[LadyViper]

My husband and his buddies seem to think that UFC/Pride fighting will eventually be bigger than boxing. I hope they are wrong, as I just can't get into UFC. There is too much laying around and wrestling, and not enough actual boxing. I love boxing, and I would hate to see it fall by the wayside because of MMA style fighting. What do you all think, is boxing going extinct?

 

[daveDaboxingfan]

If you notice the ufc is not letting them lay around as much any more, at the beginning the champions where all huggers not any more.
I don’t think it will hurt boxing much as most of the boxing fans I know give very little to no attention to the ufc.
True boxing fans don't like quitters in the ufc every one is a quitter even if it means quitting to stop an arm from being broken.
At the end of a boxing fight they announce that the guy finished the fight with a broken hand and the boxer gets more respect for it. The ufc is fighting but a completely deferent sport.

 

[LadyViper]

Good point! Yea, I just started watching UFC a couple months ago and was really put off by the floor time. My husband has been trying to get me into Pride, because he says they don't allow them to lay around as much. I am glad to hear that most boxing fans don't pay much attention. This has been an ongoing debate with my husband, his friends, and myself. He and his friends think that it will eventually overshadow boxing. I have been watching boxing since I was 3yrs old, and it was very hard for me to watch UFC or any other forms of fighting. I couldn't live without my boxing fix, and I am glad that someone else thinks it won't fall by the wayside.

 

[TripleA]

UFC and the like are good but I don't see them hurting boxing. They provide more of a rush than boxing does but all in all it is the strikers that people pay to see in pride fighting and striking is boxing just with a little different spin.

 

[Word2Action]

Separate styles, separate audience

Even though it looks like MMA is fishing in the same demographic as boxing, I think MMA like UFC aims at a younger more wrestling oriented fan base. Boxing is a bit more professional and I think it attracts an older more mature audience. Because of this boxing will continue not only to survive but thrive.

 

[chris_36824]

i dont see UFC overtaking boxing... UFC is a relativly new thing, as for boxing has been around forever... i think UFC is just going to be a fad and will probably disappear in the next 10 years...

 

[TripleA]

I don't think it will totally die out. MMA is going to go to that place where PKA is. Every once in a while it iwll put on a big show and get attetnion but it's fan base will fall off after time. But let's face it, the same happens to boxing too. Outside of people that are in boxing and the handfull of die hard fans, how many people know about current events in boxing. There are still people that think Tyson is the champion and has never been beat.

 

[ninikins]

I personally don't think that you can really compare the two disciplines, boxing is and always will be a classy sport in its own right with a history.

 

[box99]

yeah, don't think boxing is going to fade away, too much history and I actually do like the MMA fighting too but it is just a different form. Hard to compare the too and weel, I also, like kickbocking but overall boxing will be my favorite sport to watch and follow.

 

[ninikins]

Really, nothing will be able to compare to the history and atmosphere of boxing however interesting it is. There will always be a core of supporters, I really don't think it can go down

 

[J.B.]

I enjoy watching UFC, however, it will never surpass boxing in my opinion. Boxing is a pure sport, there is no surprise kicks or wierd submissions. Each fighter knows what he is going to face. It is one of those things that is so simple it becomes incredibly complex, like checkers. Ufc and Pride fighting are great for what they are and I will continue to enjoy them, however, they are not much more than a highly trained street fight.

 

[ChuckSteak]

MMA Fan Here

Hi All. I'm an MMA fan and I found these forums and wanted to chime in a bit. I, personally, don't think boxing is going to fade away or disaprear. Boxing is big and there is big money. I think MMA will grow to the size of boxing, but boxing will not go down. I think part oof the issue is most (not all) boxing fans do not understand MMA so they dislike it and that is fine. But to put the sport of MMA and it's fighters and fans down is obtuse. I don't see the "hate" here for MMA as I have seen on other forums. You all sem like a classy group.

I do want to address a few things that have been said in this post though.

Even though it looks like MMA is fishing in the same demographic as boxing, I think MMA like UFC aims at a younger more wrestling oriented fan base. Boxing is a bit more professional and I think it attracts an older more mature audience. Because of this boxing will continue not only to survive but thrive.

