Elemental Fist
06-16-2009, 08:58 AM
note: I've posted this at the MMA section but thought it would be suitable here since it involves boxing as well and could generate a mature discussion.
I consider myself as someone who tries to be objective as possible, and since I was labeled a Boxing nuthugger on an MMA forum and an MMA nuthugger on a Boxing forum, then I've pretty much succeeded in that. This also proves that fanboys of both sports share a similar level of ignorance and blind loyalty towards their sports and blind hate towards the other.
All this began ever since the first UFC, when the UFC as part of their promoting strategy took shots at the sport of "Sweet Science" and then years later Dana White opened his big egotistic mouth, not to the mention all the BS spat out by MMA fanboys claiming Boxing is "dying" while also refusing to admit that the lack of Boxing fundamentals is one of MMA's weakest points. But Boxing promoters and fanboys are no better, MMA has been labeled as a human ****fight (ironic since that was what Boxing was once called and even in the early years, UFC prohibited illegal moves like eye gouges.) and even labeling MMA fighters as bums, street thugs or whatever the hell they want to call them.
The only sort of realistic existance of a feud between MMA and Boxing is PPV buyrate/TV rate wise but that's about it, there's no way you can pit a boxer against a grappler and call it MMA vs Boxing since it's basically an MMA fight and or have them fight in a boxing rules fight and call it an MMA vs Boxing fight since it's basically a Boxing fight, the same thing applies when you put a grappler against a kickboxer. MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts, and Boxing is a martial art. To compare both is just stupid. So in reality, if you take away the PPV buyrate argument, the whole rilvary is really just a faux one created by the blind loyalists of both combat sports.
It's not as if all MMA fighters are elitist jerks to Boxers, Quinton Jackson is a boxing fan, Vera looks up to Pacquiao, Diego Sanchez chose to train conditioning with De La Hoya, Gomi said he wouldn't last against DLH in a boxing match, Frank Shamrock said on Inside MMA he only watches boxing and does not watch MMA outside of what he broadcasts. He goes on to mention how superior boxers standup is and that there are a few MMA fighters in the world that have strong boxing skills like Jens Pulver and Alexander Ustinov. Boxing stars sang praises for MMA as well, such as Ray Jones Jr, George Foreman, De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Suger Ray Leonard and even Mayweather Jr after that whole issue of him bashing the sport years ago. Howard Davis Jr. trains MMA now. He's also helping MMA fighters with their Boxing over at American Top Team. He has a great deal of respect for the sport.
It's not so hard to like the best from both worlds, people. I've been a boxing fan longer but I also appreciate MMA and think it's a good combat sport. I'm definetly sure that old school boxing legends like Jack Dempsy would've showed better appreciation for MMA.
I consider myself as someone who tries to be objective as possible, and since I was labeled a Boxing nuthugger on an MMA forum and an MMA nuthugger on a Boxing forum, then I've pretty much succeeded in that. This also proves that fanboys of both sports share a similar level of ignorance and blind loyalty towards their sports and blind hate towards the other.
All this began ever since the first UFC, when the UFC as part of their promoting strategy took shots at the sport of "Sweet Science" and then years later Dana White opened his big egotistic mouth, not to the mention all the BS spat out by MMA fanboys claiming Boxing is "dying" while also refusing to admit that the lack of Boxing fundamentals is one of MMA's weakest points. But Boxing promoters and fanboys are no better, MMA has been labeled as a human ****fight (ironic since that was what Boxing was once called and even in the early years, UFC prohibited illegal moves like eye gouges.) and even labeling MMA fighters as bums, street thugs or whatever the hell they want to call them.
The only sort of realistic existance of a feud between MMA and Boxing is PPV buyrate/TV rate wise but that's about it, there's no way you can pit a boxer against a grappler and call it MMA vs Boxing since it's basically an MMA fight and or have them fight in a boxing rules fight and call it an MMA vs Boxing fight since it's basically a Boxing fight, the same thing applies when you put a grappler against a kickboxer. MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts, and Boxing is a martial art. To compare both is just stupid. So in reality, if you take away the PPV buyrate argument, the whole rilvary is really just a faux one created by the blind loyalists of both combat sports.
It's not as if all MMA fighters are elitist jerks to Boxers, Quinton Jackson is a boxing fan, Vera looks up to Pacquiao, Diego Sanchez chose to train conditioning with De La Hoya, Gomi said he wouldn't last against DLH in a boxing match, Frank Shamrock said on Inside MMA he only watches boxing and does not watch MMA outside of what he broadcasts. He goes on to mention how superior boxers standup is and that there are a few MMA fighters in the world that have strong boxing skills like Jens Pulver and Alexander Ustinov. Boxing stars sang praises for MMA as well, such as Ray Jones Jr, George Foreman, De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Suger Ray Leonard and even Mayweather Jr after that whole issue of him bashing the sport years ago. Howard Davis Jr. trains MMA now. He's also helping MMA fighters with their Boxing over at American Top Team. He has a great deal of respect for the sport.
It's not so hard to like the best from both worlds, people. I've been a boxing fan longer but I also appreciate MMA and think it's a good combat sport. I'm definetly sure that old school boxing legends like Jack Dempsy would've showed better appreciation for MMA.