Al Bernstein On Boxing: MMA And Boxing? MP Need To Fight

The relationship between mixed martial arts and boxing has had an intriguing evolution in the past decade.

The boxing establishment has viewed MMA with equal parts ambivalence, hostility, envy and sometimes grudging respect. The MMA world has sometimes seen boxing as a kindly old uncle that you respect for its past, but snicker a bit at its present state.

From time to time there has been open hostility and ridicule of boxing by MMA moguls, but that has abated in the last several years.

For many of the “old guard” in boxing, MMA is scoffed at and treated like a barbaric undertaking that is without skill. The members of this old guard passes judgment on the sport of MMA without ever really bothering to learn more about it.

To suggest that there is not skill in mixed martial arts is as absurd as suggesting that courage is not an integral ingredient in both sports. While it is edgy and violent, MMA is also filled with nuances.

I have hosted MMA shows on television, one on Showtime and several others on pay per view or regional cable. To prepare for the first MMA show I ever did, I watched hours and hours of video and was able to pick the brain of one of the best analysts in the sport, Stephen Quadros.

Stephen baby-sat me through my Showtime MMA experience. What I learned from that experience was that MMA is a sport that demands that it’s athletes have at least some level of skill at many disciplines, if they are to reach the upper echelon of fighters.

I’ve enjoyed every one of my MMA announcing experiences and found that the fighters and fans will welcome someone associated with boxing as long as they are not guilty of either of these two things: a.) Pretending they are MMA experts, or b.) Pretending they like MMA, when they really don’t.

The new “in vogue” question for radio sports talk show hosts to ask people like me is “Is MMA killing boxing?” That absurd question has a faulty premise in the first place because boxing is not getting killed at all, it’s doing pretty nicely these days. It is a lazy “pack mentality” type of question that someone asks because they are too stupid to think through an intelligent question on the topic.

I contend that the rise of MMA has actually helped boxing. First, MMA has taught boxing some things. One is that the fans at the arena need to be entertained and and given some kind of show – something boxing had basically ignored.

Secondly, MMA has made boxing more mainstream as there was a stigma associated with boxing because of its inherent violence. Because of MMA, boxing often looks tame and as a result, there is almost no stigma now attached to boxing in terms of violence.

There is plenty of room under the combat sports tent for both boxing and MMA. As a person who has straddled the fence between the two on many occasions, I can tell you there is mutual respect building between the architects of each sport.

MMA folks really do have a healthy respect for the history and noble art of boxing and boxing people are coming to understand that the MMA fighters are tremendous athletes with a myriad of abilities and the people who handle the business of MMA have some very ingenious new tricks up their sleeves.

It is not in the best interest of either sport to denigrate the other, though that still happens in some cases. I am the poster child for how the two can co-exist together. I am 29 years into boxing broadcasting and I am not considered to be right in the middle of the MMA demographic. So, if I can find a way to announce both sports, travel in the circles of both sports, and respect both sports, others should be able to do so as well.

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On Aug. 15, I will do the pay per view telecast in which Nonito Donaire goes back up in weight to try and win a super flyweight title. Some believe that Donaire has the potential to be one of this era’s great fighters. I’m one of those people.

I am not suggesting he is a lock to beat Rafael Concepcion on the 15th, or that he is a certain superstar, but I will say that he has the physical tools and ring savvy necessary to be great. He defines the term boxer-puncher.

The irony is that no matter how good Nonito gets or how much he accomplishes, he will never be the most famous boxer born in the Philippines. That other fellow will probably hang onto that honor.

What’s his name again? I think it’s Manny something. Well, no matter, Donaire will get his share of accolades before his career is all done. Actually, he may get his share and the share of a few more as well – he is that good.