Good interview with Mercer and Toney on MMA and Boxing

[The Promoter]

:cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbAxh...ayer_embedded#

Really good interview and it brings up the age old "boxer v wrestler" argument...which I love ...I wonder if two over the hill boxers stating that MMA is tougher really holds weight since the can no longer box at a championship level but believe they are able to compete at that level in MMA? I think all on this website will agree that most MMA striking is sorely lacking today...

I will have to disagree with this statement. MMA striking is more diverse than boxing. Striking in boxing is punches and punches only. In MMA there are so many different types of strikes that can be thrown.

Knees
Elbows
High Kicks Low Kicks
Flying Knees
Spinning Backfists etc.,

I would not say striking in MMA is lacking at all. I love both sports and always see the whole mma vs boxing on the mma forum I am apart of as well.

I don't disagree that MMA fighters have more options. I meant that the boxing fundamentals MMA guys used are poor. Watch an MMA fighter throw a jab, hook, cross or any combination compared to a pro-boxer or decent amateur, in this aspect MMA stand up is lacking. Not to say it won't get better as the sport matures. Remember, boxing has had about a 150 year head start....

[X]

Some good posts here.

- firstly, I wouldnt read too much into the comparisons that the two guys are making in the video. They are essentially washed up boxers at the highest level moving onto a new venture and they are not going to slag it off are they?
- second .... while I think that MMA guys are tough and good athletes, their actual sport is still young, so they do not yet have a history or traditions on how to fight. In any new sport, its easier to reach the top because less people do it and ther is less competition. This will change quite quickly as MMA is growing really fast
- third, I think that MMA people have some flawed techique but that is because their sport is a mixture of much more fighting styles than boxing. Its probably better to be a jack of all trades in MMA rather than 'only' a master striker or floor guy.

Lastly, sadly listening to James and Ray's speech patterns in this video, I dont think there is any doubt about how tough boxing is, but its also not the best possible advert for the sport either?

Equally, what does it say about a supposedly elite athletic sport when two over the hill guys - who are already arguably damaged - are allowed to fight in MMA?