Boxers like Jones Jr missing the point of MMA

[AdamGB]

Whilst you make some very good points Bilbo I do feel that I need to point out that until joining the MMA, Brock Lesnar was not a competative combat athlete whilst he was in the WWE.

If we're going to use arguments regarding people being active in the WWE then we might as well say that Floyd Mayweather has a legitimate competative win over a 480lb world class wrestler!

and personally my thoughts on MMA is that it's hot shit... right now, once upon a time boxing was too... before the mismatches and vague titles etc started to creep in. I will not be at all surprised when the same inevitable thing happens to UFC.

[El Kabong]

I think right now boxing lacks a number of things and BOXING is at fault for MMA becoming big.

1. Boxing is rarely on cable tv much less on network tv when it used to have a sweetheart of a deal much like the NFL does these days.

2. Guys have gotten lazy around the sport, fewer prospects are groomed properly in the sport, just look at American heavyweights for fuck's sake...I still think Evander Holyfield or even John Ruiz are still among the best American heavyweights, it hurts me to say that. There are lazy fighters, lazy trainers, and lazy fans...it's pathetic.

3. You have to SEARCH to find a young talent these days when they used to just fall right out of the amateurs onto tv and win over the crowd and build a fanbase and now it's increasingly hard to do.

4. This isn't boxing's fault, but MMA can draw from various pools of talent: wrestling, karate, judo, ju jitsu, tkd, etc etc etc...boxing just has boxing to draw from

Eventually if we keep on this path MMA will surpass boxing, they will steal our sponsors, they will steal our air time, and they will steal our fans. Sure I respect MMA, I still think boxing is the top...I DO think a boxer would beat Brock Lesnar in an MMA bout, but I think that sport has marketed itself in such a manner where it is ready to gain ground whenever boxing slips up.

The things we do have going for us are...
1. The Amateur system, it hasn't been run right recently but it's there and ready to groom talent whenever it comes through again.

2. Boxing will ALWAYS be an Olympic sport ergo we'll always have some class athletes.

[BoxingGorilla]

Jones Jr. would get smashed by Silva in the same way a home gets swallowed up by a mud slide. There is no skill involved its just unyeilding force.


Many mixed martial artists hide poor technique behind 300 pounds of brawn. Honestly, besides being hulking monsters, I'm not impressed by anything they do.

When Jet Li and Jackie Chan face off against Donnie Yen and Gordon Lui I'll buy a front row seat.