Media mainstream sportscenter starts show with mma vs boxing debate

[RP33]

Hey, first post..
From the reactions of my friends (who are not big boxing fans, but have their favorites and will watch the bigger name fights) it seems that it's all about perception.. The mainstream audience can just turn on a UFC fight and jump right into it and understand it because it seems more straight forward -- two men just go at it. At the end of the Liddell fight, everyone said "I heard it sucked" simply because it was an early KO, and the guy they wanted to win didn't win.. and when these are the people you're trying to sell PPV's to, then overall MMA is going to get the most money due to entertainment factors... I think that the mainstream audience may not be as entertained by a boxing chess match, where boxing fans may love it.. I think that boxing has a ridiculous amount of depth compared to MMA, but MMA is more straight forward and easier for a random person to watch..

I think a good example would be Mayweather, and how his style is nearly untouchable.. someone who purchased a PPV to watch Mayweather fight, and they see his opponent missing him constantly and Floyd sticking his shots in their, will probably be disapointed.. but i feel that when he puts on a show like that, i appreciate him that much more because of his skills.
And on the flip side you watch someone like Royce Gracie fight MMA and you see this skinny dude submitting and completely owning oversized opponents.. and unless you're a martial arts fan, or are somewhat involved or enjoy watching boxing/mma you won't appreciate his skills.. But if you see Matt Hughes or Rampage Jackson pound someone, then you consider them a great fighter..
This is a topic up for endless debate, but what it comes down to is satisfaction, and i don't think that my equivelant as an MMA fan can get as involved and excited about MMA as i do with boxing..

[Punisher136]

I love both sports...the only time I get irked is when the legitamacy of MMA and the skill and athleticism of its participants is questioned...its not about one better than the other to me just a simple matter of respect

They're in shape mostly but you can't argue that alot of them get jacked up with punches. Yeah i've heard the gloves are smaller and that the stances have to be different but that doesn't mean you can't side step and counter. I'm not one that thinks its less violent than boxing (being as a lot of stoppages occur in the first round from sometimes less than clean landing punches).

Saying that its more like a street fight is an absolute crap claim. You ever see someone say i quit from an armbar in a street fight? I have and guess what happens after the other guy lets go? He gets a brick to the fache.

I'm tired of the mma enthusiasts (i know a lot of them) saying boxing is less of a sport and outdated and i'm tired of dana fucking white running commercials that say and i quote "Whats real? wrestling? no. Boxing? not anymore. see whats real" WTF is that? how would he know boxing isn't real anymore its not like his panzy ass ever went pro. Yeah there's less things you can do in boxing that doesn't mean there's less skill involved. You only have two hands to work with. Guess what you can't excel in one thing in boxing and make it. You have to be good at punching defense coutering and ring management to make it. Somebody in mma could make it just know submissions and upsets happen more readily in mma than in boxing.

[Kev]

It's not clear as day though. The only baddest man on the planet were Tyson and Hagler. But that's fair because they really were the baddest man on the planet. No one called Ray Leonard the baddest man on the planet, or De La Hoya, but they are two of the biggest draws in the last 30 years.

The heavyweight world champion. The weak american heavy crop is the only real thing wrong with the sport. These bad decisions and alpha titles while around before tyson but while he was around no one really seemed to notice or complain much.

You got exactly what I was getting at Punisher. The flagship of boxing, the pinnacle of it's glory is when we have a dominant heavyweight champion. The whole world takes notice when there is a true heavyweight champ because they are seen as the 'baddest' man alive.

Jim Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Luis, Rocky Marciano, Liston, Foreman, Ali, Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis these guys are the real stars of boxing globally.

Being the dominnt heavyweight in a era has always been a massive badge of pride, the pinnacle of sporting achievement.

Right now there is no such champ in boxing.

MMA is striving for the same goal. If the MMA can create a truly dominant, vicious heavyweight fighting machine that can vill the void that boxing has currently made and lay claim to having the 'baddest' man on the planet in their ranks it could be a huge, momentous and historic shift as to the way both boxing and MMA are to be regarded in the future.

It may not seem much now, but in the future I expect this battle to be huge.

[Punisher136]

It's not clear as day though. The only baddest man on the planet were Tyson and Hagler. But that's fair because they really were the baddest man on the planet. No one called Ray Leonard the baddest man on the planet, or De La Hoya, but they are two of the biggest draws in the last 30 years.

The heavyweight world champion. The weak american heavy crop is the only real thing wrong with the sport. These bad decisions and alpha titles while around before tyson but while he was around no one really seemed to notice or complain much.

You got exactly what I was getting at Punisher. The flagship of boxing, the pinnacle of it's glory is when we have a dominant heavyweight champion. The whole world takes notice when there is a true heavyweight champ because they are seen as the 'baddest' man alive.

Jim Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Luis, Rocky Marciano, Liston, Foreman, Ali, Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis these guys are the real stars of boxing globally.

Being the dominnt heavyweight in a era has always been a massive badge of pride, the pinnacle of sporting achievement.

