Boxing needs to Educate...

[Dragonstyle915]

I was at work today and never has it hit me how ignorant some casual fans can be.

A co-worker today, who is a Boxing fan and watches it and for the most part enjoys it, seemed to have do the Math on Boxing and MMA in his head. An MMA fighter does more thus = More skill. He's new to MMA and in no way has it turned him away from Boxing. But he brought up how Anderson Silva wanted to fight Roy Jones. I thought to my self, 'oh lord here comes a Boxing vs. MMA debate'. When he said, "The MMA fighter has the advantage". I thought to my self, 'Surely, an MMA fighter will have an advantage in an MMA fight". But he shocked me in saying, 'An MMA fighter already knows how to Box. If I was an MMA fighter I would rather box and make my self easy money. Boxing is just so much easier."

Two things ran through my head.

#1 This guy doesnt know as much about Boxing as I thought he did. And Boxing having more deaths than MMA's, zero deaths, kind of puts to rest the "much easier". If getting hit 500 times in the head is easier then thats a broad opinion...

#2 While MMA is very hard to do and I respect those great atheletes for walking inside a cage... To alot of those BBJ experts and Kickboxers? Boxing would make them feel like they're chained up. Take away the take down from a BBJ expert or the kicks and spinning backfists from a kickboxer and you've basically taken away their weapons and the very thing that seperates them from Boxers and gives them a distinction.

#3 He seemed to believe, maybe, that all MMA fighters have good hands and would all be multi-dimentional Boxers. They wouldnt.

Anderson Silva deserves all the credit in the world for challenging Roy Jones. He doesnt seem to fear getting knocked out by Roy Jones. I dont think he understands how it would hurt the UFC if he got knocked out- but thats his way of thinking.

Today, more than ever I think Modern Boxing fans arent that educated in their own sport. When a modern Boxing fan thinkings Money Mayweather is nothing more than a "runner" who "doesnt like to fight" then surely they have an education problem. I think, honestly, MMA is easier to understand than the Sweet Science.

Seems most people who watch boxing and combat sports in general dont anylize a fight while its happening. They dont view it in a fighters perspective. Rather fans of Boxing now just sit there and they wait- They wait for something to happen. if something dramatic doesnt happen they're disapointed- yet they dont even know what the Boxers were trying to do. They dont seem to know exactly what a certain Boxer has to do to. You dont have to be Teddy Atlas or even an HBO commentator to know the basics of the Boxing game. But its a more beautiful sport to watch when you understand it. When you know the footwork, timing and science that goes into just throwing one punch then you appretiate it more.

Its limited by design. Thats what makes it boxing!

 

[mschatz]

We know.

 

[Dark_Destroyer]

silva wants to fight jones? ...

 

[Joey Sangfroid]

silva wants to fight jones? ...

when did this happen?

 

[uppercuts21]

Your co-worker isnt very smart. lol.

Just because you are allowed to do more in MMA does not mean it takes more skill.

Boxing at the elite level is vastly different than that of MMA. In fact the difference between the best boxer in MMA compared to boxing is like Night and Day.

Just look at guys like Chris Lytle and Marcus Davis. Everybody in the heavyweight forum always talks about how great their boxing is, their handspeed, power and yet they couldnt beat journeyman boxers in boxing and they only fought within their state.

In boxing, you have to deal with so many more aspects to the sport that your MMA fighter would have never seen in his life. Something such as in-fighting and defending body punches etc. would leave the MMA fighters ridiculously confused in a boxing ring.

For the record, Silva would absolutely get mauled by Roy Jones Jr.

 

[El Ninja]

Again, apples and oranges.

 

[MMAmouse]

Funny because after I read through this thread I thought to my self, 'oh lord here comes a Boxing vs. MMA debate'.

 

[Rinksterk**]

The answer is simple. Just take him to a boxing gym and make him train. Put him in the ring against a pro. I doubt he'll think boxing is easy after that.

 

[Lagrange]

Anderson Silva clearly has better hands than Jones. If Jones respects the hands of Griffin, he will tremble in fear before Silva and get KTFO.

 

[Kamehameha]

....and that is why boxing isn't mainstream

 

[Tony Manifold]

Anderson Silva clearly has better hands than Jones. If Jones respects the hands of Griffin, he will tremble in fear before Silva and get KTFO.

Nice Goldie joke.

God, I hate these types of arguements. It is like argueing Apples and avacados sure they they can both be green and roundish but they are not even close to the same thing. I like to draw an example from Boxing and kickboxing. It is much closer in style and technique then Boxing and MMA. A lot of formerly Top boxers have tried there hands (and feet) at kickboxing and done poorly. Yet K1 champ Mark Hunt was a never going anywhere boxer prior to switching to K1 and dominating because of his hands. If people can perform so differently in Sports that are much closer related then Boxing in MMA how can people make any sort of predictions? Surely people can agree that Silva is a very talented athlete and that he is smart enough to spend a training camp leading up to a fight such as this boxign rather than working on his sprawl.

The fact is that no one knows how such a fight would go. I am a huge RJJ fan and he would be the clear favorite but Silva is a phenomnal athlete and in his prime to RJJ's twilight. This would be an excellent fight worth watching. The fact that Silva wants to fight Roy in his eviroment speaks volumes about his warrior spirit. On Roy's part he has been very respectful of Silva and his skills in MMA, going as far to say that he would get his ass handed to him in an MMA match.

