Why is MMA a threat to boxing?

[mnmc10]

its not a threat at all.

its just like rugby, American football or soccer. similar but has their own set of fans.

[erics44]

its not a threat at all.

its just like rugby, American football or soccer. similar but has their own set of fans.

you could be right, i keep on seeing lots of times on this forum comments like "no wonder mma is taking over", so i thought id ask why?

[rjj tszyu]

The only real threat it poses to boxing is basically, for about 150 years+ boxing has led the way as far as combat sports go, but these days with all the money involved in boxing the promoters and the fighters like to make more money than they can spend in a lifetime in one night therefore the cards are no longer stacked like they once were because they can't afford to make £20 million for each main event fighter and the same again for the promoter and then put big names on the undercard. MMA and in particular the UFC fighter are not on anything like the money that Boxers are (I think the record purse is $500,000 for Chuck Liddel) so they can afford to stack the cards much better than boxing has been doing recently and ultimately they are getting a lot of old boxing fans watching their events.

As far as who is more skilled?? Elite Boxers are far more polished at what they do and if for example someone from another sport wanted to become either a boxer or MMA fighter they would find MMA the easier sport to reach somewhere near the top of. I'm not bashing MMA here this is just my opinion.

For example you have Brock Lesnar, big dude, strong as an Ox and former amateur wrestler before going and doing the fake stuff for WWE. He was sick of people calling him a fake and wanted to prove he was a tough guy. Now he could have chosen to learn Boxing and earned 20 times what he does now per fight had he reached the top or he could go to MMA which he did and he became UFC world champ after I think it was 4 MMA fights. Now fair enough he already had the wrestling background so MMA would probably always be the easier route but other examples such as Kimbo Slice and Matt Mitrione etc they could have chosen Boxing but didn't because they knew their mistakes would be punished within seconds against an elite boxer whereas in MMA you can get away with a lot of big mistakes especially when your stood up and not be punished.

Anderson Silva is probably the best MMA fighter on the planet right now and certainly the best striker in MMA, but when he tried boxing he was soundly beaten by TKO against a journeyman called Osmar Teixera. He then had another boxing match against someone who was simply there to even the record out. He had never been in a boxing ring before and has never been in one since. Some MMA fans have denied it ever happened but I can assure you it did, I'm looking for the video now and if I can find it I will post it on here. I have seen it before though.

Here is Andersons Boxing record if you want to check it out. Anderson Da Silva - Boxer

We must remember they are different sports though and Anderson is not a boxer he is an MMA genius if i'm honest. Expecting Anderson to be a great boxer would be like expecting Pele to be great at tennis.

[generalbulldog]

its not a threat at all.

its just like rugby, American football or soccer. similar but has their own set of fans.

you could be right, i keep on seeing lots of times on this forum comments like "no wonder mma is taking over", so i thought id ask why?

I made such a comment and my reason being is that at least in MMA, whether it be the now defunct Pride or UFC, they manage to appease their fanbase more than boxing, and I have to say that they do a much better and thorough job attracting new fans than boxing.

In boxing you have 4+ champions in 17 weight divisions that don't fight the best half the time. Way too many divisions and way too many belts along with way too much bullshit politics. MMA doesn't have that problem, well except for Fedor not fighting the best, but he's the only 1 I can think of. Another thing I respect about MMA is at least if there is a shoddy decision, there's usually a rematch on the way like Machida-Shogun. In boxing 1 guy doesn't want a rematch and probably runs off fighting other guys or goes to another division. Then in boxing you have hyped up shitty fighters that picks and chooses their fights way too much and are manufactured, Amir Khan is a prime example.

[generalbulldog]

And about attracting new fans. Boxing in the old days was on regular network tv like NBC, ABC, and CBS. It's completely disappear in today's time in the USA. Back then my dad watched a young Muhammad Ali rose up through the ranks and challenge Liston for the title, he saw a young Duran, Leonard, Hearns, Hagler rise up in the same way, hell as a little kid I still remember watching a young Pernell Whitaker, Holyfield, Taylor, rising up through regular network tv in the 80s. Nowadays to watch those young prospects you better have a subscription to premium cable channels like HBO or Showtime. IMO and it has been documented by boxing historians, that the move from regular network tv to premium cable has severely hurt boxing and limited their exposure to a whole new generation.

