Why dont MMA fighter`s turn to boxing?

[PUGWARRIOR]

Why is it that MMA fighter`s never leave the cage to box while boxers seem to gravite to cage fighting? You would think it would be the other way around seeing theres so much more money to make in boxing(at the higher levels) but im sure if anderson silva would do ok and use his name to make the big bucks. MMA seems a lot harder than boxing(i box and have never tried cage fighting) the rounds are longer and they have so much more to deal with ,wrestling and so forth.

[captainanddew]

I'm an MMA newbie and a long-time boxing fan. I honestly can't think of any MMA guy who would be able to make it to the upper levels in boxing. At the same time, I have a hard time believing any pro oxer could make it to the top levels of MMA as well.

[Kev]

There would be absolutely no reason for Anderson Silva or any top MMA fighter to go into boxing. If they are having success in their own particular field why would they go and try another sport they have experience in?

It's as stupid as Sebastian Vettel announcing that next season he will be driving rally cross instead of Formula one, or Roger Federer swapping tennis for badminton.

There are no active boxers coming over the MMA. It's a last resort thing for those guys, people like James Toney and Ray Mercer who have nowhere to go in boxing and so appear in a couple MMA events that sell out of the novelty factor.

Kimbo Slice has come over the UFC into boxing now. He's currently 3-0 in boxing I believe, though having thought some very weak opposition.

MMA is fast growing sport, and I believe eventually it will overtake boxing as the premier combat sport. It simply has too much momentum and I think most kids walking into gym's in a few years would rather learn a complete fighting system than just specialising in a peculiar gentleman's sport where you fight only with your fists according to strict rules that wouldn't apply in real life.

MMA is much closer to the sport of actual fighting, and therefore likely to be a much appealing skillset to have.

I think the trend will be that more boxers chance their arm in the MMA world than vice versa.

[Spicoli]

I think they would lose at least %50 of what gameplan they have. Just think of the adjustments, ring, clock, rounds, zero ground game, actually bending at the waist, etc etc . Its a whole different world and depth to me. The guys who "box" a bit now in mma and sometimes get boooed may do the best. Thought there was talk of a Nick diaz coming to boxing (?).

[Abelardus]

People in mma won't go to boxing because it's harder. No disrespect to MMA im just saying its a way more difficult because your only options are your hands. In MMA there are way more options to master and ofcourse you can't master them all. For example if your going to fight a guy that's a great kick boxer you take him to the ground. If he's a great wrestler you stay away and keep the fight on your feet and if your even you fight to see who's better. But in boxing if the opponent is a better boxer there is no way of beating him. That is why it's more difficult. So boxers could go to a cage and still win aslong as they're not taken down. But if an MMA fighter goes in a ring, his hands are his only options and obviously you'll never beat a guy that's been perfecting one thing while you TRY to perfect many things.

[Leighton]

I think either way the fighter would not be as good.
You move a boxer to MMA he has to learn the ground game. He cant put his head down as he would get kneed. He could not turn his back coz he would get submitted. There is alot to learn.
Move an MMA fighter into boxing there are a load of problems there too. He will be no where as good at boxing as his opponent coz he has trained in other diciplins and will not have the tricks and the full knowledge of a boxer. Less power with bigger gloves. Bad habbits from UFC like using knees and spinning back fists etc.
Also a top Boxer should be fitter and more skilled than an MMA fighter. Not saying that MMA fighters are lazy but there is alot more money in Boxing. When you pump more money into a sport the players train harder for the prize and generaly improve.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Well they picked up MMA cuz they weren't good enough for Boxing in the first place. lol Some have secret desire for men so they use that aggression as an excuse to get fruity on the canvas with figure gay triangles and nuts all up in their face.

It takes more skills, dedication, heart and the whole nine to become a successful boxer..

[Leighton]

Well they picked up MMA cuz they weren't good enough for Boxing in the first place. lol Some have secret desire for men so they use that aggression as an excuse to get fruity on the canvas with figure gay triangles and nuts all up in their face.

