What makes boxing better than MMA? (Not a flaming thread)

its more of a sport and less just fighting in my estimation, because it is far more limited. MMA(particularly when it was founded) was just gladiatorial fighting basically minus death, though its getting better now. Also, standup fighting is better than anything else IMO, though i do have som BJJ experience.

MMA is only an alternative to boxing. thats how it is, boxing had such a wonderful history.

I watch both sports & I'd have to say that boxing has a lot more depth than MMA (atleast currently). Probably the combination of history & the limitations - you can only use your hands, so you've got to think, plan, do more with a more limited tool set, & you've got an amazing array of history to draw on to do it with. The best boxing matches are far & away better contests than the best MMA matches - As a comparison, two matches which had similarities around the same time was Hopkins VS Trinidad in boxing & Couture VS Liddell 1 in MMA. Both featured a more well-rounded fighter vs a one punch knockout artist & both featured great performances, with the well-rounded fighters putting on an amazing exhibition of skill in taking apart dangerous opponents. However, the Hopkins Trinidad bout just had too much depth - it's a fight you can watch over & over again, finding new facets in it each time, whereas the Couture Liddell bout, as exciting as it was, tends to pall after a few viewings. The Couture Liddell bout, St.Piere VS BJJ, Shogun VS Babalu, Sudo VS Ludwig, etc., while being good contests, just aren't on the same page as the likes of Morales VS Paquaio 1 & Barrera 1, Carbajal VS Gonzales, Leonard VS Hearns & Benitiz, Corales VS Castillo, etc. etc. etc. Things I like about MMA is there seems to be less protection of major fighters, with big matches being made regularly, but would still rather watch a good boxing match most of the time. (Also a big gripe about the UFC - the last UFC made over $2 million just on the gate, without taking in PPV totals or DVD sales. The purses for all fighters on the show was $200,000 - average was $20,000 each with the most $50,000. The defending champ got only $20,000. Talk about a rip-off for the fighters. This makes Don King look good)

boxing's history and stand up fighting make it better. when a UFC fight is all stand up its' pretty fun to watch, it's almost like a modern day bare knuckle fight, almost. but watching guys grapple isnt all that appealing unless you are into that kind of fighting. i like both, but i love boxing til the day i die!

I say MMA is like a good action FILM.. Boxing is an epical drama.. Action films never WIN the Oscars.. NUFF SAID a very good assesment indeed. i watch MMA also but i dont get pumped up unlike in boxing. the only all action mma you will see are highlight vids :D

a very good assesment indeed. i watch MMA also but i dont get pumped up unlike in boxing. the only all action mma you will see are highlight vids :D

at least mma is still real.

Well I've been a long-time lurker on here and I've just recently gotten into both boxing and MMA but I'm still learning a lot about the sports. Now on other fight sights (the more pro-MMA ones) they have all their reasons for why their sport is better. My question to all the boxing fans on here is what makes boxing more exciting for you than MMA? ......the skill involved

I like the analogy that boxing's an epic drama where mma's an action flick. For me, a lot of times the sheer nature of MMA means that it's not going to promote slick standup- a quick bumrush tackle will get by that KO shot a good 50% of the time and then you get a ground n pound snoozefest. The sloppy stand up- due to the fear of takedowns, usually makes it unwatchable for me. For my money I'd rather watch something like Burmese lethwei, muay thai, or san shou which are like mma without the ground work. I like doing grappling, but even my friends that are good at it, can't watch it without yawning. What was that Heather Graham show where they called BJJ "the gayest thing ever"? I think most of all I hate the attitude of MMA guys: that they know the ultimate truth in everything because of their sport... that they can tell you what's what on any fight sport, when they only know 2 or 3 champs... that their 1 hour of stand up training every week puts them on the level of a fulltime muay thai or boxing guy... that acting like a jerk, alpha male with the hatebreed and Tapout shirts is the way a fighter should act... I swear, the next time one of those board short & rashguard wearing fools tries to convince me of the superiority of the gracie method in my BOXING GYM; I'm a pop him inna da mouf.

