Good interview with Mercer and Toney on MMA and Boxing

[skel1983]

:cool

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

[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...

[ruthless rocco]

i like james toney alot... i also think he's full of shit.
i'd love to see him get a few nice early easy MMA knock outs. then, on, say his 4th fight he gets taken down and taken apart. really nasty like. then watch for some magical rainbow/unicorn like bull shit come out of his mouth.

[Hulk]

"How long have you been training for this James ?" -Bas Rutten

"Well I took Karate when I was 10..."-James Toney

Jesus Christ...

And then Toney goes on to call Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianko "one dimensional". Toney IS one dimensional. He'd get taken down and slaughtered by either Fedor or Brock.

James better be training his takedown defense and try to get his fat ass down to 205 if he wants to have a chance at doing reasonably well in the UFC.

He clearly is ignorant about MMA though.

At least Mercer is humble and tries to talk some sense into James.

[rjj tszyu]

"How long have you been training for this James ?" -Bas Rutten

"Well I took Karate when I was 10..."-James Toney

Jesus Christ...

And then Toney goes on to call Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianko "one dimensional". Toney IS one dimensional. He'd get taken down and slaughtered by either Fedor or Brock.

James better be training his takedown defense and try to get his fat ass down to 205 if he wants to have a chance at doing reasonably well in the UFC.

He clearly is ignorant about MMA though.

At least Mercer is humble and tries to talk some sense into James.

James Toney peaked at 160lbs. He is way over weight these days he will still be very fat at 205. Don't think he will go for 205 though. He will stay at HW!

[rjj tszyu]

First of all very good interview, thanks Skel. Secondly Mercer and Toney are bound to say that the training is so much harder now they are in MMA as it is their new sport and they are no longer good enough to fight in boxing! I also remember though when Hatton was training for Mayweather he trained at the UFC headquarters gym in Vegas and in some interviews with some of the UFC fighters they were saying we have never seen training like that from a fighter, Hatton is amazing in the gym. So they must be wrong!

I'm realistic though and I don't think Toney has much chance in the UFC, his footwork is not fast enough to be effective and keep the fight standing (where he will be at an advantage) and he isn't trained at blocking the takedowns! One thing I agree with though is what RJJ said, a boxer could transition to MMA much easier than the other way around. I mean Lesnar won the UFC HW title in his 3rd fight (I think), now if he tried coming over to boxing and after his 3rd fight fought Vitali, I think we all know the outcome. Brutal 1st round KO!

I love boxing first and foremost but I don't mind MMA and I have a lot of respect for them. But if they are trying to rubbish what Jones said about them not being able to transition as easily as a boxer might to MMA then they are just not straight thinking at all. Boxers who reached the top are training in boxing usually for 20 years before they get a world title shot. Someone just trying their hand at it like Anderson Silva did and not taking it 100% serious is going to get what he did, KO'd! Now a boxer in MMA, as long as the fight is stood up (where it starts) IMO has a huge advantage as striking is a big part of MMA and should they land them Heavy hands WILL end the fight as Mercer did to Sylvia.

[Caine3078]

: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.

[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?

[Spicoli]

Going to be honest...couldn't make it through that clip.'This' Toney ain't doing shit in mma or so it seems boxing.Thats obvious.And its a damn shame.Toney is a ring general and one of the premiere in the ring boxing thinkers over the last couple of decades.He is/was simply a Great.He's also one of the most colorful and incendiary speakers and verbal bomb throwers around,and that frankly is why I think White and company shows interest.MMA isn't getting two talented and capable prize fighters with all due respect in Toney and Mercer now...they are getting scraps and names of what once was.