I see what you are saying about the wrestling (WWE/TNA/etc...) fans being the target audience, but the UFC is targeting the boxing audeince as well. And I'm not quite sure what you mean by boxing is more professional. Could you explain?

I personally don't think that you can really compare the two disciplines, boxing is and always will be a classy sport in its own right with a history.

I'm not trying to be an ass, but are you implying that MMA isn't classy? Or MMA (Fighters/Fans) are unclassy?

I enjoy watching UFC, however, it will never surpass boxing in my opinion. Boxing is a pure sport, there is no surprise kicks or wierd submissions. Each fighter knows what he is going to face. It is one of those things that is so simple it becomes incredibly complex, like checkers. Ufc and Pride fighting are great for what they are and I will continue to enjoy them, however, they are not much more than a highly trained street fight.

Again, not trying to be an ass, but you say boxing is pure sport? What to you consider MMA? Is Judo pure sport? Is Wrestling pure sport? I think they are all pure and MMA is just taking all of them and putting them together. The amount of skill and training an MMA fighter has to have to step into the cage is huge. Boxing is only one aspect they have to learn. Are they as good as a pro boxer? No, not even close. Would a boxer do well in a cage? Historically they have not.

You also say each boxer knows what they are going to face. Do you think MMA fighters do not know who they are going to face? Way back in the day they had open tournaments where the fighters would fight 3-4 times in one night to win. Those days are long gone. The fighters face one oponent and they know who that opponent is going to be months in advance, just like boxing.

And they are far more than highly trained street fighters. There is nothing more I can say to this.

 

[theword]

Hi All. I'm an MMA fan and I found these forums and wanted to chime in a bit. I, personally, don't think boxing is going to fade away or disaprear. Boxing is big and there is big money. I think MMA will grow to the size of boxing, but boxing will not go down. I think part oof the issue is most (not all) boxing fans do not understand MMA so they dislike it and that is fine. But to put the sport of MMA and it's fighters and fans down is obtuse. I don't see the "hate" here for MMA as I have seen on other forums. You all sem like a classy group.

I do want to address a few things that have been said in this post though.



I see what you are saying about the wrestling (WWE/TNA/etc...) fans being the target audience, but the UFC is targeting the boxing audeince as well. And I'm not quite sure what you mean by boxing is more professional. Could you explain?



I'm not trying to be an ass, but are you implying that MMA isn't classy? Or MMA (Fighters/Fans) are unclassy?



Again, not trying to be an ass, but you say boxing is pure sport? What to you consider MMA? Is Judo pure sport? Is Wrestling pure sport? I think they are all pure and MMA is just taking all of them and putting them together. The amount of skill and training an MMA fighter has to have to step into the cage is huge. Boxing is only one aspect they have to learn. Are they as good as a pro boxer? No, not even close. Would a boxer do well in a cage? Historically they have not.

You also say each boxer knows what they are going to face. Do you think MMA fighters do not know who they are going to face? Way back in the day they had open tournaments where the fighters would fight 3-4 times in one night to win. Those days are long gone. The fighters face one oponent and they know who that opponent is going to be months in advance, just like boxing.

And they are far more than highly trained street fighters. There is nothing more I can say to this.

I sort of feel the same way that MMA, well, UFC in particular is kind of a spectacle. I don't mean that the fighting is gaudy or showy or anything, but the way the UFC pitches itself. I agree with many people that Boxing seems more mature somehow, more business oreinted and less, I don't know, less teen angst(ish). Or to put it another way: I sort of get the feeling that the UFC likes the term "Xtreme". Everything with them is hard guitar riffs and some guy screaming in the background about how they are the 'Ultimate!'.
Boxing on the other hand, while still having spectacle aspects to it seems to take itself more seriously. Also the action in the ring is always much cleaner. Now, I know a good deal about MMA, in fact I have a friend who is a grappler/BJJ/kick boxer who competes in cage tournements, and the ground game is not lost to me. I know someone can score points off their back and submissions and chokes and arm bars are all very complicated and cool. The fighters themselves are pretty top notch although I believe that PRIDE has better all around talent. Again I just have a problem with the pitch of UFC itself. Also, and I hate to say it, but I often find myself bored by the ground work of many of these matches. Again, I'm not ignorant of the skill and technique, but I can't help but like what I like. The boxing for the most part in the UFC is okay, no one is particualarly good with their hands, the only one that comes to mind is Rich Franklin.
To sum up: I think if the UFC matured a little bit, grew up just a touch then they might get a larger audience and even find the talent might increase. Of course if they did actually 'grow up' then they might loose their precieved edge and be considered 'soft', which is of course contrary to their whole approach of the 'Ultimate! Xtreme! Action!'. I'm not suggesting they change their rules, just their approach.

