The Facts Boxing vs. MMA

By Denise I Smithson on July 8, 2009

Mixed martial arts is a sport which has been seeing an ever expanding fan base over the past decade. The sport really started to take off after a UFC-centered reality TV show which exposed the sport to the public. The UFC is the official MMA league which produces and promotes the matches; all of the professional MMA fighters are in the league, giving the UFC a lock on the sport. Many people worry that the attention paid to MMA comes at the expense of boxing, but the two sports are different enough that there shouldn’t be any cause for alarm – there is no reason to follow one sport and not the other, since MMA is not intended to replace boxing.

However, boxing has been declining in popularity in the US for some time now. Of course, the sweet science is at no risk of extinction – there is a core of loyal fans that will always support the sport. Despite the repeated predictions of boxing’s demise, the sport isn’t going anywhere. However, some long time boxing fans feel that MMA is nothing but a cheap, sensationalized knock off of their favorite sport.

However, many of those boxing fans have taken to MMA as well. After all, MMA does incorporate some boxing, and it is an individual fighting competition. MMA of course includes many other disciplines, such as wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, grappling, kick boxing, Muay Thai and many other distinct styles of fighting. The combined aptitudes in all of these disciplines make MMA fighting much different from boxing.

Boxing fans and MMA fans in fact can find a lot to enjoy in both sports. MMA events don’t feature much in the way of advanced boxing techniques and since these fighters don’t specialize in the discipline, the work of athletes in professional boxing is worlds apart from what you’ll see in a MMA match.

However, with smaller gloves that serve merely as knuckle guards, there are many more knockouts and fights can seem more exciting in that fashion. It depends on what you are looking for, a finer display of skill and technique or a potentially more explosive display. People can like both and turn to each for separate reasons.

It’s definitely possible to be a fan of MMA and boxing at the same time. Fans enjoy each sport for different reasons. You’re not letting down boxing by taking in a MMA event; and the UFC won’t feel betrayed if you watch a boxing match. It’s not as if you hear people saying that they can’t watch soccer since they like to watch baseball. The sports may share a few similarities, but they are at their very core different sports which should not be taken to be in competition with each other for your attention.

Boxing and MMA fans need to come to an understanding that the sports are two different animals and have different things to offer fans. Naturally, you don’t have to like both; no sport will appeal to every fan. However, you should approach each sport on its own merits rather than in relation to other sports.

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