THE MMA PROFESSOR EXPLAINS THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SPORT

Posted on | July 15, 2007 | 3 Comments

BOXING VS. MMA

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When I was first asked to take part in the debate of Boxing vs. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), I of course felt honored to be a part of a discussion of this nature. However, I was a little confused, because to my understanding boxing is, in fact, one of the main components of MMA. It doesn’t make sense to me to compare the effectiveness of a component of a larger system, to the effectiveness of the larger system itself. Now I understand that there may be different schools of thought regarding this point-of-view. There are many MMA schools out there, and all of them have their own somewhat unique perspective on what they consider to be effective training methods, and each one of them will have an area of expertise (hopefully) that is passed on to their students more than the other components of MMA as a whole. For example: an instructor who is better at Jiu-Jitsu, (or the ground-game in general), might train his or her students harder in the ground-game than in the stand-up game—and the reverse is also true. However, there is no arguing that by the very nature of the sport, MMA fighters need to know how to fight well on their feet, as well as on the ground.

From a strategic standpoint, the argument doesn’t really make sense to me either. From my own experience, I know that it can be very difficult to stop a good boxer. However, we’ve all seen the result of what happens once the boxer is taken to the ground and tied into a pretzel. The same can be said about the standing clinch and in-fighting positions. Once a standing clinch occurs, boxers are not trained to throw knees, elbows, and to throw their opponent to the ground. What I just described are some of the staples of Muay Thai—and those are lessons that every MMA fighter are familiar with. The bottom line is this: A fighter will only do what they are trained to do—period! So, once again, we have a component, versus a more complete system.

Gone are the days when a mixed martial arts competition consisted of fighters from different art forms trying to prove that their one way of fighting was the best way. The sport of MMA has evolved, and will continue to evolve, to the point where fighters have to be well-rounded enough to know how to fight at different distances—and to use many techniques and maneuvers other than strikes. Striking, kicking, grappling, submissions, throws, elbows, knees, takedowns, and so on, are all integral parts of the modern MMA fighter’s arsenal. If the fighter is weak in one of these areas, it will be exploited. Now if a well-rounded MMA fighter gets stupid, and simply tries to stand toe-to-toe with an excellent boxer, he will almost certainly lose the fight if his boxing skills aren’t up to par. A loss of that nature is due to the fighter not fighting smart—it is not a matter of which combat sport is better. Also, the statement that boxers often make, referring to themselves as “Pound for pound the best fighter in the world” is simply not true. Maybe they’re the best boxer in their weight class—currently, but not the best fighter. If anyone can make such a claim, it’s the MMA fighter.

Now, I want it made clear where I’m coming from with my own training. My primary art forms are boxing and Muay Thai. I’m also well-versed in ground-fighting, and am very comfortable on the ground, but I am a striker at heart. If I am able to finish the fight standing up, then that’s what I like to do. In my own fighting career, I was able to keep most of my fights on their feet, and as a result I had an outstanding knockout record. That being said, there were also plenty of times when the fight went to the ground. If I hadn’t known what to do in a ground encounter, I would have been finished right there. Plain and simple, MMA fighters have to know and understand how to fight in all situations—while boxers do not.

Another facet of this argument, Boxing vs. MMA, could be the safety factor. Which combat sport is ultimately safer for the fighters? While MMA has come under heavy fire from various sources, referring to the sport as human cock fighting, unleashed brutality, and other such degrading (and false) statements—here are some facts to consider:
? A fighter can actually hit harder with boxing gloves on their hands than they can by wearing MMA gloves. This is simply due to the overall weight of the glove. Boxing gloves can add up to an extra pound onto your fist. That makes for a greater force upon impact than the lighter MMA gloves. The actual padding across the knuckle area of both sets of gloves offers the same basic amount of protection to the fighter. More force generated upon impact means greater damage sustained to the receiving target.
? Boxing consists of trying to knock your opponent unconscious, and that’s about it. Winning by virtue of a knockout is the preferred method of victory. Short of that, winning by stoppage by the referee or a judge’s decision are the only other alternatives.
? On the other hand, an MMA match can be won be submission. Once the fight goes into close enough range to render strikes and kicks ineffective, the combatants grapple for superior position and can put their opponent in a submission hold. This allows the other fighter to “tap out”, or surrender before serious damage (or injury) can be inflicted.
? There are more cases of head injuries due to blunt trauma and concussion in the sport of boxing, than there are in MMA, by a long shot!

What about the conditioning factor: When it comes to the overall conditioning of the combat athlete, MMA again ends up on top. The conditioning of combat athletes is second to none. However, the demands of the different sports also call for varying degrees of strength and conditioning. In boxing, it is easier to pace yourself. It is common to see two fighters in stand-up mode circling each other, feeling each other out, and so on. Also, in boxing, when the fighters come into the clinch it is almost a rest position until the referee breaks them up. In Muay Thai, the pace is more demanding due to the fact that it is more physically taxing to throw knees and kicks than it is to just throw punches and strikes. Also, in Muay Thai, the standing clinch is anything but restful. In fact, that’s when the fight gets taken up a notch. In-fighting, elbows, knees, and throws are all normal for the standing clinch position in Muay Thai. The greater demands of Thai Boxing call for more conditioning in practice. Likewise, in MMA, the physical demands are even greater. There is nothing more exhausting than grappling with an opponent. There is no pace in grappling, unless you count full-throttle as a pace. The combatants have to work as hard as they can, for as long as it takes to get superior position and/or a submission. While the focus in stand-up fighters regarding conditioning has traditionally been more on endurance, and grapplers traditionally focus more on strength—the MMA fighter has to have equal parts of both strength and endurance in their conditioning program. Not only do MMA athletes have to have more well-rounded fighting skills, but their approach to conditioning is also more complete. Strength, endurance, speed, explosive power, quickness and agility, and complex coordination all have to be developed to a greater degree in MMA. The bottom line is this, the training of an MMA athlete is more complete, on every level, then that of a boxer.

So, if it’s not really a matter of this versus that, then what’s really the issue here? In a matter of fighter vs. fighter, or sport vs. sport, the facts are pretty clear. MMA is a purer form of combat sport, in that it doesn’t have nearly as many limitations. So what’s causing all the friction in the boxing world? Is it a matter of popularity, money, or politics? Probably all three are tied together with a big bow. The sport of MMA is called the fastest growing sport in the world for a good reason—it’s true. MMA has a fan base that has eclipsed boxing, and the boxing world is upset about that. They’re losing fans, sponsors, and money—and that’s the bottom line.

Will boxing go away and cease to exist? No, of course not. Boxing is one of the oldest forms of unarmed combat, and is one of the necessary staple components of mixed martial arts training. Really, can you imagine what a fight would look like if nobody knew how to box? It would be ridiculous! However, it has become less popular in the combat sports world for the simple reason that people are now witnessing competitions where the combatants can use much more of an arsenal and aren’t bound by as many rules and limitations, and this makes for a more exciting sport for both the fighters and spectators alike.

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