Floyd Mayweather Jr. disses UFC

[Frank Vu]

"UFC ain't s---," Mayweather said. "It ain't but a fad. … These are guys who couldn't make it in boxing. So they do [mixed martial arts]. Boxing is the best sport in the world and it's here to stay."

That may be true, but that's almost like saying line-reading is better than improv.

[Landmine]

Boxing is falling apart, he knows it. There are like 90 sanctioning bodies and 45 belts, people have lost interest.

UFC is not a fad, a fad comes and goes, UFC has been trucking for over ten years, every year getting bigger and more legitimate. I like boxing, i am interested in boxing, but i think as sports go, the better atheletes compete in MMA.

[PeteFitz]

Floyd. The UFC is here to stay. Period.

If anything Boxing is going the way of the dinosaur. A sport seemingly bereft of true stars at the heavyweight level. It hit its apex in the Ali/Foreman/Frazier days and has been on the slide ever since. If not for a Tiger Woods of boxing in Mike Tyson, the sport would be almost unspoken of in the last twenty years.

Barring the occasional Gatti/Ward fights or the intermittent great fight, the buzz is not there. And fight promoters aren't doing it either. Too many things to pay attention to. Boxing isn't getting any of the young fans out there. They are mostly going UFC. Why, I don't know, as I don't follow the sport enough. I'm sure someone can fill me in.

Maybe its the punch drunkedness of former heros of the ring, but my joy in watching a fight isn't there any more. I cannot remeber the last time I said, "Man I cannot wait for that fight." When I was growing up, I said it all the time. Maybe it was because my dad grew up in the era when boxing was theater. Trickled down a bit. But it isn't theater anymore. Hell it seems fixed most of the time. If I wanted that, I'd watch pro wrestling. At least they know what they're doing.

If anything Floyd, "Boxing ain't shit". Or at least not compared to what it used to be. To me anyways.

I'm sure someone else can extol the draw of the UFC. I'm just saying boxing is down for the count.

As far as the UFC, I can't get past the grappling on the ground holds. There is something unexciting about that part of the sport. And no convincing is going to make me think otherwise. I've watched. It is just boring. I understand that the grapple holds are an unbelievable test of strength and a true chess match and I understand not every match is like that (but most are), but not unlike a chess match that static holds bother me..er bore me.

And as far as the line reading versus improv as a parallel to boxing and the UFC... I don't get it.

Fitz

[Frank Vu]

Floyd.

And as far as the line reading versus improv as a parallel to boxing and the UFC... I don't get it.

Fitz

Boxing has a more standardized combat system. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut, body blow. And a boxer's physical type usually dictated his style.

Foreman's lumbering hooks, Ali's lightning jabs, Tyson's dynamite uppercuts.

Whereas MMA has a more modular system based by adaptation. For example, I practice Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee's martial arts philosophy and the genesis of MMA), and it combines techniques of Gung Fu (Chinese Boxing), fencing, as well as western boxing. As a JKD fighter, you're skilled in a variety of martial arts and therefore are able to adapt to your opponent's weaknesses. Bruce Lee believed in having no style and simply reacting to the moment.

And boxing has that to a degree, i.e. Ali vs Foreman and the Rope-a-dope fight, but ultimately I'm saying that's it's simply a more creative, spontaenous and superior way of fighting.

Mayweather would get dismantled by any of the UFC champs.

[PeteFitz]

I guess I just took offense (why I have no idea) to boxing being a line read. I understand that boxing is not the free form that is MMA, but I disagree that boxing is mindless drivel (although looking at some old boxers you may be on to something). I think there is a little more to it then you are giving it credit for.

I understand that MMA guys would destroy boxers in an an MMA fight.

That said, I think Floyd would destroy any and all comers in a boxing match.

It is a different set of training.

I think the real losers today are the line readers.

[Frank Vu]

It's not a different set of training. One is a subset of the other. MMA guys train in boxing, boxers do not train in other martial arts as part of boxing training (not traditionally anyways).

And Floyd could take out average MMA guys in a MMA fight, he's just that ridiculously skilled, but, for argument's sake, if you cloned Mayweahter into a MMA fighter and he fought himself as a boxer, MMA Floyd would tactically dominate Boxer Floyd purely based on basic philosophical approach. (Hell, 90% of boxers have poor punching technique, Ali included)

And I love LOVE boxing...I watch early Tyson fights on ESPN classic all the time. The Ali Rap on ESPN was phenomenal. Ali-Foreman is my favorite fight of all time.

[PeteFitz]

Fair enough. Mr. Frank, if you say it's so, I'll believe it.

I just don't see how the boxing training for both could even be remotely the same. They are almost two completely different types of boxing. The tactics totally dissimilar. The angles and possible movements and defenses completely unalike. Alike in name alone, really.

I've never watched a straight up "boxing" match in UFC. Maybe I'm confused.

I may have to look into this. Google time.

[Sleeps]

I don't think it's a question of skillsets, training, or what's more interesting to watch. Boxing has been destroyed from the inside out by fight promoters and their overwhelming desire to make a buck.

For example, notice how many of the best boxers nowadays have impeccable or near-impeccable records. If you have a rising boxing star, and you are a promoter, you are not going to book fights that make the fighter look bad. It's become a paper game. As soon as that boxer loses a fight, he's not making you as much money. Every "big-name" fight I hear about lately consists of an older boxer who is still good but definitely past his prime versus some douche I've never heard of...for one of 4 or 12 different belts for their weight class.

Take Oscar de la Hoya. That man was awesome. Was. He fights scrubs now most of the time, so he has a better chance of winning. His promoter makes his buck, and next year they'll parade Oscar out again to fight some poor schmuck who gave up on dignity after his wife got pregnant for the 4th time.

Who the hell is entertained by this?

[PeteFitz]

Good Point, Sleeps.

I guess I got off the point a bit.

[Frank Vu]

I don't think it's a question of skillsets, training, or what's more interesting to watch.

Take Oscar de la Hoya. That man was awesome. Was. He fights scrubs now most of the time, so he has a better chance of winning.

Well it is a matter of skills and what's interesting to watch, because your point is that good fighters who fight older and/or less skilled isn't interesting to watch. =)

And it's ironic you mention Oscar de la Hoya, because he's fighting Mayweather next, who Ring magazine considers the best pound for pound fighter.

And when I learned boxing in JKD, I learned traditional boxing moves. It's no different. However in JKD, you learn more angles, stances, parries, stophits etc from knowledge of other martial arts.

[EdO]

That may be true, but that's almost like saying line-reading is better than improv.

Isn't it?









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