Right now there is no such champ in boxing.

MMA is striving for the same goal. If the MMA can create a truly dominant, vicious heavyweight fighting machine that can vill the void that boxing has currently made and lay claim to having the 'baddest' man on the planet in their ranks it could be a huge, momentous and historic shift as to the way both boxing and MMA are to be regarded in the future.

It may not seem much now, but in the future I expect this battle to be huge.

honestly i'm glad theres something to challenge boxing in this way. It will make promoters traighten up their acts give us better fights and everything else. Also it gives hardcore boxing fans something to hate and new reason to appreciate their sport. I'm not saying it will be a two headed monster that co exists in the future but for the time being it can do more good than harm.

[amat]

Hey, first post..
From the reactions of my friends (who are not big boxing fans, but have their favorites and will watch the bigger name fights) it seems that it's all about perception.. The mainstream audience can just turn on a UFC fight and jump right into it and understand it because it seems more straight forward -- two men just go at it. At the end of the Liddell fight, everyone said "I heard it sucked" simply because it was an early KO, and the guy they wanted to win didn't win.. and when these are the people you're trying to sell PPV's to, then overall MMA is going to get the most money due to entertainment factors... I think that the mainstream audience may not be as entertained by a boxing chess match, where boxing fans may love it.. I think that boxing has a ridiculous amount of depth compared to MMA, but MMA is more straight forward and easier for a random person to watch..

I think a good example would be Mayweather, and how his style is nearly untouchable.. someone who purchased a PPV to watch Mayweather fight, and they see his opponent missing him constantly and Floyd sticking his shots in their, will probably be disapointed.. but i feel that when he puts on a show like that, i appreciate him that much more because of his skills.
And on the flip side you watch someone like Royce Gracie fight MMA and you see this skinny dude submitting and completely owning oversized opponents.. and unless you're a martial arts fan, or are somewhat involved or enjoy watching boxing/mma you won't appreciate his skills.. But if you see Matt Hughes or Rampage Jackson pound someone, then you consider them a great fighter..
This is a topic up for endless debate, but what it comes down to is satisfaction, and i don't think that my equivelant as an MMA fan can get as involved and excited about MMA as i do with boxing..

That's a hell of a first post man, CC and welcome to the board. Hope you enjoy your stay. No doubt MMA is easier to get into right now because it is more engaging, also they got lLiddell as their front man. Boxing has always had the best fighters as their front man while MMA has always had their most exciting. Even when Gracie was doing his thing, Shamrock was the guy.

When boxing's best was Hagler, he attracted loads to the sport because he had an engaging style, and like the UFC, people watched him and other boxing and learned a little bit more about the sport. Now the UFC fans can appreciate people like Gracie because they learned a little bit more but it was Liddell who brought them.

That's why I like Pavlik so much because he wouldn't be to hard to market, and he is exciting.

Very good post hope you stick around.

[amat]

Were Lewis and Holyfield really recognized as the baddest men on the planet? No they weren't. While I agree that America needs a very good heavyweight (Chazz and Aaron Williams ), the other divisions can carry boxing and have time and time again.

I just don't think boxing is in any grave danger that's all. Maybe among certain demographics in America, but that's about it. And you're right, MMA will tighten promoters up hopefully.

[yoitsdan]

Rogan is an asshole, but he makes a point. Di Bella has just added to the stuffy, old fashioned image of Boxing. Your not helping Lou. Boxing needs to say shit like Dre. "We started this pirze fighting shit, and this the motherfucking thanks we get,"

[youtube=425,350]7jJgg3XHLhs&NR=1[/youtube]

[amat]

Haha, that made me laugh CC.

And yeah, DiBella is a tosser, not to mention he can't argue a point. Thank God for Brian Kenny

[amat]

Did I just say tosser? Fucken british lingo rubbing off

[yoitsdan]

Did I just say tosser? Fucken british lingo rubbing off

[Punisher136]

Did I just say tosser? Fucken british lingo rubbing off

Yeah that tends to happen. I usually catch myself before i post it but im sure one will slip out here and there.

[global]

Who is the more complete law breaker, Rogan or Lampley? We know now Rogan has pirated dvds, to prove he loves boxing.

[Punisher136]

Who is the more complete law breaker, Rogan or Lampley? We know now Rogan has pirated dvds, to prove he loves boxing.

C. mike tyson

[Kev]

Who is the more complete law breaker, Rogan or Lampley? We know now Rogan has pirated dvds, to prove he loves boxing.

C. mike tyson

He said he had a stack of Willie Pep fights on dvd.

As a pirate myself I think that technically it's legal to have copies of Willie Pep fights as his fights are so old the copyright rights have expired.

Not legal to profit from them but downloading Willie Pep fights for your own use won't get you in trouble.

[Punisher136]

well I have to say I'm dissapointed in the outcome of the fight.... but that S*** is pretty funny punisher

If there's a fake award on this site given to the person with the best prediction of the year, I'll take my trophy now