You don't see too many boxers make a good transition into mma other than Marcus Davis but many kickboxers have good transitions why is that?
Before Kabuki dumps this:
It's not about a "good transition into MMA."
It's the fact that no elite boxer in his prime has ever competed in MMA because there's no money in it.
3 million dollar paydays up to 20 million per fight at the top in Boxing compared to 70 thousand dollars or so in the UFC.
I think if a top boxer learned some grappling and Thai Boxing he would be a animal.
I think elite Boxers would be MMA champions with some intensive grappling training.
Currently, most MMA fighters boxing skills are pretty bad.
Sloppy footwork, wild telegraphed haymakers, hockey fight scenarios, no head movement, looped shots, Superman punches, etc.
St. Pierre, BJ Penn, KJ Noons are a few that stand out as having decent Boxing skills, but even they couldn't succeed in Boxing or they'd be there already for the big paydays.
Elite boxers get to the top out of a talent pool of about about 70 thousand participants.
MMA fighters talent pool is probably 6 or 7 thousand participants.
The elite combat athletes compete where the real money is.
That's why MMA is comprised of primarily world-class grapplers but no world-class strikers.
Lesser athletes who can't compete for the big Boxing money are currently MMA champions with top grappling and half-arsed Boxing skills.
It'll happen when the paydays get competitive with Boxing paydays.
I look forward to it.
World-class strikers in MMA. It's coming.
EDIT: After Kid McCoy, the great edumacater.