MMA Fighters who could do good in Boxing

[Someone88]

Potential? What does that mean? Silva tried and failed there's nothing else to it. And yeah, sparring sessions do show us a lot about how they'll do in boxing. They clearly show they aren't able to hold the pace with boxers. There has not been one example of an MMA fighter being able to match a half decent pro boxer.

Potential or talent you get me. Well MMA Fighters don't just focus on Boxing, as you know Boxing has the deepest talent pool of all Combat Sports so an MMA Fighter can't just do some Boxing and expect to take on the elite. They'd have to focus on it, I haven't said any MMA Fighter would for sure go to Boxing and do great, it's just speculation so I wanna see who People think could potentially be successful in Boxing had they gone or even went now with years of training

[Someone88]

I'm saying once again, Kharitonov is the obvious choice.

Why? Because he was a world class amateur boxer before he became an MMA fighter.

Especially if we are talking about potential.

I know he has plodding footwork, but he fights with a Russian style of boxing. And as has been mentioned, the HW division is sh it.

I mentioned Sergei and you make good points he has the credentials, but let's consider talent as well. Sergei has been training his Boxing since he was 10, Dos Santos started training his Boxing when he was 21-22 his progress has been very impressive also his work ethic is more consistent that's why I think Dos Santos would do better than him

[Someone88]

I'm kind of glad Sergei Kharitonov was mentioned.

JDS has good boxing for MMA IMO. Not sure how he'd do in boxing.

Heard JDS was unbeaten in 21 kickboxing matches though. 21 KO's too. Not sure if that's true but that's what I heard.

That's a rumour but Dos Santos has a Boxing record of 8-0 he said it was Amateur or something similar like exhibitions at the Gym. Sergei has the more impressive credentials but if both had just focused on Boxing I see Dos Santos doing better

[Drunken Cat]

I mentioned Sergei and you make good points he has the credentials, but let's consider talent as well. Sergei has been training his Boxing since he was 10, Dos Santos started training his Boxing when he was 21-22 his progress has been very impressive also his work ethic is more consistent that's why I think Dos Santos would do better than him

Yeah, that's a fine point. I didn't consider that JDS had started his training so late. In any case, I would say the heavyweight and cruiserweight fighters would have the most hope. It's hard to think of too many lower weight boxers who I can see having potentially made it in the pros, based on what abilities they have. There are a few guys who may be such good athletes that they could have done it, had they trained from early, but that's a difficult one to demonstrate in any individual case. I don't even know who I'd suggest. Possibly a guy like BJ Penn could've been a boxer, but I don't exactly imagine him moving too far up in the rankings. Same probably goes for any superb athlete (like GSP, Aldo, and others), they'd beat a lot of guys, but when they started to fight more able fighters they'd likely be beat. Boxing is a sport where your flaws get exposed when you start to reach the relatively higher levels.

In the upper weights, possibly even Aleksander Emelianenko could be another potential guy. He's taller and lengthier than Fedor, and he does have pretty good hands.

[Someone88]

Yeah, that's a fine point. I didn't consider that JDS had started his training so late. In any case, I would say the heavyweight and cruiserweight fighters would have the most hope. It's hard to think of too many lower weight boxers who I can see having potentially made it in the pros, based on what abilities they have. There are a few guys who may be such good athletes that they could have done it, had they trained from early, but that's a difficult one to demonstrate in any individual case. I don't even know who I'd suggest. Possibly a guy like BJ Penn could've been a boxer, but I don't exactly imagine him moving too far up in the rankings. Same probably goes for any superb athlete (like GSP, Aldo, and others), they'd beat a lot of guys, but when they started to fight more able fighters they'd likely be beat. Boxing is a sport where your flaws get exposed when you start to reach the relatively higher levels.

In the upper weights, possibly even Aleksander Emelianenko could be another potential guy. He's taller and lengthier than Fedor, and he does have pretty good hands.

Yep good points made about the lower division Fighters. BJ and Aleksander could be included when considering talent but their work ethic could have let them down.

One of the reasons why Anderson and Dos Santos could potentially have done the best in Boxing out of the MMA Fighters isn't just their talent and work ethic it's because their divisions isn't as deep as you mentioned.

I know it's speculation though but I just was interested to see the different opinions

[Drunken Cat]

Yep good points made about the lower division Fighters. BJ and Aleksander could be included when considering talent but their work ethic could have let them down.

One of the reasons why Anderson and Dos Santos could potentially have done the best in Boxing out of the MMA Fighters isn't just their talent and work ethic it's because their divisions isn't as deep as you mentioned.

I know it's speculation though but I just was interested to see the different opinions

Yeah, it's an interesting question.

I almost even want to say Genki Sudo. Not because he has any great boxing skills, but the guy is just a complete genius when it comes to fighting. This is assuming that he had started boxing early enough. There are instances of guys who are as unorthodox as can be in boxing making it to the world level. Sam Solimon for instance. Ricardo Mayorga is another example. In Mayorga's case his natural power did have a lot to do with it, but he also punched from all angles.