Why are MMA fighters are still obsessed with boxers?

[Crystaline Entity]

Boxers in general make more money because there is not a multi-billion dollar conglomerate in boxing stealing all of the money while paying fighters scraps because of The Ali Act. Most MMA fighters could not compete in the sport of boxing, yet the lowest level UFC fighters would easily and handily beat the crap out of the best boxers in the world in a real fight. All of this makes them want to fight boxers.

 

[ritchest_eva]

It’s where the real money is at

 

[sb413197]

Mostly inferiority complex, UFC fighters are aware that they would never thrive in a sport with a deep talent pool like Boxing.

MMA STRIKERS, particularly ones who rely on mostly boxing, perhaps...but for guys with kickboxing backgrounds or particularly with grappling backgrounds ala Khabib, MMA is the top of the ladder - the biggest payday that is out there.

 

[Phronimos]

Boxing is cool. Every little boy dreams of punching and knocking people out. It's natural.

 

[BoD 2.0]

Had to research it and see for myself, what in the world was Woodley thinking.

He wasn't lol

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Broke fighters with inferiority complexes <45>

That or Baldy is trying to drum up some interest in Zuffa Boxing

 

[Cold Front]

You'll think after that MayMac bullshit that it'll be over but you still have fighters calling out boxers. Like Wtf?

You misunderstand. MMA fighters are not obsessed with boxers; they're obsessed with Conor McGregor.

When Conor started showing the value of talking trash, many more MMA fighters started trash-talking.

When Conor started talking about money fights (instead of defending his belt), more fighters (I'm looking at you, Tyron Woodley) started talking about the high-profile money fights instead of talking about defending their belts.

When Conor went up in weight to fight in a different weight division, more MMA fighters talked about that possibility. (Conor was not the first to do this, of course, but notice how GSP was badgered for years to go up and fight at MW, but only did so after Conor's example.)

And when Conor made a nine-figure payday by fighting a famous boxer, suddenly the tweets went flying from MMA fighter tweeter handles challenging boxers in a boxing ring.

MMA fighters are not obsessed with boxers; they're obsessed with Conor McGregor. Love him or hate him, they want that fame and money.

 

[Cold Front]

Right now Conor McGregor is more famous than any active boxer. (I consider Mayweather retired.)

 

[FlowchartRog]

It's the one martial art that we haven't gotten to see champion level or even high level competitors of in MMA.

We've gotten world champ wrestlers, judo, bjj, strikers all in their athletic primes trying MMA. We've never even gotten a decent boxer.

Combine that with how golden glove level boxers like Stipe and Conor have been making MMA guys look stupid and it's really intriguing.

It's also no secret that kickboxers are second rate athletes compared to boxers. So, people also want to see what a real top level striker -- which is a boxer -- looks like in MMA.

It's the only martial art left with some of that mysterious, unknown martial art UFC 1 intrigue to it. No one really knows what to expect. There's still some magic left.

Exactly right, which is why I do find the prospect of a prime elite boxer making the move to UFC fascinating.

You left out Cody btw. Cody, Stipe and Conor are the best examples of guys who have used basic regional level boxing to dominate UFC fighters.