How does the difficulty of boxing rank to other sports?

[Supremo]

I would think MMA is more difficult, having to specialise in boxing, Muay Thai, Bjj and wrestling, so many more ways to lose, weakness in 1 of those 4 results in a painful defeat, a smack on the nose with those gloves is going to register as well

Getting punched by a pro boxer will be far more damaging than a punch from an MMA fighter. The boxer only works on his hands and everything about his stance is designed to maximize the impact of the punch, in MMA the stance adopted doesn't facilitate the most efficient model of punching as they need to position their legs to defend kicks and take downs.

In boxing the additional weight in the glove means that more weight is behind the punch, (imagine punching someone while grasping a handful of coins). Also is boxing you are stood up again and thrown into fight after a knock down. If you take a bad head shot and go down in MMA the fight is basically over.

MMA looks more dangerous but it really isn't as its cumulative punches to the head that cause damage. MMA I don't believe carries any significant difference in skill for boxing as the different styles involved mean that you just become a jack of all trades but master of none generally.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Yeah, runners, triathletes, cyclists, squash players- they don't take punishment. Not enough saw dust on the floor or buckets to spit in. Big fairies.
Anyone who thinks boxing has the monopoly on toughness is....ill-informed imo.

I remember seeing footage of Usain bolt throwing his guts up after a training session, - all elite level athletes have to train very hard to master their chosen discipline. Not all of them have to be as insanely fit as a boxer or long distance runner, but they still have to train rigorously.

[Boxerbeetle]

Yeah, runners, triathletes, cyclists, squash players- they don't take punishment. Not enough saw dust on the floor or buckets to spit in. Big fairies.
Anyone who thinks boxing has the monopoly on toughness is....ill-informed imo.

No-one has said boxing has the monopoly on toughness. But it's a hell of a lot tougher than all the disciplines you list above.

[danamba7]

Yeah, runners, triathletes, cyclists, squash players- they don't take punishment. Not enough saw dust on the floor or buckets to spit in. Big fairies.
Anyone who thinks boxing has the monopoly on toughness is....ill-informed imo.

No-one has said boxing has the monopoly on toughness. But it's a hell of a lot tougher than all the disciplines you list above.

Exactly. Strange comment. Cyclists, Triathletes etc are extremely fit and have to "tough" it out in their training to become the best but this is not the same as being in a 12 round war where just the fitness aspect alone is enough to make most quit never mind the punches to the head and body!

[Emmseegee]

Its hard to choose a single sport as being the most difficult but whatever sport it may be then I would struggle to agree with anyone who chooses a sport that isnt an individual sport.

Individual sports ask more of people than most of us will ever understand.

[magwitch]

Yeah, runners, triathletes, cyclists, squash players- they don't take punishment. Not enough saw dust on the floor or buckets to spit in. Big fairies.
Anyone who thinks boxing has the monopoly on toughness is....ill-informed imo.

No-one has said boxing has the monopoly on toughness. But it's a hell of a lot tougher than all the disciplines you list above.

Exactly. Strange comment. Cyclists, Triathletes etc are extremely fit and have to "tough" it out in their training to become the best but this is not the same as being in a 12 round war where just the fitness aspect alone is enough to make most quit never mind the punches to the head and body!

I would say that getting punched is within your job description as a boxer - good sparring and adrenaline plus professional pride will allow you to get hit - to an extent. Boxers get used to being hit, it's the job.
Also I'd say the percentage of jobbing boxers that have "12 round wars" is very low. For every Arturo Gatti I'll show you one hundred kids that have knocked over or outpointed mediocre/ poor opponents in leisure halls - indeed, that seems the way to build a fighter up in some places.

Wasn't that Superstars programme meant to find out who the fittest were? Did a boxer ever win it? I don't think they did. Of course, I don't dispute that many boxers are extremely fit. There's also many who are quite far removed from elite level athletes.

[magwitch]

Yeah, runners, triathletes, cyclists, squash players- they don't take punishment. Not enough saw dust on the floor or buckets to spit in. Big fairies.
Anyone who thinks boxing has the monopoly on toughness is....ill-informed imo.

No-one has said boxing has the monopoly on toughness. But it's a hell of a lot tougher than all the disciplines you list above.

