MMA is one of the fastest growing sport in the world.MMA fighters are allowed to use different fighting styles like punching, kicking, and grappling forms like choking Which would make their opponent give up or unconscious.
While in the other hand, Boxing is a sport which has been around for a long time now.Boxers wear gloves to protect their hands while fighting.It could last into a maximum of 12 rounds with three mins each..
But the question is, Which sport is safer? For me, I would consider MMA as a safer sport. Considering the number of deaths in the ring, based on the statistics, there is nearly one death recorded per year which is related with MMA...But with boxing's there are about 11 deaths per year.
Besides,Its not because MMA wear thinner gloves,Its more dangerous...gloves are being used by the fighters not to protect the opponent but to protect their hands.And MMA fights doesn't just use punches most of the time..They usually use grappling which could just lead to injuries.while in the other hand,boxers only use their punches.
Those punches are so strong that it could cause a very big trouble to a person who would get hit..It would cause hemmorages that is the No. 1 cause of death in boxing.
Boxing can be considered as dangerous because it could also ruin your way of thinking.And in some cases, it could cause the retardation of boxers.Boxer would lose their minds due to the punches hitting the brain.
Most cases in the MMA, just end up in the hospital injured...I could also tell that boxing is more dangerous because based on what other sports enthusiast said...there are more death rates in American foot ball than in MMA...
29 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
omar evens 6 months ago
I think MMA. The MMA fighters recieve far less blows to the head, and as you mentioned there are many more deaths in boxing, which is obvious proof that MMA is safer in terms of head injuries.
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zack konietzny 6 months ago
the thing about boxing is that the punches the fighters give are often more powerful than that of MMA fighters, primarily because the main focus is the power in the arms and hands. another thing about boxing is that the gloves are much larger. 4 oz gloves in MMA and 14-16 oz gloves in boxing. the larger gloves cover more area of the head and body which would cause a more triumphant impact and significantly more damage to the head and body. another fact to think about.
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
Boxing = multiple knockouts per fight
MMA = One knockout per fight
Boxers are knocked out many times during a fight, and are given the chance to recover, only to get knocked out again. Getting knocked out so many times in a short period of time is far worse than dislocating an arm, and believe it or not, even snapping your leg. The brain floats around in your skull, sitting against small "spikes" on the inside of the bone. When you take a shot to the head, your brain hit those "spikes". You tell me, would you rather a shot that makes the brain shut down, over and over, or just once?
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Jay 6 months ago
It can't be answered because MMA is still in it's (relative) infancy.
It's ok to talk about boxers receiving multiple 8 counts but that's all people think about, taking punches to the head, going down, getting back up and continuing until the next count. What about someone being slammed to the ground. Tanner and Arona, to name just 2, were picked up and slammed onto the mat by their heads. Does that cause less damage than a clean shot to the chin? I doubt it.
There's also something people don't take into account, and that's weight cutting. In boxing the weight classes mean there is seldom more than a few pounds between classes, meaning it's very rare that a fighter has to cut a lot to make his fighting weight. In MMA we regularly see guys cutting 10, 20, even 30lbs to make weight. That's dangerous. To lose 20lbs of water and the subsequent fluids dependant on water (ie all of them), the vitamins and minerals the body needs, it's ridiculous. That fighter then goes out and gets punched in the head, or elbowed repeatedly in the head, while he (or she) is, effectively, recovering from the effects of severe dehydration. It is only a matter of time before someone dies from complications directly related to an MMA bout (the previous 2 were unsanctioned bouts, and the Vasquez death hasn't been verified to be from the shots he took to the head, he had a pre-existing blood clot issue, more than likely from a previous fight - I'm talking about a death occuring as a result of a specific fight).
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
The thing with cutting weight is this; you can heal from it. Cutting weight is a short term health hazard, once you get your fluids back, you're healthy again. Brain damage doesn't work the same way. Also, the argument is about Boxing and MMA as whole sports, not individual fights being compared. Even when taking MMA's relative infancy into account, there are till less of these devastating blows. Now take the Koschek-Yoshida fight for example, Yoshida got knocked out twice before he hit the ground. That's bad stuff, but it doesn't happen very often. Boxers are always getting hit in the head though. Boxers take those shot every time they fight. MMA has guys who can't even throw a decent punch, so where's the danger in that? As a whole, Boxing is much more dangerous than MMA.
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Jay 6 months ago
It isn't weight cutting that's the problem. I'm not talking about some guy looking ill because he dropped 20lbs. Of course you can put weight back on. I'm talking about dehydration from weight cutting, shedding body fluids, that CANNOT be replaced instantly, and some of those fluids reside in a little area in the skull. Those fluids do many things. Firstly, they keep the brain supple and flexible, it makes the actual brain cells, on a biomolecular level, tight and flexible and strong. Removing those fluids decreases the brain's mass and flexibility akin to seeing a grape side-by-side with a raisin.
On a biochemical level the fluid within a brain cell provides a means of transport for electrical signals (eg the commands given to the brain to tell the muscles to move, in particular the reflex of avoiding an object, in this case a fist that's on a collision course with the head) and a the mechanism for fluid/electrolyte exchange across the cell membrane.
From a physical level the brain is encased in a bag of water, which provides lubrication for the brain in instances of collision with the inner skull. It also provides resistence in that fluid, slowing down the brain and reducing the speed of impact of the brain at the moment of impact with said skull.
The amount of potential risk caused by dramatic weight cutting is overlooked. It isn't just a case of someone looking thinner, it's the physiological limitations it puts on people, in any walk of life.