Why can't some people just enjoy both sports without having to constantly compare the two?

With all that said, I would much rather see Jones/Calzaghe.

 

[Deleted member 56619]

I dont think it is just boxing fans, it is PEOPLE in general. People are fucking stupid. Some guys at my gym the other day(lifting gym) were talking about how no one can stand with Kimbo and that he has the best hands in all of the land. This was after they had watched the Kimbo vs Thompson fight. I decided to finish my sets and keep my mouth shut but jesus christ. How could someone watch that fight and think Kimbo has the best hands in MMA? <--rhetorical question btw.

Boxing fans do not need to be educated, people are too stupid to be educated. The dumber they are, the safer it is for the rest of us.

 

[Rinksterk**]

People in general like to talk about shit they don't know about. Especially when it comes to fighting. I'd be watching boxing or MMA and everybody who watches it all sudden becomes a fucking expert. Even women who don't even like fighting like to comment on what a fighter should be doing. Its retarded. I don't invite people over to watch fights anymore. Not even my family members.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

People in general like to talk about shit they don't know about. Especially when it comes to fighting. I'd be watching boxing or MMA and everybody who watches it all sudden becomes a fucking expert. Even women who don't even like fighting like to comment on what a fighter should be doing. Its retarded. I don't invite people over to watch fights anymore. Not even my family members.

I dont know, it just seems to me like Boxing could do a better job of educating fans on the sport. I see this on Showtime and ESPN with Teddy but seems like even that doesnt get into peoples head.

You have Rampage Jackson admitting that Wald Klitchco would make him swallow teeth and Randy Couture saying MMA fighters still have so much they can learn from Boxers and you still get ignorant people.

It just seems to me like even Boxing fans them selves dont appretiate what Boxers have to do. People seem to think with this logic....

Boxer uses only his hands, Kick Boxer also uses his feet, MMA fighter uses take down and submissions along with that. Thus MMA fighter = Greater. Thats an easy equation to solve in your head. Seems about right. But to me it seems like Boxing fans have to know what they're talking about and for peep's sakes know how hard it is to Box and know that the limited rules is exactly what makes it hard!

 

[mschatz]

The point you are arguing isnt made by boxing fans, its made by MMA fans. Your misinformed friend doesnt count.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

I know MMA fans make that argument. Im not even arguing which is more difficult. i think it would depend on the person/fightr.

Boxing is easy for someone who is a natural at it like Mayweather while MMA would be harder for him. Anderson Silva has an easy time with MMA because he's used to it. Putting him in boxing would handicap him and it would be more difficult for him.

What I am getting at is more so- with Boxing hardcore fans and casual fans who dont understand how their own sport works.

Boxing isnt even doing enough to educate people on their sport like MMA is. MMA is on Discovery and National Geographic. I would love for Mayweather to be on national Geographic for they can test his speed, punching power, and for fans could be educated on "inside fighitng". "Coutner punching". The differance between a Jab and a Cross. How the limited rules make it so difficult to be successful t a high level. Ect.

 

[chops44]

interesting how some think because something "involves more" then that means their participants are more skilled. With that logic, I guess rugby players are way more skilled and better athletes than say, soccer players; or any other stupid comparison you want to use..

 

[endurance]

To diiferant sports. A mma guy wins in mma a boxer wins in boxing.

 

[FIGHT FAN]

Most people lack the basic ingredient of critical thinking. It's a surprise they have made it this far in life. One does not have to be Teddy Atlas or even be an avid boxing fan, all one needs is some basic common sense.

My buddy who is a casual boxing and mma fan was trying to convince me that Andrei Arlovski could be a top level pro if he wanted too, but he doesen't want too because he would rather be in mma because he can use elbows as well as his fists(thats logic for ya). yes my friend actually graduated high school believe it or not.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

Most people lack the basic ingredient of critical thinking. It's a surprise they have made it this far in life. One does not have to be Teddy Atlas or even be an avid boxing fan, all one needs is some basic common sense.

My buddy who is a casual boxing and mma fan was trying to convince me that Andrei Arlovski could be a top level pro if he wanted too, but he doesen't want too because he would rather be in mma because he can use elbows as well as his fists(thats logic for ya). yes my friend actually graduated high school believe it or not.

Thats exactly what Im talking about! Finally someone experiencing the same thing I am.

My co-worer still loves boxing and talks about it alot more than MMA. But he, at the same time, seems to think MMA fighters are more skilled and actually tells me things like, "I just dont understand why MMA fighters dont box. I know i would. I would do both things."

In asking him self that question he doesnt seem to grasps that he's also answering it. use your logic, if Boxing was so easy for these MMA fighters then why WOULDNT they do it for a. more money and easier money at that?

As for your friend? If he could, Andrei Arlovski would have won the World Championship by now in Boxing and make him self a good 10 million a fight or something. And if he "wants to use his elbows" and all that still he can return to MMA once he shows "MMAsBoxing superiority to Boxing's Boxing"

This is also true with Kimbo Slice. If Kimbo really could knock out any Boxer in the World at will right now he would be a freaking phenomenon World wide.