12 round war where just the fitness aspect alone is enough to make most quit

What do you mean exactly? Fighters 'quit' from not being fit enough in 12 round wars? That's rubbish mate. Everyone knows that most fighters will go out on their shield. They get pulled out or knocked out if they gas - fighters RARELY just quit - especially ones that engage in 12 round wars......and by the way I'd suggest if you have had a 12 round war then you can't have quit or you wouldn't have done 12 rounds.

[danamba7]

12 round war where just the fitness aspect alone is enough to make most quit

What do you mean exactly? Fighters 'quit' from not being fit enough in 12 round wars? That's rubbish mate. Everyone knows that most fighters will go out on their shield. They get pulled out or knocked out if they gas - fighters RARELY just quit - especially ones that engage in 12 round wars......and by the way I'd suggest if you have had a 12 round war then you can't have quit or you wouldn't have done 12 rounds.

Not fighters

[magwitch]

Its hard to choose a single sport as being the most difficult but whatever sport it may be then I would struggle to agree with anyone who chooses a sport that isnt an individual sport.

Individual sports ask more of people than most of us will ever understand.

I think you're as close to the mark as anyone on this. Although if I was going to name a team sport it would be that bob sled/ tobogan thing on the ice. It looks incredibly tricky to get right!

[jamesmcdonnell]

I don't think a boxer every won it.

Boxers are far from the best all around athletes.

I remember watching one with Joe Frazier and the silly bugger almost drowed during the sea race, he dived in, neglecting to have told the organisers he couldn't swim - hoping he would somehow figure it out as he entered the water.

[banjo]

Hard to say, I think the biggest factor in being successful in any sport is in the head.

[Counter-puncher]

I don't think a boxer every won it.

Boxers are far from the best all around athletes.

.

Anthony Joshua was pretty darned good, actually, IIRC, a beast on a bicycle......

edit: he won, 2012.

[palooka]

A boxer or MMA fighter iis different to those iin other sports, they could be humiliated in front of many, more than half naked. The pain and fear involved as well makes me think that many boxers etc have masochistic tendencies or have some sort of emotional damage - they need to show they can take pain.

[freddydoesdallas]

I don't think a boxer every won it.

Boxers are far from the best all around athletes.

.

Anthony Joshua was pretty darned good, actually, IIRC, a beast on a bicycle......

edit: he won, 2012.

Hatton took part in one. I say took part as he didn't compete as it was the out of camp hatton!

[liamlion]

Having had the misfortune of spending the entire last football season watching Kenwynne Jones (weekly salary .c.45k) stroll around aimlessly the pitch & consistently fail to control the ball, I'd say football is a lot easier to succeed in than most other sports.
In fact, I remember reading an article by Danny Murphy which said that the number of genuinely good footballers in the Premier League is actually extremely low.

That's the big difference between team sports & boxing - there's no hiding place in a boxing ring. No teammates to support you or hide your shortcomings. Just you and an opponent who's trying to punch you hard in the face.

Must have been the welsh air, because he came to AFC Bournemouth and did great!

Mate, the lad has played nearly 300 premier league games. You don't achieve that by being poor. I think you need to look at the reason why he was so disinterested, starting with your man Tan and then working your way downwards...

[Boxerbeetle]

Having had the misfortune of spending the entire last football season watching Kenwynne Jones (weekly salary .c.45k) stroll around aimlessly the pitch & consistently fail to control the ball, I'd say football is a lot easier to succeed in than most other sports.
In fact, I remember reading an article by Danny Murphy which said that the number of genuinely good footballers in the Premier League is actually extremely low.

That's the big difference between team sports & boxing - there's no hiding place in a boxing ring. No teammates to support you or hide your shortcomings. Just you and an opponent who's trying to punch you hard in the face.

Must have been the welsh air, because he came to AFC Bournemouth and did great!

Mate, the lad has played nearly 300 premier league games. You don't achieve that by being poor. I think you need to look at the reason why he was so disinterested, starting with your man Tan and then working your way downwards...

Really hope Bournemouth make an offer for him then, but I think you'll find his effort & enthusiasm dip once he's got his full time contract...

Funnily enough I've got mates who are season ticket holders at both Stoke & Sunderland so I asked their thoughts when he signed for us - both said he was a lazy pudendum who couldn't give a toss & they were glad to see him leave. Which is exactly how I would describe him, but maybe we're all wrong eh.

