i don't understand why boxing fans get so defensive when it comes to mma. i'll choose boxing over mma any day, but when mma is on i watch it and enjoy it. it's a pointless debate anyway. really, when it comes down to it, what are the arguments?
"mma is better, dude."
"no, boxing is better."
"no, mma is better."
"no."
it's like a broken record.
I admit I get defensive about it, but it doesn't mean I don't like MMA.
MMA = explosively exciting... its all inclusive fighting
Boxing = The art of striking. Its a sport.
Comparing them further than that is comparing apples and oranges.
That is not what I am trying to do.
I am trying to show people they need to give both a chance.
Its about awareness more than preference.
I believe both can co-exist, and in my opinion the most-effective way of informing the public is getting the media on boxing's side so that people can gain some kind of information on what boxing is about these days, but we are living in a world where UFC is waging war against boxing. Have you spoken to anyone about boxing to anyone who doesn't watch it? They have no clue what they are talking about and they only spew non-facts that I hear Joe Rogan and Dana White talking about all the time.
TO SODA POPINSKY:
By creating a group like this, it is just a means to provoke discussion about why they can't both exist.
You claim I am pitting them against each other... The fact is I am not the one who did the pitting, I am playing a defensive role. In our group we have UFC discussion after MMA events as well, but by making a group I have shown my circle of friends that there is nothing wrong with boxing and in case they show an interest in it, they have an avenue to find information about it. I used to be the only one of my friends who watched boxing and my friends were UFC fans... I would try to speak to them about boxing and found they were aggressively opposing it. Through aggressively defending it, almost all my friends have given it a chance and we have a group of about 15 people who consistantly watch every event we can.
TO KSWIZZY
Boxing fans ignoring it won't stop UFC's attack on boxing. The attitude of the youth who are easily swayed by the media is rapidly changing. The topic has become hostile even if you even mention the word boxing. (maybe i'ts just where I live). People need to know that its ok to watch watch both but you can't present that idea without talking about the issues which is the ultimate goal of the group... to foster discussion so people can form their own opinions.
You are missing the entire point of this conversation. It's not supposed to be about which is better.... its about people giving only one sport a chance to decide what they like (not that they have to choose one over the other).
You are talking about a select group of people when you are talking about people who know fighting. Of course fighters respect each other... I am talking about the rest of the public who don't know what they are talking about. They buy into whatever they hear on TV, and what is being propagated is that UFC is superior to boxing. It is the cool thing to say. Talk to anyone in a younger generation and see if they have ever seen a boxing match. I recently just went back to university and not a single kid I know has seen boxing beyond Oscar De La Hoya or Mike Tyson.
TO: J.RAZOR
Here is my opinion on the "skill" argument
I think that there are extremely skillful fighters in the UFC... MMA at its finest is very captivating... watching GSP and Anderson Silva and BJ Penn is very similar to watching a talented boxer. You can see them break down their opponent mentally and physically and it is a joy to watch. Its the best when they fight other well rounded fighters.
In UFC, you have all these guys who specialize in one aspect of fighting... and when those guys fight each other, the strategy becomes so simple it is almost boring to watch. The wrestler takes the striker to the ground and the striker keeps the wrestler at a distance... the end.
I understand what you are saying, believe me I do, but my point is they are already pit against one another. It is a done deal. The only way to reach the audience is by addressing it head on. If I hadn't written UFC vs. Boxing you might not be involved in this conversation with me right now. That title has power. Do you know how many UFC is better than boxing GROUPS there are on facebook? Probably more than there are members in my group, which is the only one on facebook.
It is an issue whether you and I speak about it or not so why not speak about it and draw in all the people who are only hearing one side of the argument.
My argument is not that it is bad, i watch almost every UFC event that is televised.. I know Joe Rogan, Dana White and Jim Lampley's opinions on the matter do not reflect all boxing and MMA fans. But Dana White and Joe Rogan provoke the topic because it is good business and as long as that happens, I believe there is a need to defend boxing. The day they find a way to co-exist is the day the group becomes irrelevant.