 

[Glen]

If you notice the ufc is not letting them lay around as much any more, at the beginning the champions where all huggers not any more.
I don’t think it will hurt boxing much as most of the boxing fans I know give very little to no attention to the ufc.
True boxing fans don't like quitters in the ufc every one is a quitter even if it means quitting to stop an arm from being broken.
At the end of a boxing fight they announce that the guy finished the fight with a broken hand and the boxer gets more respect for it. The ufc is fighting but a completely deferent sport.

I find it a little odd that you would call a guy a quitter because he submitted when in that arm-lock. Them things is very painful. I think comparing boxing to MMA is like apples and grapefruit. One is boxing, the other is a street fight with a few punches thrown in.
You can finish a fight with a broken hand. With a broken arm, you are done

 

[Glen]

I sort of feel the same way that MMA, well, UFC in particular is kind of a spectacle. I don't mean that the fighting is gaudy or showy or anything, but the way the UFC pitches itself. I agree with many people that Boxing seems more mature somehow, more business oreinted and less, I don't know, less teen angst(ish). Or to put it another way: I sort of get the feeling that the UFC likes the term "Xtreme". Everything with them is hard guitar riffs and some guy screaming in the background about how they are the 'Ultimate!'.
Boxing on the other hand, while still having spectacle aspects to it seems to take itself more seriously. Also the action in the ring is always much cleaner. Now, I know a good deal about MMA, in fact I have a friend who is a grappler/BJJ/kick boxer who competes in cage tournements, and the ground game is not lost to me. I know someone can score points off their back and submissions and chokes and arm bars are all very complicated and cool. The fighters themselves are pretty top notch although I believe that PRIDE has better all around talent. Again I just have a problem with the pitch of UFC itself. Also, and I hate to say it, but I often find myself bored by the ground work of many of these matches. Again, I'm not ignorant of the skill and technique, but I can't help but like what I like. The boxing for the most part in the UFC is okay, no one is particualarly good with their hands, the only one that comes to mind is Rich Franklin.
To sum up: I think if the UFC matured a little bit, grew up just a touch then they might get a larger audience and even find the talent might increase. Of course if they did actually 'grow up' then they might loose their precieved edge and be considered 'soft', which is of course contrary to their whole approach of the 'Ultimate! Xtreme! Action!'. I'm not suggesting they change their rules, just their approach.

One thing I do like about MMA is this: You actually get to see what really works in a fight. In judo, there are a lot of moves in their repertoire, but you see maybe 6-7 techniques used most of the time. In Jujitsu lot of their moves are what I call three componont moves. You don't see these executed here.

 

[Glen]

Finally, in MMA you see a fair amount of 'trash talk' Two of he greatest boxers who ever lived were Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson. You never heard these guys even begin to 'trash' an opponont. They talked with their fists. IMHO them who trash talk have no class, and reduce the credibility of their sport

 

[ChuckSteak]

I sort of feel the same way that MMA, well, UFC in particular is kind of a spectacle. I don't mean that the fighting is gaudy or showy or anything, but the way the UFC pitches itself. I agree with many people that Boxing seems more mature somehow, more business oreinted and less, I don't know, less teen angst(ish). Or to put it another way: I sort of get the feeling that the UFC likes the term "Xtreme". Everything with them is hard guitar riffs and some guy screaming in the background about how they are the 'Ultimate!'.
Boxing on the other hand, while still having spectacle aspects to it seems to take itself more seriously. Also the action in the ring is always much cleaner. Now, I know a good deal about MMA, in fact I have a friend who is a grappler/BJJ/kick boxer who competes in cage tournements, and the ground game is not lost to me. I know someone can score points off their back and submissions and chokes and arm bars are all very complicated and cool. The fighters themselves are pretty top notch although I believe that PRIDE has better all around talent. Again I just have a problem with the pitch of UFC itself. Also, and I hate to say it, but I often find myself bored by the ground work of many of these matches. Again, I'm not ignorant of the skill and technique, but I can't help but like what I like. The boxing for the most part in the UFC is okay, no one is particualarly good with their hands, the only one that comes to mind is Rich Franklin.
To sum up: I think if the UFC matured a little bit, grew up just a touch then they might get a larger audience and even find the talent might increase. Of course if they did actually 'grow up' then they might loose their precieved edge and be considered 'soft', which is of course contrary to their whole approach of the 'Ultimate! Xtreme! Action!'. I'm not suggesting they change their rules, just their approach.