[liamlion]

I would think MMA is more difficult, having to specialise in boxing, Muay Thai, Bjj and wrestling, so many more ways to lose, weakness in 1 of those 4 results in a painful defeat, a smack on the nose with those gloves is going to register as well

Getting punched by a pro boxer will be far more damaging than a punch from an MMA fighter. The boxer only works on his hands and everything about his stance is designed to maximize the impact of the punch, in MMA the stance adopted doesn't facilitate the most efficient model of punching as they need to position their legs to defend kicks and take downs.

In boxing the additional weight in the glove means that more weight is behind the punch, (imagine punching someone while grasping a handful of coins). Also is boxing you are stood up again and thrown into fight after a knock down. If you take a bad head shot and go down in MMA the fight is basically over.

MMA looks more dangerous but it really isn't as its cumulative punches to the head that cause damage. MMA I don't believe carries any significant difference in skill for boxing as the different styles involved mean that you just become a jack of all trades but master of none generally.

That is a joke, isnt it?

Elite MMA fighters have a far greater set of fighting skills and techniques than elite boxers. Its a basic fact. Grappling and wrestling is also far more tiring than stand up striking.

[liamlion]

Having had the misfortune of spending the entire last football season watching Kenwynne Jones (weekly salary .c.45k) stroll around aimlessly the pitch & consistently fail to control the ball, I'd say football is a lot easier to succeed in than most other sports.
In fact, I remember reading an article by Danny Murphy which said that the number of genuinely good footballers in the Premier League is actually extremely low.

That's the big difference between team sports & boxing - there's no hiding place in a boxing ring. No teammates to support you or hide your shortcomings. Just you and an opponent who's trying to punch you hard in the face.

Must have been the welsh air, because he came to AFC Bournemouth and did great!

Mate, the lad has played nearly 300 premier league games. You don't achieve that by being poor. I think you need to look at the reason why he was so disinterested, starting with your man Tan and then working your way downwards...

Really hope Bournemouth make an offer for him then, but I think you'll find his effort & enthusiasm dip once he's got his full time contract...

Funnily enough I've got mates who are season ticket holders at both Stoke & Sunderland so I asked their thoughts when he signed for us - both said he was a lazy pudendum who couldn't give a toss & they were glad to see him leave. Which is exactly how I would describe him, but maybe we're all wrong eh.

All you can ever do is speak for yourself, never others. I know he's very highly thought of at Saints. Everyone has their own opinions, but is it just a coincidence that every player at Cardiff City has been sh1t since Malky Mackay left?...

[Boxerbeetle]

Must have been the welsh air, because he came to AFC Bournemouth and did great!

Mate, the lad has played nearly 300 premier league games. You don't achieve that by being poor. I think you need to look at the reason why he was so disinterested, starting with your man Tan and then working your way downwards...

Really hope Bournemouth make an offer for him then, but I think you'll find his effort & enthusiasm dip once he's got his full time contract...

Funnily enough I've got mates who are season ticket holders at both Stoke & Sunderland so I asked their thoughts when he signed for us - both said he was a lazy pudendum who couldn't give a toss & they were glad to see him leave. Which is exactly how I would describe him, but maybe we're all wrong eh.

All you can ever do is speak for yourself, never others. I know he's very highly thought of at Saints. Everyone has their own opinions, but is it just a coincidence that every player at Cardiff City has been sh1t since Malky Mackay left?...

No it's not a coincidence, we lost an excellent manager under acrimonious circumstances & replaced him with a disastrous idiot, who we then swiftly replaced by a bloke who's solid but mediocre. Hardly rocket science that performances will have dipped, and that's without even considering the rest of the circus that's surrounded us.

But, just to try to get this back on topic, it's the lack of effort from some of our players that rankles so much with Cardiff fans, Jones just stands out the most as he's the laziest. But try to get lazy in a boxing ring just once and see what happens.

[Supremo]

I would think MMA is more difficult, having to specialise in boxing, Muay Thai, Bjj and wrestling, so many more ways to lose, weakness in 1 of those 4 results in a painful defeat, a smack on the nose with those gloves is going to register as well

Getting punched by a pro boxer will be far more damaging than a punch from an MMA fighter. The boxer only works on his hands and everything about his stance is designed to maximize the impact of the punch, in MMA the stance adopted doesn't facilitate the most efficient model of punching as they need to position their legs to defend kicks and take downs.