It takes more skills, dedication, heart and the whole nine to become a successful boxer..

Thats all great in saying all that bullsh*t. But MMA is the whole fighting package. If you are fighting someone in the street you will not be able to say no holding or no submissions. You would not be able to turn your back and expect the other to stop fighting. You wouldnt be able to bend over and not expect to be hit because there would be a knee coming in the direction of your face.
The art of fighting is a lot more than just punching.
I love boxing and MMA. Boxing is more refined and controlled. MMA is more of an all out battle with no stops by the ref and no ten count.
Another sport that should be broadcast in this country is K1. All stand up fighting and the use of all of your limbs. That would be sweeeeeeeeeeet.
Having the use of kicks and knees adds a whole array of new moves. The ground game has so many good submissions and a whole dinamic of its own.
It can be boring when you get a fighter hold the other one down all the time but boxing can also be boring. When one fighter keeps grabbing the other and spoiling, the boxer could guard all the time not wanting to fight.
If there was as much money in MMA as there is in boxing then you would see the standards rise.
The only problem with that would be that the best fighters would then try to avoid each other in fear of losing there status like many top boxers today.

[Abelardus]

Out of the threads I've read I think mine is the only right one. It just speaks the truth.

[Leighton]

People in mma won't go to boxing because it's harder. No disrespect to MMA im just saying its a way more difficult because your only options are your hands. In MMA there are way more options to master and ofcourse you can't master them all. For example if your going to fight a guy that's a great kick boxer you take him to the ground. If he's a great wrestler you stay away and keep the fight on your feet and if your even you fight to see who's better. But in boxing if the opponent is a better boxer there is no way of beating him. That is why it's more difficult. So boxers could go to a cage and still win aslong as they're not taken down. But if an MMA fighter goes in a ring, his hands are his only options and obviously you'll never beat a guy that's been perfecting one thing while you TRY to perfect many things.

The problem with that is there are many types of styles in boxing. You get your power punchers. Your slicksters. You get your counter punchers etc, etc. Most people say styles make fights, which I believe is true. One style in boxing can destroy another but can also lose to another one.
So if you saying best boxer comes in to MMA ring and can win. And best MMA fighter can come into a boxing ring and doesnt have a chance I dissagree.
The MMA fighter has just as much chance landing the perfect shot as the boxer has of getting that perfect shot off before he gets taken down.
If the MMA fighter can walk the boxer to the edge of the cage, the boxer will not be able to hold on to him to avoid punches as he would be taken down. The boxer would simply have to run backwards to avoid clinches and hope to get that shot off. Not to mention if he knocks him down he has to finish him of, which means ground and pound. And many MMA fights have been finished by the injured guy on the floor getting hold of the punching agressor and submitting him.
No body has sucsessfuly come into the UFC and become Number one with only one focus. Wth the acception of Brock Lesner but he has now been found out to be weak against punchers so he will need to learn some boxing to evade such strikes before taking his opponents down. Of course there only the opponents that have the ability to stop one of his take downs in the first place and not many people can do that. Only very skilled MMA fighters.
So either sport you enter the ring with a heavy handycap.

[Gandalf]

I regard boxing as an art form and the ultimate act of manly combat. It is about guile and ability and at it's best is like ballet with blood. It is beautiful to watch and I cannot say the same about MMA. It's irrelevant about what wins on the street as that is common and lowly and only a thug fights in the street. Combat in the boxing ring elevates a man and makes him respected. Combat in the street only leads to a knife in the back and a spell behind bars.

Boxing is a sublime art whilst MMA is barroom brawling plus wrestling. There is nothing beautiful about MMA, but to see the likes of Toney, Barrera and Calzaghe put on a display is glorious, profound and visionary. Then of course you have post fight interviews and it all becomes somewhat less profound, but that is besides the point. They handle it better than Chuck Giampa.

