Why do fighters take so much time inbetween fights?

[Super T]

Sorry if this is a ridiculously newb question....

But why do boxers or mma fighters have so much time in between fights? Why only 2-4 fights per year?

Wouldn't it make sense to have fights more frequently when while you are in fighting shape? As opposed to taking a 3 month break and having to get back in fighting shape again. Of course this is assuming that you don't get too injured or hurt during your last fight.

And obviously you sometimes have to wait until the top fighters are available to fight.

But Manny Pac barely got touched in his fight. He can fight another fight right now if he wanted to. So why wait until October? Why not try to schedule a fight for next month with the best fighter available?

I just don't get why all boxers can't fight more often(say 10-12 times a year).

[J.R]

Firstly welcome to the boards.

Mainly, i think, the reason fighters have long breaks is for cuts. To let the scar tissue heal properly. Also at the highest level, i suppose the fights take a lot out of the guys.

[billionaire]

guys in the 50s used to fight 10 times a year....not because they were better neccessarily.....it takes longer to promote events, schedule casinos, tickets etc nowadays.....

[egreezy]

Injuries, Television dates, contracts

[The Gully Gad]

The MMA guys fight on a regs...Unless they got cut up in a previous battle i think those guys fight quite a lot

[portuge puncher]

back in like the 20's-60's they fought like 12 times a year, would have over a hundred fights, ****, harry greb holds the record, he fought 48 times in one year.

[Benny Leonard]

[Chr0nic]

boxing is just a big business nowadays, they gotta pick the right guys not just fight randomly and most of all you need time for promotin the fight and gettin it global

and since you make so much money you dont need to be risking your health every month unlike back then where the salary was so small that the guys had no choice but to fight every month

[TheFairPole]

They need time to get fat and drunk and blow all their cash before the next fight...

[J.R]

boxing is just a big business nowadays, they gotta pick the right guys not just fight randomly and most of all you need time for promotin the fight and gettin it global

and since you make so much money you dont need to be risking your health every month unlike back then where the salary was so small that the guys had no choice but to fight every month

Yeah Joe Louis. What was it? 'A bum a month'?