I know Jim Lampley's opinion on the sport of UFC and I don't agree with it, but he obviously felt provoked. Those comments didn't just come out of thin air. But my point in saying that is to say this, it is a one way attack. Jim Lampley's comments, in my perception, were a misguided defence of a sport that has completely enveloped his life.
I realize that a debate has been started.. I am joining it the same way you are by voicing your opinions right now (which i don't even disagree with). The only way my opinion differs from yours is that you would be silent and hope it goes away whereas I believe once people with a different opinion like you and I express those opinions through the forum of debate, all those listening have no choice but to define their own views. That is the goal.
The thing is, if they can't appreciate the fine art of it, they can still appreciate the exciting side. There are sooo many flashy boxers out there that can appeal to their tastes. People LOVED mike Tyson for that reason. Show those people a glimpse of Joan Guzman, Manny Pacquiao, James Kirkland, Gamboa, Victor Ortiz, Berto... man.. the list is basically endless. These people can't help but catch your attention.
Boxing appeals to more than just the intellectual crowd. We just need a way to show people that they exist. Start plugging in highlight videos from fights each month and I doubt these people will still argue that boxing is boring. People will then know who to watch to get what they want out of the sport.
a cartoon?:wtf:
can't we just enjoy both sports without being bias? :fing02:
Of course we can! I enjoy the UFC. Just like I enjoy cartoons. hehe.
I enjoy both sports on different levels. I am just aggressive in defending boxing because UFC is aggressive in attacking it.
I have to keep telling all my friends who are brainwashed by the UFC and the media that boxing isn't going anywhere. I have been so passionate about it I started a Facebook group and have been trying to start a community that sees the situation the way I do.
Sorry for the plug but this is the perfect opportunity.
For all of you facebook people out there, the group is called "Thou Shalt Not Put UFC before boxing".
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2225086895
There is alot of good boxing discussion if you want to get involved (not just about why boxing is better than UFC) or if you only want to join to show that you support boxing, I encourage you to do so.
I'd also just like to say that I don't think I hate anyone as much as I hate Dana White.
He trashed the last boxing event put on by Oscar De La Hoya and tries to sound so unbiased about it by saying he comes from a boxing background. The man is a joke.
How can anyone not see that everything he says is all just business? If he cared even a bit about boxing and respected it, how come he never comments on Cotto vs. Margarito or Marquez vs. Pacquiao II? The only champions he and Joe Rogan can name are Mohamed Ali and Mike Tyson.
And UFC fans probably would have LOVED that De La Hoya fight night, seeing as how all the fights ended in the first 3 rounds. That's what UFC is all about... short and quick...you don't need any skill you just walk in and throw your weight around and its done inside 9 minutes. It's the virgin of the fight world.
Exactly! I have been taking liberties here and there to share a bit about boxing strategies with my friends and it has made a huge difference in the way they perceive the sport. They start to see it more as a sport than a fight, where the goal is not just to knock the other person out. When people aren't just watching for the knockout and begin to get involved in the process of the knockout their attention is more focused and many times, 12 rounds is not enough.
I started as the only person in my circle of friends who watched boxing and through teaching them in person and through video games and live events, they have become die-hard fans.
I agree with "Cadillac Man" as well, I don't think one man can save the sport either. You need at least 2 :P haha. to make a good fight. No seriously tho, that is one problem with boxing... they need to market more than 1 great fighter at a time. Promoters should be more involved in getting their best fighters involved in more media events and building awareness for how many great fighters there really are.
now it's MMA/UFC and well Boxing is still around get the point? IT AIN'T GOIN NO WHERE!!!
EXACTLY!! As long as people enjoy the striking part of fighting, whether it be MMA or whatever... Boxing will always be the pinnacle of punching. Boxing turns striking into an art, UFC is more like a cartoon.