very little in return. At some point towars the end of the fight he caught Fedor with a straight right and thought he had him hurt I guess because Fedor backed into a corner. That was a mistake, Fedor might have been slightly hurt but he was not buzzed. Anyways, at that point Arlovsky gave up his boxing stance and tried to throw some kind of flying karate kick and Fedor just sparked him out cold with 1 punch, an overhand right.

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This fight, though its little to go on, makes me feel that elite boxers might do very well in MMA. I'm not talking about an overrated out of shape fat guy like Arreola, but give Pac or Cotto some basic ground and takedown training and throw them in the Ocotogon against a guy like BJ Penn and I think we have ourselves an evenly matched fight, if not in favour of the boxers.

Just IMO. I am slowly developping into an MMA fan. I don't like watching the 2nd rate guys, but I love watching Fedor and GSP and to a certain extent Silva too.

[boxingwizard]

Boxing seems more like an underground sport than the UFC, but I still think boxing is bigger than the other organizations. The UFC has boxing beat when it comes to the best fights possible being made, and the UFC caters to the fan with a small attention fan, 3 rounds typically. Boxing appeals more to purists and untrendy people.

[doomeddisciple]

Boxing seems more like an underground sport than the UFC, but I still think boxing is bigger than the other organizations. The UFC has boxing beat when it comes to the best fights possible being made, and the UFC caters to the fan with a small attention fan, 3 rounds typically. Boxing appeals more to purists and untrendy people.


Boxing is a sport.

UFC is an organisation.

Boxing is a better sport.

UFC is more organised.

[JoeAverage]

There is only one fight that MMA can make that justifyably is very big.

The next fight with Fedor.

[BlueApollo]

This fight, though its little to go on, makes me feel that elite boxers might do very well in MMA. I'm not talking about an overrated out of shape fat guy like Arreola, but give Pac or Cotto some basic ground and takedown training and throw them in the Ocotogon against a guy like BJ Penn and I think we have ourselves an evenly matched fight, if not in favour of the boxers.

Just IMO. I am slowly developping into an MMA fan. I don't like watching the 2nd rate guys, but I love watching Fedor and GSP and to a certain extent Silva too.

:good

I'm also not a big MMA fan, but I watched Penn - Sherk for some reason or another and BJ absolutely dominated that one with his jab. Boxing skill absolutely has it's place in MMA, and as long as that is obvious, I think we can count on some MMA fans gravitating towards boxing, at least once in awhile.

[manhattanboxer3]

MMA is for nerds

[tliang1000]

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[ybfake]

The author makes good points. I was raised watching boxing with my dad back when fights were still being shown on regular tv. MMA is okay for an alternative if no fights are on. I enjoy the skill of boxing at its higest level in example RM vs Israel vasq.

[LeadLeftHook]

A good Boxing fight has the drama that not even the best of the best UFC fights can came close to.
A great Boxing fight has the drama and excitement that can only be dreamed about in UFC fights.

I've been watching UFC back from late 90s, after you see a few MMA fights they all seem the same.

[paloalto00]

The way I see is MMA is just a fad, It has been around for a long time... but then all of a sudden everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon. It's just a matter of time til it dies down.

[ChrisKim47]

MMA's was good when Royce Gracie was fighting. You only have very few skilled artists in the sport of MMA. Most of the guys are college wrestlers learning a few judo moves, and throwing punches. I hate watching the sport, but will watch Cung Lee and a few others.

Royce Gracie was ok. His ability to use chokes and submissions on the ground were good, but you would think he would know how to get someone on the ground to apply those moves. His takedowns reminded me of really bad junior varsity wrestling. He was easily exposed by true wrestlers like those from japan, when he unbalanced himself lunging in while taking a knee to the face.
I've watched some of the MMA events and they commonly label fighters as a wrestler or muy thai blah blah, but in reality its just a bunch of subpar athletes who have taken a few 'wrestling' classes or 'kick boxing' lessons. Now when you hear that an MMA fighter was a division 1a collegiate wrestler, ala Urijah Faber, Brock Lesnar, Chael Sonnen, then you will see technique on par with the likes of professional boxing. And that is good stuff. Btw Cung Lee owns and has no need to enter into the octagon with a bunch of unskilled nobodies.