In boxing the additional weight in the glove means that more weight is behind the punch, (imagine punching someone while grasping a handful of coins). Also is boxing you are stood up again and thrown into fight after a knock down. If you take a bad head shot and go down in MMA the fight is basically over.

MMA looks more dangerous but it really isn't as its cumulative punches to the head that cause damage. MMA I don't believe carries any significant difference in skill for boxing as the different styles involved mean that you just become a jack of all trades but master of none generally.

That is a joke, isnt it?

Elite MMA fighters have a far greater set of fighting skills and techniques than elite boxers. Its a basic fact. Grappling and wrestling is also far more tiring than stand up striking.

A joke? you must be easily amused...
1. I never actually made any comment upon the exertion level of each sport in comparison to the other so I don't know why you brought up the second point. Elite MMA fighters are possibly slightly fitter than the elite boxers as MMA appears to be more appreciative of sport science rather than relying upon traditional forms of training. However, an elite MMA fighter only fights for a maximum of 25 mins as far as I am aware, most only fight for 15 mins maximum. Elite boxers will usually fight for 36.

As for grappling and wrestling being more tiring? maximum effort striking would raise the heart rate and be as unsustainable over a prolonged period as grappling and wrestling would. In fact the natural instinct for anyone who is tired in a fight is to grapple and wrestle, not continue striking.

2. If you believe there is any difference in skill level between elite fighters in either sport then you clearly have no understanding of the nuances of boxing. Just because there appears to be more variety of skill involved in MMA doesn't mean that the elite fighters are MORE skillfull. MMA fighters usually prefer and excel at one aspect of fighting- whether that be striking, wrestling, BJJ- they are never elite level in every component part.
MMA fighters are unable to allocate sufficient time to fully developing any one aspect of their game as they have so many that they need to prepare for. Boxers only need to worry about boxing, therefore they develop a far higher degree of proficiency in boxing than MMA fighters do in any component fighting style they train in. Most MMA fighter will come from one particular fighting background- but their skills in that sport will diminish as they adapt to MMA as they can no longer focus on that one sport.

[Counter-puncher]

Most MMA fighter will come from one particular fighting background- but their skills in that sport will diminish as they adapt to MMA as they can no longer focus on that one sport.

i'm not sure that's true nowadays.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Most MMA fighter will come from one particular fighting background- but their skills in that sport will diminish as they adapt to MMA as they can no longer focus on that one sport.

i'm not sure that's true nowadays.

Yes, that's less and less true - MMA used to be full of guys who had originally been a practitioner of one martial art, who then added to their skillset.

A lot of young talent coming into the sport now, do all of their training in MMA gyms, where they learn elements of multiple disciplines.

Watched a really interesting fighter the other day on UFC, he had a weird mashup style which had elements of Muay Thai, dirty boxing, and Capoeira - really odd movement and filthy elbows on the inside, 'cuycuy' Ferguson I think it was.

[danamba7]

Most MMA fighter will come from one particular fighting background- but their skills in that sport will diminish as they adapt to MMA as they can no longer focus on that one sport.

i'm not sure that's true nowadays.

MMA has changed drastically in the last few years. It used to be specialized fighters going up against each other (e.g. Wrestler Vs Muay Thai or Boxer Vs BJJ). But now most elite fighters can do it all with slight advantages in certain areas. It is true though that it's very hard to stay elite at one particular discipline when you have to train them all. I think everyone will agree that a top boxer always beats a top MMA fighter in the ring but a top MMA fighter always beats a top boxer in the Octagon.

[danamba7]

Most MMA fighter will come from one particular fighting background- but their skills in that sport will diminish as they adapt to MMA as they can no longer focus on that one sport.

i'm not sure that's true nowadays.

Yes, that's less and less true - MMA used to be full of guys who had originally been a practitioner of one martial art, who then added to their skillset.

A lot of young talent coming into the sport now, do all of their training in MMA gyms, where they learn elements of multiple disciplines.

Watched a really interesting fighter the other day on UFC, he had a weird mashup style which had elements of Muay Thai, dirty boxing, and Capoeira - really odd movement and filthy elbows on the inside, 'cuycuy' Ferguson I think it was.

Yeah Tony Ferguson is a beast.

[jamesmcdonnell]

He's got future world champ written all over him, reminds me of Jon Jones - lanky, very unorthodox and vicious with the elbows.