What is more physically demanding -Boxing or MMA title fight?

[fathergll]

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/boxing-mma-912347/


This was posted on Sherdog...I wanted to see your answers

Hi guys

I dont know if this is the right forum, but I have a question that some of you might be able to answer.

What is the most straining and most cardio demanding, boxing or mma? Ive done quite a bit of boxing, but i've never wrestled or done any grapling/rolling, so I have no idea about how demanding it is.


As an example -
(And yes i know UFC isnt = MMA but im just using this in my example)

UFC - Title fight - 5 rounds x 5 mins = 25 minutes fighting 3 breaks = 3 minutes - Which means that the ratio for a full fight is 88 % fighting and 12% break

Boxing title fight - 12 rounds x 3 mins = 36 mins 11 breaks = 11 minutes - which means that the ratio for a full fight is 69.5% fighting and 30.5% break

From those numbers it would seem that boxing is harder since it demands more breaks, and for a ignoramus like myself it seems that when you take it to the mat in MMA you can conserve more energy then when you are in a 100% standup match.


Enlighten me please.

[We want Floyd]

This is an obvious one, MMA.

With MMA you basically have two or three disciplines you have to work on. You have to work on your striking(Muay Thai or Boxing or both) and for the ground some MMArtists work on wrestling or BJJ or both. All those four disciplines work on various muscle groups, whereas boxing is limited.

A boxer does not have to worry about getting thrown on the ground and fighting his way out of being on the ground. A boxers legs doesn't get punished the same way a kickboxer does.

[hammerhiem]

I'm no pro MMA or Boxer but I've messed about in both camps, nothing serious or anything.

I would rather do 10 minutes of groundwork top or bottom than 3 minutes on a bag.

[KostyaTszyu44]

boxers take more overall damage to their brain

more cuts too

boxers are also fitter

[Pullcounter]

boxers take more overall damage to their brain

more cuts too

boxers are also fitter

boxing is more demanding because in mma if you get tired you can just lay on top of a guy and hump him for 5 mins to get a breather.

[them_apples]

This is an obvious one, MMA.

With MMA you basically have two or three disciplines you have to work on. You have to work on your striking(Muay Thai or Boxing or both) and for the ground some MMArtists work on wrestling or BJJ or both. All those four disciplines work on various muscle groups, whereas boxing is limited.

A boxer does not have to worry about getting thrown on the ground and fighting his way out of being on the ground. A boxers legs doesn't get punished the same way a kickboxer does.

I found MMa lot easier, in those MMa classes i look at the ground work as the break after the punching..

[BennyST]

Boxing is more anaerobically and aerobically demanding due to the nature of the sport. It is much less stop/start/rest with intense periods of activity so you have to build up your anaerobic capacity to a much greater level and you also have to have greater aerobic capacity due to the endurance needed to last those 36 minutes of sustained anaerobic periods.

[twanky1]

Boxing is the most difficult sport in the world. Not only is a 12 round title fight one of the hardest things in sports the skill level is much higher in Boxing. It takes a decade of training and a load of natural talent to be an elite boxer.

The UFC HW champ is a 2 win 1 loss ex WWE roid head who has less skill then Muhammad Ali had in his pinky.

[Steak]

well, it obviously depends a lot on the two fighters involved and the nature of the fight, doesnt it?

but generally speaking, I will say boxing, because it lasts much longer, the fighters involved take more real physical punishment, and the action is more constant, as opposed to the bursts you see in mma.

[BennyST]

You need more brute strength in MMA which limits your anaerobic capacity. You get tired much quicker with a lot of muscle bulk but you need it for MMA ground-work/wrestling etc etc. The same type of build in boxing would literally kill you. You would done within a few rounds.

They are completely different in their needs but MMA is less demanding overall in it's general aerobic and anaerobic capacities. More high level, intense periods of physical stress over a longer period of time compared to less high level/intense periods of activity over a shorter period of time.

It's not about what you work, because in both sports you really do work your entire body. They differ obviously but you also have different types of physicality needed and in boxing it requires a higher degree of both the above. Simple. It's got nothing to do with one being better, just about what you need to excel in one or the other.