If you enjoy boxing more than MMA, why?

[CaneloBlue]

Curious as to why some people enjoy boxing more than MMA. For me, I just grew up with it and it was my hobby alongside my father. Haven’t been able to transition all the way to MMA. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll go to the bar with friends and watch some of the big UFC PPV’s but boxing just has that special place in my heart. Not only that, but I’m always curious to the different outfits the fighters wear, their walkouts, what brand gloves they wear on fight night (Winnings, Cleto’s, No Boxing, No Life) etc…I love it. MMA is amazing and shows just what the human body is capable of as an offensive tool, but boxing won’t ever leave me.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It’s just better. All round. Better sport, better rules, better history, better lineage, better fights, better fighters.

MMA will always be the red headed step child of boxing. I’m an MMA fan too, but it’ll never compare to boxing for me personally.

[Willy Wanker]

Cause I'm 40 and I'm straight.



No, but seriously I been an MMA fan since the first UFC event in 1993. I was only 11 and my grandma ordered and watched it with me and my brother.

As much as I love MMA, boxing will always be my first love. Boxing history is very rich. Maybe it's just sentimental reasons, but I do like striking more than grappling as well, at least most of the time.

As great as UFC events are, you can't beat the atmosphere of a big boxing match.

[famicommander]

When you specialize you get a higher skill ceiling.

MMA guys have to be really good at a lot of stuff (boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, judo, BJJ, etc) but nobody can be a master at all of them, so consequently everyone has holes in their game.

Boxing at the highest level is like nothing else. I still watch and enjoy MMA, bare knuckle, and kickboxing but nothing tops a fight between two elite boxers.

[clmags12]

I was introduced to boxing by my grandfather and uncles in the early 80s. Lots of good memories there.

Im a fan of most combat sports but boxing is my one of my first loves to watch.

[CaneloBlue]

Cause I'm 40 and I'm straight.



No, but seriously I been an MMA fan since the first UFC event in 1993. I was only 11 and my grandma ordered and watched it with me and my brother.

As much as I love MMA, boxing will always be my first love. Boxing history is very rich. Maybe it's just sentimental reasons, but I do like striking more than grappling as well, at least most of the time.

As great as UFC events are, you can't beat the atmosphere of a big boxing match.

Yeah, same here. I prefer striking over grappling. Don’t get me wrong, grappling needs to be respected as it does require skill contrary to popular belief (just look at Khabib Nurmagomedov), but I personally find it uneventful.

[CaneloBlue]

When you specialize you get a higher skill ceiling.

MMA guys have to be really good at a lot of stuff (boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, judo, BJJ, etc) but nobody can be a master at all of them, so consequently everyone has holes in their game.

Boxing at the highest level is like nothing else. I still watch and enjoy MMA, bare knuckle, and kickboxing but nothing tops a fight between two elite boxers.

Man, nothing like two elite boxers in the primes going against each other. The skill set on display is incredible.

Ward vs Kovalev 1
Donaire vs Inoue
Canelo vs GGG 2
etc…

Goosebumps watching those fights for the very first time.

[Willy Wanker]

Yeah, same here. I prefer striking over grappling. Don’t get me wrong, grappling needs to be respected as it does require skill contrary to popular belief (just look at Khabib Nurmagomedov), but I personally find it uneventful.

Good point.

Striking is often more exciting than grappling, but not always the case.

I think of two of my favorite fighters Adesanya vs Romero, it was a 100% striking battle and it was one the of most dreadfully boring fights I've seen, I was hoping Yoel would shoot for a takedown to mix it up and utilize his elite wrestling skills since that's Adesanya's weakness.

As for grappling, it can get pretty boring especially if someone maintains a dominant position but doesn't take a chance to go for the finish.

That being said, I get excited seeing a fighter get close to being submitted almost as much as I get excited seeing a fighter getting close to being stopped or KO'd.

[RazorDog]

I find mma boring, but that's because I know nothing about grappling and jujitsu. Plus the UFC and a large portion of its fanbase seem kinda trashy and assholish. Boxing promotions still put effort into making its events look like "prize fighting for the high class entertainment".

[manfrommars]

I love both, but I'm always more entertained by a great boxing fight than a great MMA fight.

For example, take the greatest UFC fights of all time (take your pick) and they still wouldn't top Ali/Frazier, Hearns/Hagler, Ward/Gatti, Naseem/Kelly, Bowe/Holyfield. The list is almost endless of great boxing fights and I don't think it's necessarily because boxing has had more time, but the nature of the sport. There's less opportunities in boxing for prolonged clinches, lulls and basically killing the clock - and even when the clock is being killed, the footwork is more watchable than MMA footwork, especially with supremely gifted boxers like Mayweather and Ali who are entertaining even when they're just moving around the ring - not much so in MMA - the lulls in MMA are brutal.

I do find that I watch a lot more UFC nowadays than boxing, however. A monthly event with the champion facing the contender is something only boxing fans can dream of; especially with the way match-making in boxing is run today. When a major boxing title fight is on, though, I drop everything...if only it was more of a regular thing.