Boxing vs. MMA
The sport of boxing has reached rock bottom. No one is watching and nobody cares – or do they? Mixed Martial Arts has arguably taken over as the No. 1 combat sport in America, but with its historical relevance, can boxing make its way back to respectability?
Is boxing dead and is MMA its killer?
LH: Boxing is certainly not dead. Many expected the highly anticipated Manny Pacquiao v. Floyd Mayweather blockbuster to break the all-time pay-per-view record of 2.44 million buys before the fight fell through. Each fighter stood to make roughly $40 million. Pacquiao himself holds the current pay-per-view record, which was set in 2007 win against Oscar De La Hoya. By comparison, UFC 100 was the most watched mixed martial arts bout of all time, and it only garnered 1.72 million pay-per-view buys.
Additionally, Pacquiao’s next fight will be held at Jerry Jones’ palatial new Cowboys Stadium – the largest domed stadium in the world – in front of 50,000 people. I don’t see any mixed martial arts events on Jones’ events calendar.
Though there are no official numbers, sources are indicating that the most recent mixed martial arts pay-per-view event, UFC 108, suffered from the lowest number of buys in a long time. I smell a fad. Boxing has been a mainstay of American sports for over 100 years. It will always be around, regardless of whether MMA actually stays relevant or not.
MP: I don’t think boxing is dead, but I am comfortable in saying that boxing is on life support. It could very well be on the verge of becoming the next hockey. Not to be harsh, but unless you live in Buffalo or Canada, hockey is about as important as curling.
The argument of the proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao blockbuster doesn’t hold weight. If for no other reason, the bout will only serve to create a one-time spark for boxing and, unless a rematch is booked, it will fade away. It would be the only fight in boxing that generates any interest right now, while I could name several bouts in MMA that would have fans salivating.
UFC 108 dipped in ratings because the card was awful, and Dana White knew it. After all, there is some turnover for fighters dealing with injuries and occasionally the best fighters will be on a rest period at the same time. One PPV out of the last 20 doesn’t change the course of the sport.
It’s Saturday night and both Boxing and the UFC have a big pay-per-view available. What do you watch and why?
LH: Let’s put it this way: Would you rather watch 10-plus rounds of fighters forced to stand and slug it out, or would you rather watch three to five rounds of grown men laying on top of each other? I know I’m over-generalizing, but once a mixed martial arts bout goes to the ground, as they often do, I can’t watch anymore.
This is a no-brainer. I take the boxing match every time.
MP: Obviously I’m tuning into UFC. The only a boxing card I would consider is if it’s headlined by Mayweather-Pacquiao and judging by the inability of these camps to make the fight happen, that isn’t happening any time soon.
To try and say boxing is more entertaining is a joke. With smaller gloves and more violent strikers and styles, a knockout is only one punch or kick away. MMA may end up on the mat, but boxing matches can quickly turn into a 12 rounds of boredom
Make an argument as to why one sport is better.
L: Let me start off by stating that boxing is an actual sport. Federations institute specific rules and techniques that are allowed and disallowed, while mixed martial arts rivals a free-for-all blood-fest as seen in Steven Seagal movies – and those don’t even have Joe Rogan screaming in the background.
Boxing has history and credibility on its side. A major boxing match is a cultural event. You’ll find famous celebrities, athletes, and average Joe’s dressed in their Sunday best at a championship boxing bout. The crowd at UFC championship cards looks more like the crowd at WrestleMania.
A big reason for the popularity of mixed martial arts is its ability to incorporate novelty acts into its routine.
I don’t deny the entertainment value of seeing YouTube street fighter Kimbo Slice and former professional wrestler Brock Lesnar enter the octagon. Even some of the sports biggest stars have come from a reality television contest – refer to Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin and Diego Sanchez.
We’ll just have to see where MMA is at when the novelty wears off.
MP: Even the most die-hard boxing fans can’t suggest that MMA is anything like professional wrestling. A fight in MMA presents such a unique set of possibilities that predicting an outcome is near impossible. Five-round fights incorporate stand-up styles of boxing, kickboxing and muay-thai, while other incorporate wrestling and MMA’s own “ground-and-pound” technique on the mat.
The countless techniques involved in MMA and the different styles make for great matchups. Boxing only consists of two fighters in the stand-up position merely throwing punches for an hour. The two are no comparison.
It’s ridiculous to say that there is more training and preparation in a boxer’s camp. I challenge any boxer to go through an MMA training camp and let me know which one is more difficult. MMA fighters have rigorous preparation rituals that require extensive focus and unparallel physical toughness.
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