Oh and Id like to see MMA fans give us one fight thats better than atleast one ring magizine fight of the year. have you ever watched an mma fight????

thats called skill , man MMA fighters rock man , none of the fighters ever have boring fights IMO , fedor , hughes , silva, liddell , henderson , franklin ,crocop ....... never ,pure skill on the ground and on the feet , i love boxing its historical but MMA is great too man no need to bash it a la jim lampley , they really dont bash boxing on sherdog

but that's kind of right. if it has to be *ultimate* fighting it better end up on the ground like real fights, no? anyway my opinion has alrady been expressed by KK Yea I guess your right, My favorite UFC fighter from back in the days was Tank he use to knock fools out and all of a sudden some new young punk put his arm in some hold and he taped out. That sucked!

Let me put in my 2 cents, I like both sports but boxing is my favorite by far, The way I look at it little by little your starting to see less and less brawling in the UFC (what the fans like) and now their starting to see alot more wrestling and Submission holds (booring). In a couple years it wont be as exciting no more. but that's kind of right. if it has to be *ultimate* fighting it better end up on the ground like real fights, no? anyway my opinion has alrady been expressed by KK

in boxing they dont spend an hour rolling on each other but their are some fights where they spend an hour hugging each other... both sports have their fair share of boring fights...

To me, boxing just has more class. That's not an insult to MMA, just the way I see things. MMA takes skill; but it's essentially a beat-down, whereas with boxing you can only use your fists and your wits...that's it. You have two hands and your opponen has two hands and when you get knocked down, you have to get back up....and nobody jumps on you while you're down, which is a dirty tactic to me. Boxing is one of the last places that a "fair fight" can take place. If you knock somebody down, you give him a chivalrous chance to get back up and continue or yield. MMA is skilled; but feels more like two skilled animals going at it for supremacy, rather than two men fencing in a test of skill and cunning. Chivalry; allowing your opponent a fair chance to get up if you knock him down...that's the difference. To me, boxing's more "sporting". That's why it will always be the "King of Sports"....and the "Sport of Kings". You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to K-DOGG again.

Let me put in my 2 cents, I like both sports but boxing is my favorite by far, The way I look at it little by little your starting to see less and less brawling in the UFC (what the fans like) and now their starting to see alot more wrestling and Submission holds (booring). In a couple years it wont be as exciting no more.

I say MMA is like a good action FILM.. Boxing is an epical drama.. Action films never WIN the Oscars.. NUFF SAID You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Welter_Skelter again.

To me, boxing just has more class. That's not an insult to MMA, just the way I see things. MMA takes skill; but it's essentially a beat-down, whereas with boxing you can only use your fists and your wits...that's it. You have two hands and your opponen has two hands and when you get knocked down, you have to get back up....and nobody jumps on you while you're down, which is a dirty tactic to me. Boxing is one of the last places that a "fair fight" can take place. If you knock somebody down, you give him a chivalrous chance to get back up and continue or yield. MMA is skilled; but feels more like two skilled animals going at it for supremacy, rather than two men fencing in a test of skill and cunning. Chivalry; allowing your opponent a fair chance to get up if you knock him down...that's the difference. To me, boxing's more "sporting". That's why it will always be the "King of Sports"....and the "Sport of Kings". My favorite part about your post.. That is a good way of putting it.

Boxing is much more of a "sport" whereas MMA is more of an actual "fight." I like boxing because it is not simply what most non-fans think it is...fighting. It is a sport that requires skill and strategy and while big punching can mask some those deficiencies we all have seen good boxers dismantle strong punchers. A guy comparable to Winky Wright in boxing wouldn't survive in MMA b/c he is not a KO or submission artist and people wouldn't want to watch him.

To me, boxing just has more class. That's not an insult to MMA, just the way I see things. MMA takes skill; but it's essentially a beat-down, whereas with boxing you can only use your fists and your wits...that's it. You have two hands and your opponen has two hands and when you get knocked down, you have to get back up....and nobody jumps on you while you're down, which is a dirty tactic to me. Boxing is one of the last places that a "fair fight" can take place. If you knock somebody down, you give him a chivalrous chance to get back up and continue or yield. MMA is skilled; but feels more like two skilled animals going at it for supremacy, rather than two men fencing in a test of skill and cunning. Chivalry; allowing your opponent a fair chance to get up if you knock him down...that's the difference. To me, boxing's more "sporting". That's why it will always be the "King of Sports"....and the "Sport of Kings". i couldn't have said it beter myself! even the fans boo when 2 MMAists are on the ground hugging boxing is a noble sport, i was taught not to punch a man when hes down and i think thats the way it should be