I hear what you are saying. One thing I dislike is the flashy enterences some of the UFC fighters use. It makes it look very WWE. If the UFC put a stop to that a lot you would see the maturity level rise. And as you said, you like what you like. I do get a little heated when people start dissing MMA in general and it almost always seems to come from boxing fans who do not understand the other aspects of fighting (i.e. weird submisions and 'surprise' leg kicks).

I myself like boxing, but get bored at times with it, just like people get bored with MMA. As MMA matures the sport will change, just like boxing has. For one thing, the UFC and Pride do not allow the fight to stay on the ground for to long these days unless there is a lot of action while it's down there. Again, it's the I like what I like thing. I don't think boxing will go away, but I'm pretty sure the UFC is only going to get bigger.

 

[ChuckSteak]

Finally, in MMA you see a fair amount of 'trash talk' Two of he greatest boxers who ever lived were Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson. You never heard these guys even begin to 'trash' an opponont. They talked with their fists. IMHO them who trash talk have no class, and reduce the credibility of their sport

What about fighters like Ali? I think he trash talked enough to make up for both Joe Louis AND Sugar Ray Robinson. There are humble fighters in boxing and MMA just like there are trash talkers in both. Simple as that.

 

[theword]

One thing I do like about MMA is this: You actually get to see what really works in a fight.

I hear you on that, except...I'll see if I can make what I'm about to say make sense. I've seen a number of fights, street fights mind you. I grew up in Philly and all though they're not unavoidable I've seen my fair share. I've also never seen anything but boxing really work on the street. I'm not saying that BJJ or Vale Tudo won't (in fact I'm sure they would), I've just never seen it. I've seen Tae Kwon Do guys get their asses handed to them by some guy who could throw a decent punch and was aggressive. Also, and let's be completely honest here, the UFC does not actually show what would work in a real fight.

By that I mean: The UFC like every other sport has rules, which include, no eye gouging, biting, fish hooks (I think), low blows, stomping and a few others I can't remmember. How fast do you think fights might be won in the UFC if some guy just ran out there and kicked the other guy in the crotch? I know that low blows used to be fair game and it proved that in a fight kneeing someone in the groin really does work. Also, poking out some guys eyes will work as well. Do I want to see any of that? Absolutely not. In fact that sounds pretty horrifying. Does it happen in real fights? All the time. In fact, it's probably happening all over the world as I type and as you read this. To show what actually works in a real fight they would have to completely void all of the rules and then have the fight end when either the loser runs away or when (and if) the victor decides to stop. However that being said, I do think that Pride and MMA come pretty close to seeing what works in a real fight, between two highly trained athletes that is.

Which of course brings me to my next point of the fact that they are two highly trained athletes, which is hardly a good example of a 'real fight' or 'real people'. I certainly don't think that they are superhuman, but if you compare a UFC or Boxer to me I would get smoked in heartbeat and I'm pretty sure I'm pretty average (probably a little bit taller then most). So long answer short, I don't think that MMA shows what works in a real fight, it shows what works in a mixed martial arts SPORT fight with rules and ref. Sorry to type so much, I hope that made sense.

Oh, and to answer the original poll question, boxing isn't going anywhere. Not only is it ingrained in our (the royal our) culture, but also becuase it comes naturally to people in general. It is much more natural to throw a punch then it is to put someone in a body lock or an Americana. Just my .02

 

[Word2Action]

This appears to be quite the heated discussion. All I know is that I was watching george foreman on "Quite Frankly" and he gave a very good summary on the state of heavyweight boxing. He says guys just aren't hungry nowadays as they used to be. They get millions for beating nobody. They get on TV without 10 fights under their belt. He also stated that the next batch of olympic amateur boxers looks very promising.