Replies

[JonnyBlaze]

What do ya all think??I think he could be puttin a lot of MMA'ers to sleep once he gets in there..

[Spyder]

To simplify my perspective on this i would say that a pure MMA fighter has some grounding in boxing. A limited base with which to start to build on the transition to MMA.

A pure boxer transitioning to MMA has no base in wrestling, kicking, knees or jiu jitsu.

In order to survive on the ground, it takes more than just wrestling alone to defend submissions. And as warlord has already pointed out, the traditinal boxing stance is open to leg kicks which are not to be underestimated in terms of physical pain, as well as limiting mobility, speed, and power generation for throwng punches.

The one equal factor between the two is time. Time learning a new skillset. A boxer transitioning to MMA must divide his time between the skills, thereby limiting his progression. A MMA fighter needs to focus on just one, and add in the fact that he already has some grounding in boxing already. Whereas the boxer would be a complete novice at wrestling and JJ.

Its simple maths. Divided efforts (transitioning to MMA) vs singularly focused efforts (transitioning to boxing)

I would also argue that saying a boxers hands are already a perfected skill, thereby allowing him a chance to focus solely on wrestling is also flawed in the sense that a boxers stance is not perfect for MMA. Some of the aspects of the boxing stance would actually need to be unlearned in order to deal with leg kicks. This will have a flow on effect to the whole of the boxers "perfected" game. Sure the MMA fighter must make changes to his stance as well, but my point is that the argument that the boxer is already "perfect at one aspect" is essentially false... The boxer has to unlearn ingrained stand up skills, as well as divide his efforts across several new ones

But its by no means a smooth transition for either example.

Learning to box is a lot more than just a "singularly focused effort".

You're right. I could. But it would all still pertain to "stand-up." Which is what I said those fighters would have to concentrate on. I didn't think it necessary for me to break down what types of punches, feints, and counter-punches an MMA fighter would have to focus on if he moved to boxing, since we are on a boxing board. I am quite sure everyone here is aware of that already.

I considered a breakdown for boxing to be a waste of your, and more importantly, my, time. Please correct me if I am wrong.

No it isn't. Boxing is all about "Stand-up." For anyone unfamiliar with the term, "Stand-up" refers to fighting. While standing. Which is what boxing encompasses. Entirely. Is "Stand-up" an umbrella term? Yes. Is it a generalization? No. I assume everyone here knows the difference.

No, you don't have to break it down, and I would imagine that I don't need to break it down either.

By labeling it as such, you are over-simplifying a skill honed over many years...and for some, a lifetime. As I said before, it is just as ridiculous to say that all a MMA fighter has to do is "focus on their stand-up", as it is to say that all a boxer has to do is "focus on their ground game." Which, for anyone unfamiliar with the term, "ground game" refers to fighting. On the ground.


I hope that most can recognize a difference in boxers and their styles. To say that all Ricky Hatton has to do to fight like Floyd Mayweather is, "focus on his stand-up" would be...well humorous, but also wrong. All Ricky Hatton has done was "focus on his stand-up", yet he still can't stop people from punching him in the face. He even brought Floyd Sr into camp with him...I'm going to stop there.

I know that nobody thinks that an MMA fighter can cross over and compete with Floyd Mayweather, but I'm going to take it even further and say that they couldn't compete with Ricky Hatton.

There are WAY too many aspects of "stand-up" for anyone to learn in a short time period. It would take years...way too long for a guy getting paid already, to quit his job and learn a new craft.

[Warlord]

I know that nobody thinks that an MMA fighter can cross over and compete with Floyd Mayweather, but I'm going to take it even further and say that they couldn't compete with Ricky Hatton.

There are WAY too many aspects of "stand-up" for anyone to learn in a short time period. It would take years...way too long for a guy getting paid already, to quit his job and learn a new craft.

I agree. That is why I said, about 4 pages ago, that no MMA fighter was serious about going to boxing, because he would get waxed if he did. I mean a serious waxing, if he faces any legit competition.

That is also why I ended my post about fighters switching from one sport to another being "theoretical."

At this point, we are just arguing semantics, umbrella terms, generalizations, etc... I'm not going to do that anymore.