No UFC fighter can compete in world-class Boxing, I see not a single Mixed Martial Arts fighter that could break Top 20 in pro boxing. If they could, that's where they'd be where the bigger money is. It's because most of the best in MMA come from grappling backgrounds. They're grapplers and most have from sup-par mediocre to elementary stand-up skills.
However, I believe that world-class boxers in the Top 10 could learn to grapple and become top MMA fighters, but there's no incentive as there's no money in UFC. 18 months of intense grappling training and they'd be ready to start.
Arum and King would love to run Boxing like dana white runs UFC as a dictator with a monopoly, but it'll never happen because Boxing's a world-sport. No one man can control and run Boxing.
Listen, Buckos, let's discuss how many pro fights per year to give you young fellas a barometer of global size differences between these combat-sports:
UFC is a single promotion within Mixed Martial Arts, and I don't know how many pro fights take place in a year across all Mixed Martial Arts, but I do know that UFC is basically the only game in town now for MMA, and none of these other MMA orgs survive anyway.
In 2009, UFC put on 215 pro bouts.
In 2009, Boxing put on approx 20 thousand pro bouts.
You're not gonna have 20 thousand professional matches a year UNLESS there's a tremendous amount of money involved, for $#!t's sake !!!
And there's a lot more amateur boxing takes place than Pro boxing: nobody knows how many amateur Boxing bouts take place in a year.
In about 2008 in MMA, I know there were more pro MMA fighters than amateurs: the direct inverse of how sports usually are.
UFC has tried to make inroads into other countries with limited success, and their main fan-base remains one Country: the USA.
In 2008, 77 Countries send Boxing Teams to the Olympics.
Americans seem to think Boxing faded. Maybe in their own country, but around the world, boxing is alive and well.
EDIT:
These MMA fighters have to get organized and form an MMA Fighters Union, it's the only thing i can see under the current system. I don't think UFC can survive in the long-haul under its own current system. When UFC does go under, MMA will survive by returning to its roots as a fringe-sport until it catches on again. Combat-sports are about peaks-and-valleys.
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