Randy Couture attempting to lure Hatton into MMA?

[rjj tszyu]

I don't think many of the top boxers can do that to be fair. And regardless I don't see how that is more impressive than the skills of Silva, Cung Lee and Machida?

At the elite of every sport people can do things you shouldn't be able to do. If you're going to judge the talent pool of a sport soley by the athleticism of its top practictioner then surely gynamsts, divers and figure skaters would far and away represent the highest attainable standards for human greatness.

I just find the idea that boxers are better athletes because the elite boxers excell at the art of punching (i.e boxing) is just silly. I mean Lewis Hamilton can do things a human shouldn't be able to do in a race car, and Ronnie O'Sullivan can do things with a snooker cue that are practically an artform but you'd expect them to because they are the absolute cream of their respective sports.

A boxer being better at boxing than an MMA fighter doesn't in any way mean that MMA practictioners are less talented.

Boxing has had literally hundreds of years to progress though, MMA hasn't and is as a result not as polished as boxing IMO.

Yes I definitely agree with you there. MMA is probably at the stage boxing was in the Joe Luis era. It will progress more quickly, thanks to the developments in fitness training, nutrition and phsyiological understanding in the modern era, and the fact that there is already a growing fanbase and big potential revenues, but right now there isn't as much strength in depth.

The top guys are formidable athletes though.

I forsee a time in the future where a top UFC fighter will have roughly equal status within the public consciousness as the top boxers.

Maybe another 5 years if it keeps progressing at the current rate.

Personally over the last 12 months I think MMA has reached somewhere near its limit. I might be wrong but it's biggest PPV was a couple of years ago and when they went head to head with Floyd-Marquez Boxing prevailed 3 times over apparently.

If the HW division in boxing was to have a throwback to the 70's or even the 90's now then I think boxing would cause serious dents in MMA. I don't mind MMA and watch most UFC cards (haven't missed one this year) but I think boxing will always be ahead in PPV figures as long as its top boxers vs UFC cards.