[T.C.W]

If one promoter had every fighter on there books in boxing and they got told this is the only amount of money you will get uneven if the fight makes truck loads of money. Boxing is a sport that deals have to be done between Promoters and MMA/UFC there Is just one guy controlling everthing and there is onewhere else to go. Look if HBO Became there own promoter and controlled everthing they could change everthing, but I think the system is alright, because top fighter get better deals because of comptetion, the major problem is all the titles, If HBO and SHowtimes just picked one title, it would make a huge difference and casual fans would know the champion.

[paloalto00]

Royce Gracie was ok. His ability to use chokes and submissions on the ground were good, but you would think he would know how to get someone on the ground to apply those moves. His takedowns reminded me of really bad junior varsity wrestling. He was easily exposed by true wrestlers like those from japan, when he unbalanced himself lunging in while taking a knee to the face.
I've watched some of the MMA events and they commonly label fighters as a wrestler or muy thai blah blah, but in reality its just a bunch of subpar athletes who have taken a few 'wrestling' classes or 'kick boxing' lessons. Now when you hear that an MMA fighter was a division 1a collegiate wrestler, ala Urijah Faber, Brock Lesnar, Chael Sonnen, then you will see technique on par with the likes of professional boxing. And that is good stuff. Btw Cung Lee owns and has no need to enter into the octagon with a bunch of unskilled nobodies.

I think the reason Gracie was so great was because no one has seen or known about BJJ at that time. The fact that he could beat fighters without punching them astonished many fans

[doomeddisciple]

There is only one fight that MMA can make that justifyably is very big.

The next fight with Fedor.


That's actually a really good point.

The HW division of boxing is in a pretty average state, but the MMA HW title is fragmented also given UFC's inability to lure Fedor onto the roster so in that regard MMA is still not quite the perfect combat sport land many claim it to be.

As goes the HW division, so does boxing. That's the ebb we're in now. An exiciting up and comer would change a lot of opinions quickly.

[booradley]

1, I have absolutley no desire to watch grown men roll around on the ground together in their underwear.

2, MMA is nothing more than glorified street fighting. If I wanted to see that shit, I'd go back to drinking in biker bars.

[doomeddisciple]

1, I have absolutley no desire to watch grown men roll around on the ground together in their underwear.

2, MMA is nothing more than glorified street fighting. If I wanted to see that shit, I'd go back to drinking in biker bars.


:rofl

[chimba]

Why is it everytime theres a boxing/MMA thread in the gen forum it gets moved here?
then we have to read idiotic posts of people who knows shit about MMA

[truushot]

There are only a few stars in the UFC. With the limited number of stars, they run out of big fights quickly. Who is going to fight Lesnar? Silva? Pierre? They rehash the same people regularly. I mean how many times you gonna pay to see their weak matches. I see Silva is gonna face Dan Henderson. Who cares. Henderson is washed up. Silva beat Henderson mar 08 why would I pay to see it again? It will be the headline fight when it happens.
Machida is gonna face Rua. Rua, beat a couple of washed up guys to get his shot at the championship. Is that the way it should work?

Lesnar, Penn, Silva and Pierre all had fights in the last month. Other then Machida (104) at the end of October, who they gonna have headlining UFC102 and UFC103? People gonna pay for non championship fights? Oh wait, maybe they can run out some former champs about a decade past their prime. Maybe the fans will get treated to Bonner, Coleman or some other bums....

[chimba]

There are only a few stars in the UFC. With the limited number of stars, they run out of big fights quickly. Who is going to fight Lesnar? Silva? Pierre? They rehash the same people regularly. I mean how many times you gonna pay to see their weak matches. I see Silva is gonna face Dan Henderson. Who cares. Henderson is washed up. Silva beat Henderson mar 08 why would I pay to see it again? It will be the headline fight when it happens.
Machida is gonna face Rua. Rua, beat a couple of washed up guys to get his shot at the championship. Is that the way it should work?

Lesnar, Penn, Silva and Pierre all had fights in the last month. Other then Machida (104) at the end of October, who they gonna have headlining UFC102 and UFC103? People gonna pay for non championship fights? Oh wait, maybe they can run out some former champs about a decade past their prime. Maybe the fans will get treated to Bonner, Coleman or some other bums....

Ive mentioned this problem before, theres a lack of new prospects or blue chip contenders in the sport. Its either the whole push for well roundedness master of none has hurt it or they are rushing these guys who would eventually suffer a crushing loss and never contend again.

[Solid Chin]

Thanks for all your posts, just got around to reading them now

[achillesthegreat]

I love Fedor but watching that Arlovski video again makes me think his stand up is fucking terrible.