You guys know why the NFL, NBA, and MLB are so popular in the US? It's on free regular network tv including the playoffs. They don't limit their exposure. Sure the NFL can go to a PPV for the superbowl or moving their games to premium cable and it will make boatloads of cash, but in the long run it hurts the sport.

Boxing shot itself in the foot by these decisions. In the 80s boxing was still a mainstream sport in the USA, what happened? Moving to premium cable where an entire generation wasn't that exposed to it. sure in the internet age you can catch a stream or watch it on youtube, but limiting your exposure on free network tv hinders the sport from growing.

I still love boxing, and always will, but boxing has a lot of problems.

[El Kabong]

I think eventually MMA and Boxing can have a Bo Jackson/Deon Sanders type of two sport star....but to be honest I think it'll be a lot easier for that to happen if the guy is a boxer first and MMA fighter second because you're going from strict rules to not so strict rules.

[rjj tszyu]

I think eventually MMA and Boxing can have a Bo Jackson/Deon Sanders type of two sport star....but to be honest I think it'll be a lot easier for that to happen if the guy is a boxer first and MMA fighter second because you're going from strict rules to not so strict rules.

I completely agree with this. I think Mercer is a prime example of this too. Don't get me wrong I know he'll never be UFC HW champ, but he showed that boxing has a serious chance in MMA when he KO'd the former UFC champ Tim Sylvia in 8 seconds in a cage. And that is a man who is something like 15-16 years younger than him.

[El Kabong]

I completely agree with this. I think Mercer is a prime example of this too. Don't get me wrong I know he'll never be UFC HW champ, but he showed that boxing has a serious chance in MMA when he KO'd the former UFC champ Tim Sylvia in 8 seconds in a cage. And that is a man who is something like 15-16 years younger than him.

I truthfully think that the best way to stop a boxer isn't so much with wrestling and submissions because as long as a boxer can keep his hands free he can do damage, it's vs a kicker that takes away leg strength, the ability to sit down on punches, and reach.

Look at Carwin-Lesnar and tell me had a power punching heavyweight in boxing landed on Brock he couldn't have starched him out....I wouldn't want someone that had snap on their punches to land ANYTHING on my face or body with 4 oz gloves.

[0james0]

I catch the odd UFC on, there is a bit about, but most the stuff I see is old.

I was saying the other day how I think Chuck could have knocked a few people out in his day, no doubting he hit hard and he'd be hard as fuck to knock out.

They'd probably struggle to a true boxer in terms of style, a puncher they could brawl with, but a dodger with good feet would frustrate them.

I think if a boxer went to MMA they would be too vunerable to submissions, just through lack of knowledge. Certain MMA fighters prob could box and would find it easy to take punches and stalk down opponents, but I still think they'd struggle unless they could turn it into a brawl.

I'm suprised Lesnar hasn't done it, he's done just about everything else. I'm sure he'd take a few heavyweights!

[El Kabong]

I was saying the other day how I think Chuck could have knocked a few people out in his day, no doubting he hit hard and he'd be hard as fuck to knock out.

I'm suprised Lesnar hasn't done it, he's done just about everything else. I'm sure he'd take a few heavyweights!

I don't think so, Chuck Liddell would have been found out early in boxing. You CANNOT just drop your jab by your side like that and live to tell the tale vs guys who know what they are doing. He would be a dangerous puncher, but he would have been sparked early and often given how he threw his punches and what he did after throwing a punch

Lesnar is just a wrestler....he can't box. The style that he has success with is wrestling and getting opponents on the ground...you can't do either of those in boxing. Shane Carwin can punch, but I HIGHLY doubt he'd be a decent heavyweight even given the state of the division right now.

I think the guy that would have done the best in boxing is Arlovski before his chin went.

[0james0]

I think against the right fighters, Rampage and Chuck could have won a few fights before being found out.

