Calzaghe vs. Jones: A Study in Why I’m an MMA Fan
By Josh Stein on Nov 09, 2008
I have a lot of friends who love boxing. I have a lot of fans that think pugilism is the absolute pinnacle of athletics. I sat down with a handful of them to watch the fight last night and I have to say, it made a point that I had been trying to make for a long time.
Boxing fans call this fight a domination, and it was. After the second round, it was impossible to deny that Calzagne was putting on a clinic, but when I watch these boxers, I cannot help but get a little bored.
It has nothing to do with a lack of appreciation. From a technical standpoint, Calzaghe had a great fight and I was, honestly, intrigued by his use of head movement and the straight left hand that broke Jones down and even split his eye open.
Still, it’s hard for me to say that I was more impressed with these boxers than I am with the great strikers in the top tier of mixed martial arts, and it reminded me of why I find MMA matches more entertaining. Boxers set everything up, true, but they don’t have the same arsenal that an MMA fighter does.
Even a K-1 striker (in fact, especially a K-1 striker) understands the principles that dictate a boxing match, the ability to dance and move and set up counter punches, and this has always been a major factor in boxing, as far as I have been aware (though there are a few boxers who disposed of this tradition). K-1 fighters, because of an increased arsenal and clinch game, are able to take the fight to a different pace.
Boxers do what they do better than anyone else. It’s impossible to dispute, and I would never argue that MMA fighters can outbox boxers, but the pace control and the tempo of a 12 round boxing match is totally different than the speed of an MMA fight, because there is so capacity to push the pace by utilizing different attacks, striking with and at the legs, using the knees in the tie up, and so on.
If a boxer wants to speed the pace up, he is, at his most intelligent, watching the ribs, solarplexus and head for openings, while the MMA fighter and the kickboxer have all of the body. If a boxer wants to push the pace, he risks being forced into a clinch, where he is useless, while the MMA fighter can continue to do damage and in some cases becomes exponentially more devastating.
The point is simple. People like MMA because of the pace, and while the science of the hands in boxing is certainly sophisticated, it cannot satisfy the desire for pace that I (and many MMA fans) crave.
Comments (6)
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Good argument. I think the difference between boxing and MMA is simply in the name. MMA is a mix of disciplines. Boxing is like watching one local television station. MMA you get premium channels, basic cable and so on.
However, that is usually only the case when you’re watching an MMA fight that has talented fighters with a strong command of several disciplines. MMA still has a long way to go when there are several fighters like GSP who’re very athletic and can employ several disciplines to their advantage.
I still like boxing but the bad part about boxing is the politics. You’re rarely going to see top fighter compete against #1 contenders, most fights are calculated and manage to build a star. At least with MMA promotions (the bigger ones) there are several big attractions on one card. Perfect example UFC 92.
>. You’re rarely going to see top fighter compete against #1 contenders,
And MMA is better how?
You want to tell me that the UFC HWs are the best in the world?
Bull.
MMA is like wrestling and offers even less possibility of seeing the best fight each other.
Barnett, Aleks and Fedor will NEVER fight in the UFC so the UFC HW belt means nothing.
I appreciate that Nick Diaz and others can fight in Japan and here.
The best should fight the best. Right now the UFC is blocking that.
And after the last 2 and next garbage UFC card, thank god 92 will be a little better.
As for boxing, the most stupid of all ‘sports’. I have problems with the lack of concern that MMA fighters have towards brain trauma when sports like fake wrestling and hockey are being ravaged by the outcomes of concussions. As a lifelong jujutsu practioner, I have tried all of my life NOT to get hit in the head as much as possible and the resulting brain damage so watching the brain trauma applied in ten rounds of boxing is nauseating.
Gloves are not there to protect the fighter, they are there to protect the hands and permit more damage (its not the KO punch that is bad as the constant punches that dont knock you you)
Even the ex Nevada state head doctor said that boxing causes much more damage than MMA does.
Rob, you clearly didn’t even read the piece. But that’s not surprising.
I’ll answer your comment anyway.
Fedor vs. Arlovski is a fight between a top contender fight (at least it’s far more interesting than Couture or Lesnar or Nogueira or Mir fighting Fedor would be). But I’m not going to defend the UFC’s heavyweight division. If you’ve read anything I’ve ever written you know I hate the way that the division is managed.
You weren’t satisfied with UFC 90? Fine, most people weren’t. The number of decisions was ridiculous and I won’t defend the matchups.
There’s conflict in the sport. So what? Get over it.
Again, I’m not going to defend boxing. I agree that it’s stupid. I wouldn’t call it the most stupid of all sports. I’d rather leave that to hockey or tennis. There are plenty of arguments to be made in favor of whatever. My point was that, as a fan of combat sports, boxing is unsatisfying.
i like watching boxing i have found many people do not like it as well as i do. But im glad to see you dont attack boxing as a whole and you see the sweet science to it. i agree there is a difference in pace and it’s all in what you find entertaining although boxing is a slower pace it also has its faster paced fighter such as manny pacquiao (not sure of the spelling) witch i find is a real treat to watch. i dont think you can really compare the sports though its based on different things witch i do not think many people see and thats where the controversy is.
all in all i enjoyed reading your opinions and i hope you enjoyed the fight.
Manny is a great fighter, and there are plenty of great and respectable pugilists. I have a huge amount of respect for those fighters.
I didn’t enjoy the fight as much as I enjoy great title fights in MMA, but that’s to be expect, as I’m an MMA fan. Still. It’s interesting to look at the differences between the sports.
I do, from time to time, attack figures in boxing for stupid comments, but the sport as a whole is respectable, just as football and hockey are respectable. That doesn’t mean I enjoy them.
I agree, while Boxing is a sweet science, it is a controlled sport, rather than a fight. It does not represent anything relevant in the real world, it is a two-dimensional sport of the 20th centruy while MMA is a 3D sport of the 21st century. I cannot stand boxing because of the fact that not one of my boxing fans can name a great fight they saw in the last 15 years. While I can show you some excellent MMA fights over the past year.
Simply put, boxing is the sport of punching, you cannot bob and weave in real life because you will get your head kicked in. And if you are knocked down, your opponent in real life will not give you 10 seconds to get up.
MMA, while controlled, is the closest thing you will ever get to street fight. And the fighters are well versed in every relevent martial art at their disposal.
The boxing instructor at my MMA gym, (a quick fisted golden gloves lightweight) will not go near even the kickboxers. And steadfastly admits that boxing is not a sport to spend your money on.