Would top UFC fighters beat top boxers?

[Zanmato]

Heavyweight is the only chance imo, where power has the chance to nullify a skill discrepancy. Theres pretty much no chance at any other level imo

 

[JKS]

I don't think the best MMA fighters would do that great. I can't see Islam, Usman, doing all that great vs elite boxers. It has to be MMA guys with elite level striking for mma and more important very good boxing. That's why guys like Conor and Francis were able to be competitive vs elite boxers, they can box.

The skill gap for a top mma striker to debut in boxing is still a too much vs elite boxers, they would lose. But vs boxers a few notches down, outside the top 5 to 15, they would be competitive. Overall the skill gap is not as much as people thought it is.

 

[Bearknuckle]

No, because heavyweight is different and Ngannou has a monster punch. He also trained boxing for a long time, and wanted to be a pro boxer before switching to MMA

Tons of boxing elitists were saying that francis has bad boxing and had no chance. And tbh, he did look sloppy with his winging wild punches in mma, and people were saying it worked because mma fighters have bad boxing defense…now what?

 

[Cpt Migraine]

I use to joke about how, “tae kwon do masters are saying mma fighters have bad kicking”, to compare it to boxing elitists saying mma fighters have bad boxing.

boxing, with the gloves, no fear of takedowns, kicks, elbows, knees, distances and stances all change up pure boxing a lot.

Same with pure kicking only sports which allow you to get away with flinging every kick out there without fear of being taken down or hit with punches, hence they drop their hands and launching crazy kicks to score.

even ncaa and olympic champ wrestlers isnt really fighting because theres no striking and subs. If u’ve ever wrestled, you know its nothing like mma grappling. Everything from the positions and techniques are different.

MMA striking > pure boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, karate.

mma grappling > pure wrestling, bjj, sambo.

Yup..

The dynamics of kickboxing with mma gloves changes the sport a lot and idiots rave on about k1 level striking..

Just to clarify i'm not shitting on any sport here as we are basically naked, weak monkeys and only a moron would go into battle without guns and knives..

It's just people holding boxing to some golden standard for unarmed battle does my fucking head in..

I'm willing to bet mma is the bigger economy globally as well..

 

[nostradumbass]

lol if you think Fury prepared at all or put any effort into the match with Frances.

Does it matter? You try wrestling for 6 months and have a wrestling match with a gold medalist who has trained at all in 5 years and have fun getting ragdolled, or an ADCC champ who hasn't trained in 5 years, or dedicate every hour of the next 2 years to tennis while Roger Federer goes on a 2 year McDonald's diet and see how that goes, or 1 on 1 with 60 year old Michael Jordan. You'd get humiliated, but youtubers can train for a couple years and become the biggest star in boxing, mma guys can have 1 camp and give GOATs and champs all they can handle, because boxing isn't a real sport, it's about as legit as wwe

 

[Bearknuckle]

Yup..

The dynamics of kickboxing with mma gloves changes the sport a lot and idiots rave on about k1 level striking..

Just to clarify i'm not shitting on any sport here as we are basically naked, weak monkeys and only a moron would go into battle without guns and knives..

It's just people holding boxing to some golden standard for unarmed battle does my fucking head in..

I'm willing to bet mma is the bigger economy globally as well..

For sure. mma can connect the world as many countries have martial arts and compete in them separately.

the only reason why boxing is held to such a high degree is because it was america’s combat sport with popularity since ali and tyson days. Its like how japan reveres judo.

but we all know since the early ufcs, without grappling, its as effective as about any other striking art in mma.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

But yet they can beat actual pro boxers, strange isn't it?

Ngannou is hardly “ they “, though. He’s a one of a kind specimen. Tall, big yet FAST, long reach, good chin and RIDICULOUS POWER. I loved what happened on Saturday, btw. I thought Fury would decimate Ngannou and I’m glad I was wrong. But Jones vs Wilder, Volk vs Tank, Amanda vs Claressa and so forth would end pretty bad for the mma folks.

The skill gap for a top mma striker to debut in boxing is still a too much vs elite boxers, they would lose. But vs boxers a few notches down, outside the top 5 to 15, they would be competitive. Overall the skill gap is not as much as people thought it is.

Fair point, you got me there. It could happen that the very best strikers of mma could hold their own against mid/low tier pro boxers. But it wouldn’t bring the kind of money these mma guys are looking for. They will always look forward to fight the big names for a big check.

Ngannou isn’t gonna fight a top 10-15 hw for $300k. He loved that saudi money payday that comes with fighting the big names.
Good day.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

No, the current UFC champions would not beat the boxing champions. Francis possessed a unique combination of power, striking, with existing KOs, and at HW, that could traverse the skill sets. Current UFC champions could not do what Francis did.

 

[blaseblase]

Oh stop it <45>

Look how McGregor got embarassed against an untrained retired 40yr old boxer coming off a strip club lol. And McGregor was KO'ing everyone in mma...

Mayweather was literally the p4p GOAT a year and a half before facing Conor.

 

[MotorCityCobra]

At heavyweight it is blurry, every other weight it's a no contest. Everyone involved already knows as high level mma guys train in boxing with pro boxers all the time.

 

[Nova44]

I think this made HW boxing look bad, but I think the skill level in the other divisions is probably too high for UFC fighters to be competitive.

HW boxing has at times seemed like the quality of athlete probably isn't very high. I remember fat James Tony moving up and beating John Ruiz (before testing positive, but still) after spending his prime fighting at 160-168 lbs.

It's entirely possible that HW just has a small talent pool and that they aren't necessarily 'A-level' similar to HW MMA.

Just popping in from the boxing sub and it's nice to see some people have sense around here. The HW division in boxing is the least skillful division in the sport, and the current crop of HWs (outside of Usyk) wouldn't even last one or two rounds with HW greats of the past.

I kind of wish Fury had been KO'd as he's a total twat, but it is what it is. Anyone who thinks because Frank did well that an mma fighter could come to boxing and beat Naoya, Tank, Beterbiev, Crawford, Canelo or Shakur is delusional.

 

[Nova44]

Mayweather was literally the p4p GOAT a year and a half before facing Conor.

Incorrect. 99% of people who watch boxing will tell you SRR is the P4P best ever and it's not even close.