[Dia bando]

I regard boxing as an art form and the ultimate act of manly combat. It is about guile and ability and at it's best is like ballet with blood. It is beautiful to watch and I cannot say the same about MMA. It's irrelevant about what wins on the street as that is common and lowly and only a thug fights in the street. Combat in the boxing ring elevates a man and makes him respected. Combat in the street only leads to a knife in the back and a spell behind bars.

Boxing is a sublime art whilst MMA is barroom brawling plus wrestling. There is nothing beautiful about MMA, but to see the likes of Toney, Barrera and Calzaghe put on a display is glorious, profound and visionary. Then of course you have post fight interviews and it all becomes somewhat less profound, but that is besides the point. They handle it better than Chuck Giampa.

MMA has it's place so doe's boxing,what I have seen of MMA or mixed marshal art's fighter's some have done well in boxing.But most can't box to save there life.
As with some pro boxer's in MMA if it's stand up fight punching boxer win's but it's not.
Each sport has it's place and there fan's, you my like both or not as the old say go's beauty is in the eye of the beholder.!

[Leighton]

I regard boxing as an art form and the ultimate act of manly combat. It is about guile and ability and at it's best is like ballet with blood. It is beautiful to watch and I cannot say the same about MMA. It's irrelevant about what wins on the street as that is common and lowly and only a thug fights in the street. Combat in the boxing ring elevates a man and makes him respected. Combat in the street only leads to a knife in the back and a spell behind bars.

Boxing is a sublime art whilst MMA is barroom brawling plus wrestling. There is nothing beautiful about MMA, but to see the likes of Toney, Barrera and Calzaghe put on a display is glorious, profound and visionary. Then of course you have post fight interviews and it all becomes somewhat less profound, but that is besides the point. They handle it better than Chuck Giampa.

In the street was not the best use of words on my behalf. What i meant to say is that if there were no rules to fighting each other it would suit the MMA guy. I am not trying to put MMA above boxing I am just saying that it is a different sport and has many interesting techniques, if you take your time to watch and understand it. Once you learn the ground game it can be interesting to see the submissions and the escapes. I have seen some amasing knock outs with leg kicks, You must have seen Crocop when he was younger. As weel as knees and even slams (Rampage jackson). Or a guy who is getting the crap beaten out of him by the bigger stronger guy and then suddenly pulls off a submission that finishes the fight.
Alot of people are put off by the ground game but it is essential beacause you cant dissregard it in a fight.
You cant continue a fight with a broken arm or if you have been rendered unconcious with a triangle choke hold.
I must admit I prefere to watch a single Major boxing fight but over all an MMA event is usually more exciting. I however pay for Boxing but not for MMA any more.
If they bought K1 over here im sure you would watch it. You cant hate K1 surely.

[Gandalf]

I shall never take the time to watch MMA with any serious effort just as I shall never learn to knit, learn the rules of baseball or watch people play domino's. I prefer to live in ignorance with what I know to be splendid rather than force myself to respect a couple of goatee sporting muscle Mary's throwing wondrous shapes over one another on the floor.

I prefer my combat to be of the standing up variety and so boxing is the winner and thus this place is my home. I shall never post on the MMA board as I only want to see people rolling on the floor after being hit by an upright standing chap.

Boxing has the history and just as chess is the king of board games, boxing is the ultimate in combat sports. Nothing else can compare nor should even enter the equation.

That is all that I have to say on the issue. Words are wasted on MMA and all the horror that surrounds it. When Joseph Conrad wrote the Heart of Darkness MMA was on his mind and with it the mighty words "Oh the horror". Or was it imperialism? For this matter let it be MMA.

[El Kabong]

MMA fighters don't choose boxing for plenty of reasons, its just like why they didn't choose any other single martial art. As talented as guys like Anderson Silva et al are they don't throw punches like boxers or have defense like boxers. Plus going from 4 oz gloves up to boxing gloves you've got to feel that extra weight.

MMA is what it is...I don't like it for many of the reasons miles stated AND that the boxing knowledge is so poor from the fighters.