Originally Posted by
BRITISH ANABOLIC
I'll start by saying I like MMA. Boxing is however superior for reasons
2nd Chances - A fighter may get careless or not be properly warmed. Should he be caught by a flash knockdown. A proper 10-count is given to give the boxer a 2nd chance to get up and prove to everyone that the knockdown was a fluke. This 2nd chance makes for very exciting and dramatic match-ups where numerous knockdowns are traded back and forth by both boxers until one finally crumbles before the other. A boxer given a second chance is allowed to fight with his heart to see if he has what it takes to get up and keep going. In many occasions, the one that gets down first stands up discourages his opponent by not folding. As the rounds progress, he begins to break down his opponent mentally by not succumbing first, and then coming out the victor. MMA fights are stopped too soon. In boxing, you're given a chance to show everyone you still got plenty left. Sadly, it's this second chance that makes boxing more dangerous than MMA. It's the fact that fighters are given a second chance to get up and take more punishment to the head before they are knocked out, that makes a boxer's life that much riskier.
More Physical - Yes, I said it. Boxing is much more physical. Why? Easy. In boxing you can win simply by being SLIGHTLY FASTER than your opponent. You can also win by being a harder puncher or by having better conditioning. The main idea is that you can win simply by being in much better shape. Your skill level must be equal of course, but having slight physical advantages can easily tilt the fight to be in your favor. MMA allows fighters of inferior physical capabilities to compete against stronger fighters. This is an advantage to MMA but also a disadvantage because it doesn't measure the raw physical capability of a fighter. Sometimes, this world wants to see a clear physical win, like Olympic Sprinting. You can easily see who won, and you appreciate runners that crush the competition with sheer super-human gifts.
Better Conditioning - As biased as this may seem, I still have to argue that boxers are better conditioned overall. Their physical demands are more RAW than MMA. Boxing is a sport where the young bull CAN overthrow the old lion. Young fighters are able to over-power, over-run, out speed and outwork the old technical master. Being a master is not enough, you must have the physical assets to keep up the skillful boxing all 12 rounds or else. Although skill is needed, everything else is required simply to be able to compete. Show up in the ring with your reflexes slightly off and you'll wake up on the canvas. MMA is more technical and fighters can win by stalling, taking breaks during guard positions, old fighters can get lucky with their tricky submissions. An old boxer cannot always eliminate the young boxer by getting a lucky punch in. Boxing requires intense training for power, speed, stamina, reflexes, coordination, agility, and mental preparation. Preparing to get punched in the face is UNLIKE any other sport. Wrestling is simply NOT DANGEROUS and you don't have to worry about getting hurt too much. Imagine having to train for an opponent that can hit harder than a hammer!
Flurries - Boxing allows you to witness the great brilliance of multiple successful hits known as a combo or a flurry. Although flurries of punches and strikes are commonly seen in MMA, most of the time MMA fights progress from one wrestling position to another, with either fighter progressing one step at a time from a dominant position to a final submission. Boxing shows you the dazzling effect of watching one fighter unload 10-20 unanswered punches upon the other for a devastating knockout. There is no better victorious fighting image than one of a boxer tearing another boxer apart with rapid punches.
More Weight Classes - Although some people argue that having so many weight class is bad. I think it is good for the sport because it allows for a more accurate display of talent and physical ability. Imagine how many great boxers we would not have witnessed if there was no such thing as the welterweight class. Imagine if boxing only had one weight class - heavyweight. We would have missed out on the brilliance of Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr., and more! Having more weight classes makes things more fair and allows for more athletes to compete against other athletes in a fair manner. MMA has so few weight classes that many great talents of lower weight classes cannot compete because their weight class goes up so high in size that other fighters can nullify their skill with sheer size and strength. Not fair for the fighters, and not fair for us.
Imagine how much talent we would witness if we had a basketball league for players under 5'9"?
On the street, I'd rather have MMA skills. But for watching boxing definitely has more to offer. A longer fight with more strategy and endurance coming into play. It amazes me how many top tier MMA fighters do still get winded within 2 five minute rounds. Also, many MMA fights seem to end rapidly with a wild punch that lands well in the first minutes of the fight. Not very satisfying.
Reply With Quote