Would Chuck had been KO'd though with bigger gloves and a rule to stop you smashing his face in when he's on the floor?

What do they weigh out of interest?

[El Kabong]

I think against the right fighters, Rampage and Chuck could have won a few fights before being found out.

Would Chuck had been KO'd though with bigger gloves and a rule to stop you smashing his face in when he's on the floor?

What do they weigh out of interest?

They would both be cruiserweights 205 is light heavyweight in UFC

Yes Chuck would have been KO'd because unlike MMA you HAVE to get up by 10 and then come to scratch...if he got up, he'd still be shakey and easy to pick off.

[johnsebastianmiran]

Plain and simple, we watch sports because we crave excitement. When kickboxing emerged and I m not talking the Thai version which has been around almost forever with a little exaggeration of course, Someone once said that those of us that crave violent sports invented another one. I really give a rat's ass about yuppies that did not have the stomach to watch a man's sport so they started by canceling a high rated show on cable network USA. Let';s face it, there are those of us that are squeamish and there are those of us that can't get enough. We are fans. while those hypocrites trying to abolish boxing and focus their attention on our sport. MMA was stepping up to the plate, raw and unorganized. Boxing has been around and taken a beating from people outside the boundaries of fans like us. MMA has rules that I can't abide by and when yopu are on the floor and get hit behind the head while you are down, where's the sport in that you might ask. All I can say is to each his own and if the MMA makes you happy then more power to you. I have been practicing martial arts in dojos and not in a ring and I boxed amateur but now remember this, Boxing has risen again but those promoters and those wannabe executives that never broke a sweat in their lives are the real threat to boxing. I usually find one more quality in all the gyms I frequent, there are more gentlemen in boxing than in other sports and I mean the fighters.

[The Student]

Plain and simple, we watch sports because we crave excitement. When kickboxing emerged and I m not talking the Thai version which has been around almost forever with a little exaggeration of course, Someone once said that those of us that crave violent sports invented another one. I really give a rat's ass about yuppies that did not have the stomach to watch a man's sport so they started by canceling a high rated show on cable network USA. Let';s face it, there are those of us that are squeamish and there are those of us that can't get enough. We are fans. while those hypocrites trying to abolish boxing and focus their attention on our sport. MMA was stepping up to the plate, raw and unorganized. Boxing has been around and taken a beating from people outside the boundaries of fans like us. MMA has rules that I can't abide by and when yopu are on the floor and get hit behind the head while you are down, where's the sport in that you might ask. All I can say is to each his own and if the MMA makes you happy then more power to you. I have been practicing martial arts in dojos and not in a ring and I boxed amateur but now remember this, Boxing has risen again but those promoters and those wannabe executives that never broke a sweat in their lives are the real threat to boxing. I usually find one more quality in all the gyms I frequent, there are more gentlemen in boxing than in other sports and I mean the fighters.

Actually most MMA organizations, well any recognized and sanctioned organizations do not allow hitting in the back of the head at all.

MMA has rules, as does boxing... The rules are just very different as they are two very different sports. The ground game is an integral part of MMA. The only time you can hit someone when they are on the ground is when they have the ability to intelligently defend themselves.

Tons of fights are won by fighters who are on their back.

I'm a fan of both sports, I think they're both great for their own reasons. The main reason why MMA is a threat to boxing is the UFC and their marketing machine. As someone already mentioned they have studied boxing's structure and are capitalizing on their mistakes.

Also I noticed that here in Toronto atleast, they've been able to really capture the younger audiences.. some of who still enjoy boxing (but that seems to be the more mature ones). When I talk to younger guys it seems like that whole 'cage fighting' and the illusion of raw, no rules, anything can happen stuff is what appeals to them most.

I personally think that boxing and mma will co-exist. But boxing needs to take a few lessons from the ufc as the ufc took lessons from boxing and become aggressive with their marketing and promo. The MMA is constantly growing not because it's a superior sport but because the guys behind it have a more long term vision and a better business model, imo.

[Drago]

the average age of a boxing fan is alot older than the average age of mma fan, there lies the foundation for mma to overtake boxing.