Will there ever be a cross-over, dominant Boxing/MMA fighter?

[nveleven]

I'm sure most people will immediately say 'no', but NFL/MLB fans could not have imagined a Bo Jackson. If he'd stayed healthy and had a full career, that dude would have been a super legend.
Now that UFC has found its audience, it seems that this has to be the goal of some young ones out there with a "Bo Knows" mindset.
The riches gained from this would be unheard of, as a promoters/sponsors' wet dream.
I think someone from Gen Z will produce the first one.
Thoughts?

[48cantCstraight]

I would say no. But before the Holm-Rousey fight I also would have said that a female fighter would never knock out a male fighter, so who knows.

[Foreign Soil]

Doubt it - the only time someone crosses over is when they're no longer relevant in their own sport.

[sicko]

Tyrone Spong probably could do it but it seems like he is done with MMA and is going Full Time Boxing now

[Eff Pandas]

Its definitely feasible. I think there are some problems with making it happen outside of the skills doe. Contract issues & desire likely being the top 2. I think there are arguably guys who could do it right now. Nick Diaz probably being at the top of my list as a guy who's been a long time sparring partner of Andre Ward & a highly considered MMA fighter & former Strikeforce champion.

They'd probably be UFC guys unless there are more Holly Holm type boxers, that I'm unaware of, who've got kickboxing experience or other MMA skills like she did previous to her boxing career. MMA guys are gonna transition better to just boxing than a boxer is gonna transition better to all the different fighting methods coming at you in MMA.

[Eff Pandas]

Tyrone Spong probably could do it but it seems like he is done with MMA and is going Full Time Boxing now

Idk about that. He had two fights in March 2015 & then he hasn't done anything in any combat sports. He was scheduled to fight a few weeks ago at a WSOF event but it got canceled. I think its up in the air which way he goes or if he's even a bit shook after that leg injury which was nuts (very similar to Anderson Silva's for anyone who hasn't seen it).

[Combat Talk Radio]

Pretty sure Holly Holm is already that, given she's the first to win titles in both sports - and I can't describe her destruction of Rousey as anything but dominant.

[Johnwoo8686]

Pretty sure Holly Holm is already that, given she's the first to win titles in both sports - and I can't describe her destruction of Rousey as anything but dominant.

True, its Holly Holm. But she was never really a star in boxing, just an MMA star.

[cupocity303]

This is how we know that Boxing >> MMA.

There will always be a better chance that a former Boxer has success in MMA then the other way around. You can incorporate grappling and kicking into your boxing in the cage, but you can't incorporate grappling into the boxing ring, and most of these guys are not gonna become great boxers from scratch.

[VoodooChild]

This is how we know that Boxing >> MMA.

There will always be a better chance that a former Boxer has success in MMA then the other way around. You can incorporate grappling and kicking into your boxing in the cage, but you can't incorporate grappling into the boxing ring, and most of these guys are not gonna become great boxers from scratch.

Of course not, boxing is a more specialized sport where MMA is more open. The same could be said about becoming a great wrestler, judoka, BJJ or Muay Thai fighter.Specializing requires very specific attributes where MMA requires a very broad skillset.