Yeah, but that applies to basically all combat sports. So why are you a boxing fan and not an MMA or karate fan?
Aside from it being the first thing I ever saw that was true combat, my father idolized George Foreman for doing what he did at his age, and the way he packaged himself. What I didn't get, was that even though my dad wasn't a Boxing fan, he would always watch Big George...I think Big George was my dad's hero in a funny kind of way, ya know? My pops was around Big George's same age when he made that awesome comeback. I'm a logical person, Michael Moorer was not a strong, bonafied true champion. I think he lacked alot of things mentally to reign on top, that stemmed from his childhood. That's just my personal opinion. I know, for sure, if today's Wladimir Klitschko would've been in Moorer's position, George would've definately had a rougher time. Or, who knows, maybe he would have got in a good one and shattered that questionable jaw of Klitschko! This is another great thing about Boxing on the world level...you cannot accurately predict what will happen...Years ago, when Toney fought Ruiz, so many people lost money because they bet the farm on Toney, and the goddamn fight ended up as a draw! You simply never know what will happen.
I'm sure MMA may be the same in certain aspects in terms of the great unknown, but to better answer the post...
A man who climbs a mountain may be respected, but not as respected (and remembered) as the man who climbs an immense mountain, having to camp out in a cave for a night to survive. Any MMA fan will admit it. "Boxing is more damaging to the brain" is what the hardcore MMAer loves to spit out... It's basically impossible to get into a title bout and not take some good shots. It's only logical. In mixed martial arts, you have so many options to strike your opponent, and things to do...There is a multitude of different things, so when a MMAer trains, they have to sort of become a jack of all trades in a sense, with the exception of a few truly great grapplers such as Royce Gracie, my personal favorite...see, he made the decision to just be great at one thing, grappling, and it took him a very long way...a boxer makes the decision to get great with two fists. With two fists, a boxer works his entire life at becoming adept with them, to display them to the world, much like a writer with a book, or an artist with a painting. They all are creative artists, the boxer, the mmaer, the painter, and the writer...they all stand alone, to display their skill...
But... Boxing is riskier. I wouldn't have it any other way.