[NALLEGE]

Royce Gracie was ok. His ability to use chokes and submissions on the ground were good, but you would think he would know how to get someone on the ground to apply those moves. His takedowns reminded me of really bad junior varsity wrestling. He was easily exposed by true wrestlers like those from japan, when he unbalanced himself lunging in while taking a knee to the face.
I've watched some of the MMA events and they commonly label fighters as a wrestler or muy thai blah blah, but in reality its just a bunch of subpar athletes who have taken a few 'wrestling' classes or 'kick boxing' lessons. Now when you hear that an MMA fighter was a division 1a collegiate wrestler, ala Urijah Faber, Brock Lesnar, Chael Sonnen, then you will see technique on par with the likes of professional boxing. And that is good stuff. Btw Cung Lee owns and has no need to enter into the octagon with a bunch of unskilled nobodies.Sorry, but Royce was the man. He honed his craft in Japan and other places around the world, so to say he was easily exposed is funny lol... He was a little guy battling men bigger than him by more than 50-100 lbs. That sport (MMA) will never be on par with boxing in terms of guys with skill.

[thebrodstar]

I seem to have a problem with the MMA fan's who seem to think that Boxing is on it's way out and the UFC will consume it in a matter of time..:-(

Yeah its frustrating, but how many boxing turds come in here and try to tell us MMA is on its way out. I don't understand why people can't enjoy both sports.

Both sports are awesome in their different ways. The politics in boxing really piss me off though, I find the fighters have too much say in certain areas of the fights ie. Judah demanding Hatton fights at a lower weight after they already agreed on one. Stuff like that turns my stomach.

[Wilhelm]

I see boxing as a grass roots sport and unless you have had people around you when you were younger who were big into boxing the chances of you becoming a hardcore fan would of been pretty slim. There will always be exceptions to the rule but I believe that Boxing is a grass roots sport for the most part.

Boxing will always be the number 1 sport for me because even when you watch UFC you end up looking at the boxing skills, like for instance, Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin on UFC 101, Anderson Silva was awesome and he showed that boxing skills can win fights in MMA. He was bobbing and weaving and he executed very well and it would of been appreciated by any real boxing fan.

The number 1 thing that is letting down boxing now in my opinion is the fact that TOO MANY TOP FIGHTERS HANDPICK WHO THEY FIGHT AND THE REAL FIGHTS DO NOT GET MADE OFTEN ENOUGH. If this keeps on happening the fans will soon wake up and lose patience.

UFC put on consistent main events and even co-main events and undercards that are all normally all evenly matched. When I watch boxing I appreciate the sweet science but I could not watch 3, 12 round boring boxing fights on a card. I watch boxing and I can appreciate the sweet science but eventually I want to see a fight break out, I guess its the animal instinct in me.

Alot of top level fights can be a huge flop. Mayweather vs Oscar in my opinion did not live up to any of the advertised hype and it wasn't worth all of that promotion because 1 of 2 fighters just fought safety first and got the job done which is fantastic for the purist but I am talking about appealling to the fans, it was not fan friendly and so this is where UFC will always cash in and get one over on boxing.

Everytime there is a big boxing card that ends up being disappointing for the fans, UFC capitalise on it and give people a new alternative to enjoy

What is your view on Boxing and MMA (UFC) and the future of boxing ?
I agree 100%. Boxing has shot itself in the foot with greed and with multiple generations of boys not learning how to box or how to watch boxing. Gyms are closing down everyday and it's real work for someone who wants to learn more to do so. MMA stuff is a bit more approachable if for no other reason than it's on free tv and there are guys like Rogan or guys on TUF who at least half assed explain some of the moves and strategies. If good boxing matches were made often and were on free tv, I think we'd see a lot more mainstream popularity just the way we're seeing with MMA stuff.

I hate that marketing can be so important for stuff like this, but it can.

[achillesthegreat]

I agree 100%. Boxing has shot itself in the foot with greed and with multiple generations of boys not learning how to box or how to watch boxing. Gyms are closing down everyday and it's real work for someone who wants to learn more to do so. MMA stuff is a bit more approachable if for no other reason than it's on free tv and there are guys like Rogan or guys on TUF who at least half assed explain some of the moves and strategies. If good boxing matches were made often and were on free tv, I think we'd see a lot more mainstream popularity just the way we're seeing with MMA stuff.

I hate that marketing can be so important for stuff like this, but it can.

Yip.