The Reverse Punch

I think using gomi and diaz is a poor example. Gomi is a slugger and he is considered the best 155 pound fighter, so he would be fighting someone more like Winky Wright not Tarver. So would Winky be able to use his southpaw stance and outstanding defense to pull off a boring UD in an MMA fight against Gomi? I don't know, but I'd say no. Now more importantly I think Sean Sherk(premiere wrestler) would wreck just about any Jr. Middleweight in the world. Diaz for all of his BJJ prowess doesn't use them enough. He attempts to trade and slug too often. So how does he fair against Tarver? Well if he trys to trade punches they yes he loses. If he works to get the clench and starts working knees/elbows and thai leg kicks then yes I believe he could beat Tarver. Nick has never shown me really good takedowns so could he takedown Tarver? Hell I don't know I've never seen Antonio's sprawl. That being said there is no doubt in my mind that Frank Trigg or Matt Hughes could get Tarver on the mat. Obviously Diaz or just about any MMA fighter couldn't punch with the same effeciency as tarver, but they don't have to be able to do just as well. Just good enough to captilize on on their MuayThai, Wrestling, BJJ or whatever. The difference in gloves plays a big part in the styles of striking and boxing. You can't afford to get hit nearly as often in MMA as you can in boxing: hence a very different style

I would give an outside shot to Hughes because he's very strong, but again, it starts on the feet and Tarver would keep him away with a jab, the likes of which he's never seen. But don't underestimate the strngth of boxers. They have zero weight on them but muscle. Look at the physique of RJJ back in the day.

Trigg would die. Period.

And wright wold make Gomi look like a kid. If Diaz did that him then wright would have a field day with his peekaboo style and his awesome jab.

Re the gloves, yes they're smaller, but that's to the advantage of the boxer. Just think how much faster their hads are when you cut 10oz down to 4.

Von one of the best times to shoot in on a fighter for a takedown is WHEN they throw punches....a great jab is not a takedown defense if anything its and invitation to time it and shoot in. I think you overestimate a boxer's ability to keep a determined opponent from gaining the clinch. once in a thai clinch all of the boxers training is a moot point. It doesn't necessarily mean they going to be incompetent, but theyutilization of knees, elbows, leg strikes and sweeps is not something they train for. Tarver, RJJ, Jermain Taylor etc are great athletes and their natural abilities will make them a game opponent but good take down defense and avoiding sweeps in the clinch is something that is just as much technique as it is athleticism. Think about how long great wrestlers dominated MMA. It hasn't been until recently that there has been a surge in fighters that are predominantly strikers at the top of most divisions. It has been the implementation of training to avoid the takedown and get back up when put on the mat. No MMA fighter would choose to attempt to "box" a prizefighter in an MMA bout. They would work the boxers weaknesses. If they chose to strike it would be with lots of leg kicks and in the clinch or with groundfighting. For instance I used to work out in a boxing gym a long time ago and occasionally do some bag work and sparring. I have a pretty strong left hook and jab but this pales in comparison to your boxing skill. That being said my knowledge of sub. wrestling is much more than yours with a little Muay Thai mixd in. If we were to have an MMA fight I'd be crazy to try and just trade punches, much like you'd be ill advised to go to the ground. Yes I'm sure you'd land some nice punches, but I personally believe that the striking skills that I do have would be enough to allow me to get close enough to make you fight my fight. Maybe not. I've only fought in "non sanctioned" mma fights, and none of my opponents have had worldclass boxing skills, but a number have had a boxing background. I didn't win all of them but I never found it overly difficult to close the distance. In fact in my 4-3 record all of my losses have come against former college wrestlers. Usually due to the fact that they were better conditioned and overall simply more athletic than I was. I mentioned the gloves b/c unlike in boxing the effects of a flush shot in MMA usually means the fight is over and this is why MMA striking is so much different than boxing.

u are both probably write in some ways the way i see it is that if roy jones jr was to take a fight in mma he would give himself maybe six months of hard takedown defence training and ground defence if he had any talent at all in wresling then i could see him making himself into a ufc champion yes if he went in without thought he probably would get taken down but if you look at how hard he trains for boxing why wouldnt he train that hard to avoid getting taken down. this whole argument about boxers having no takedown defence is stupid becouse thats just assuming that their stupid. Tyson with decent takedown defence would murder people in the ufc like u said the new champions are strikers who have good ground defence the ref stands u back up and its lights out. im a striker primarilly but i dont look like a fish out of water if i get taken down

Good take, TKD. cc.