The Joe Rogan myth that boxing has better athletes than MMA

[codfather]

According to BoxRec, 6 of the top 11 heavyweights in boxing are from England:
1. Tyson Fury
3. Anthony Joshua
5. Joe Joyce
7. Dillian Whyte (moved to England aged 12)
9. Daniel Dubois
11. Derek Chisora (moved to England when he was 16)

Yet boxing is only the 8th sport along on the BBC Sport title bar.

So both rugby union and rugby league are considered more relevant than boxing in the UK, and presumably take their best large athletes.

 

[Gamer007]

This is only heavyweight though


How does being more relevant equate to being more athletic?

High level wrestling has better athletes on average than MMA.
High level Kickbboxing has better athletes on average than MMA.
High level boxing has better athletes on average than MMA.
High level BJJ has better athletes on average than MMA.

We know this because MMA is dominated by these very same athletes(Olympic wrestlers, world class BJJ experts, etc.)

Entry into high level MMA is the easiest among all of the listed sports, because you don't have to be elite in any one discipline, you can get by on just being a decent boxer and kickboxer with a solid chin.

The guys who rise to the top in one martial arts discipline are usually the top tier athletes, this is why most of them come right into MMA and dominate.

 

[DaleBoca]

Maybe not better athletes but better paid. That’s for sure.

 

[FedorGOAT]

So both rugby union and rugby league are considered more relevant than boxing in England, and presumably take their best large athletes.

Wrong, Football takes their best large athletes, because Central Back need large players and even those defenders in Championship are earning more than what a Rugby player does.
I bet even League 1 & 2 players earn more than what Rugby player earns.

 

[Lethal_Striker]

Boxing has more "explosive" athletes.

 

[soulsstealer]

francis was too old for boxing so he went into mma.

all retired wrestlers go to mma, its like the B option.

 

[XThe GreatestX]

maybe the worst thread all year

which is saying something

 

[codfather]

Wrong, Football takes their best large athletes, because Central Back need large players and even those defenders in Championship are earning more than what a Rugby player does.
I bet even League 1 & 2 players earn more than what Rugby player earns.

Very few soccer players are 230lbs+ like Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Henry Akinwande, Frank Bruno etc

 

[IvanDrago2.0]

Boxers do have better conditioned athletes than mma.. ufc hws can barely go a round without getting winded lmao boxers stay on their feet for 12 rds constantly moving ... mma fighters go 3 rds if that and some of the 5rds are pretty pathetic .. see blades vs the Russian

 

[Andrusz]

Boxers do have better conditioned athletes than mma.. ufc hws can barely go a round without getting winded lmao boxers stay on their feet for 12 rds constantly moving ... mma fighters go 3 rds if that and some of the 5rds are pretty pathetic .. see blades vs the Russian

Grappling is more physically draining and demanding than striking.

 

[FedorGOAT]

Very few soccer players are 230lbs+ like Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Henry Akinwande, Frank Bruno etc

That's overall stat, But Central Backs & some strikers like Andy Carrol weigh that much.

 

[Iron Skin]

Very few soccer players are 230lbs+ like Lennox Lewis, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Henry Akinwande, Frank Bruno etc

Too much upperbody mass and fat is bad for football, but defensive players in Premiere league are around 6'2'' tall on average

 

[Super Grover]

I mean, both sports get the leftovers because 99% of elite athletes don't want to be boxers.and even fewer want to be MMA fighters. Does it really matter who is "better"?

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Grappling is more physically draining and demanding than striking.

Not even close. I'll gladly give up near chokes to get a rest. No rest in striking.

 

[YourBoss]

the best hw mma fighter is a firefighter ffs.

 

[Queen B]

Boxing athletes are so bad, that even Ben Askren shits on your boxing

 

[KoreanZawmbie]

Grappling is more physically draining and demanding than striking.

Youve probably never sparred more than 3 to 5 rounds. Let alone hit pads for 3 rounds straight.
Both are incredibly draining, but boxing itself can you drain you out too.

 

[Rajon Rondo]

Prime Mike tyson was a ultra human

 

[wufabufa]

Boxing has more "explosive" athletes.

Seems like the sport has been getting progressively less "explosive" over the years when you see how many Russians and Eastern Europeans are ranked in each division now.

 

[dmwalking]

According to BoxRec, 5 of the top 10 heavyweights in boxing are from England:
1. Tyson Fury
3. Anthony Joshua
8. Dillian Whyte
9. Dereck Chisora
10. Joe Joyce

Yet boxing isn't one of the 8 sports considered relevant enough in the UK to make the BBC Sport title bar. You have to click on "All Sport" and select it from the drop down menu.

So both rugby union and rugby league are considered more relevant than boxing in England, and presumably take their best large athletes.

What does English sport popularity have to do with boxing having better athletes than mma? I don’t see the correlation.