As for guys that can't throw a decent punch, that's just a ridiculous to thing to say. The brain doesn't recognise the form, technique and style a punch has and award it a mark out of ten. It's too busy slamming into the cranium and jarring to recognise whether it was Anderson Silva jabbing through your guard, or Liddell taking your head off your shoulders.
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
When I say "can't throw a proper punch", I'm not talking about a guy with bad form, that the brain is going to decide not to get hurt. I'm talking about people with no power. You mentioned to guys with very powerful strikes, but take into account the guys who have almost no power. There's a huge difference between getting hit with a bad punch, and a good one.
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Charlie SGV UNITY 6 months ago
"...taking punches to the head, going down, getting back up and continuing until the next count. What about someone being slammed to the ground. Tanner and Arona, to name just 2, were picked up and slammed onto the mat by their heads. Does that cause less damage than a clean shot to the chin? I doubt it..."
The important thing to realize is that the point of MMA isn't to pick each other up and slam them on their heads. It's a possibility, but not the point. In boxing, you're supposed to hit the other person in the head and body...over and over and over again.
There's already been studies on this and an article written by Margaret Goodman M.D. (Las Vegas Boxing Commission) in The Ring magazine one the health differences between the two sports.
Boxing in the long term is worse for a fighter. Brain damage being the worst culprit.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
I think Boxing is not only more dangerous to the fighters, but also to the people that watch it. They often find themselves losing consiousness several times during a fight. Its called Boredom.
Boxers could reduce the danger of their sport- while retaining the same entertainment value, by simply riding stationary bikes till one gets too tired to continue.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
Another question you might ask is would someone rather get punched in the face by Mike tyson or kicked in the liver by Bas rutten.
Now you got a controversy. heh.
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Stoker Mac 6 months ago
This topic has already been thoroughly studied..boxing is more likely to cause trauma to the brain..due to continues punches to the head over a longer period of time..in mma when a fighter is knocked down its usually the end of the fight but with boxing ..after a knock down the boxer is directed to go to a neutral corner and the the hurt fighter is allowed to continue taking punishment...more deaths occur in boxing..and will continue to occur..if someone has already stated this ..my apology..i didn't read the other comments...good article..but its an old debate../thanks stoker
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william byron 6 months ago
A few months back, the BoxingConfidental podcast had a very good guest on, an actual brain specialist doctor who was interviewed at length, and he stated, as clearly as possible, in details i wish i could recall perfectly for all of you, that it was medically proven and accepted that boxing is EXTREMELY MORE DANGEROUS THAN MMA.
i'm no doctor, so everyone can ignore my own diagnosis that seeing burly guys with tattoos and goatees wrapping their legs around each other's necks in tight trunks on the ground is extremely homo-erotic. just wanted to add that.
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
If you see MMA and your mind turns to gay thoughts, then you have gay thoughts in your mind regardless. MMA, is MMA, not gay sex, not homo-erotic wrestling, it's just MMA. If you saw gay porn, you would probably say, "hey that looks like MMA". Those of us who are comfortable with our own sexuality, are able to watch these things without having our minds wander into the gutter, it's a shame that you can't.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
You tell im Uncle-Joe!
Maybe they could start a new GAY MMA for guys like him- they would all where pink tights, Dan Severn style moustaches, and fight in a big bowl of Jello. The winner woulld get a new dog collar and a boquet of wildflowers....
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william byron 6 months ago
A better topic all of us boxing fans should consider in the future is, why is there this ongoing debate about boxing and MMA to begin with? it all falls down to a matter of opinion. the entire "debate", if you can call it that, began with Dana White, in his admittedly hard-working ambition to attract as much attention to the UFC as he could. otherwise, its like comparing boxing and pro wrestling... theres a ring, and a ref, but they are totally different animals whatsoever.
it comes down to taste. is the world so small people can't dig different shit? i personally think mixed martial arts is boring. i want to point out my background is extensive in hapkido, judo, tae kwon do, and so forth, so i have no bias or loyalty to either- i just honestly find MMA boring. a few friends have told me i've just not seen "the right fights", and that could be true, considering if i was a first-time boxing viewer and saw certain fights, i'd think every fight might be like that. and yet, i've given all MMA a try, and it just doesn't do it for me. for *me*. if it knocks someone else's socks off, i'm happy for them. it goes down to taste and attention span. i could never be bored with boxing... however, MMA is sometimes over in seconds, is clumsy, and, as i mentioned before, is very homoerotic.. theres nothing wrong with that, i love freddie mercury after all, but i lose rapid interest in two guys grabbing each other in submission holds. if people don't get boxing- okay then. go watch something else.
i don't watch mixed martial arts, and never have the inclination to go think about it or discuss how it is inferior. it's as if MMA fans who don't like boxing have a collective chip on their shoulder and want mainstream acceptance. hmmm.. kinda like star trek fans, now that i think about it.
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william byron 6 months ago
well Uncle Joe, it's like this. i don't think about cooking sea food, since i don't eat meat. but if i watched the cooking network and they were frying flounder, i'd think about it. if this means i have latent gay subtext in my head, then, er, alright. if you say so, mate.
i speak specifically about when they go to the mat, and struggle to wrap their legs around each other's necks, frequently with their asses in the air. now, there is nothing wrong with seeming kinda gay. again, i am not small-minded or prejiduce like some of my bleacherreport brethren. i'm only mentioning it because so many MMA enthusiasts speak about it being so tough, and i've heard more than once that boxing is "gay". because, you know, staying on your feet and facing your opponent and throwing punches- thats very homosexual. apparently.
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
I don't think that boxing is gay at all, I am not a fan of it, but I don't knock it. Once again, if guys wrapping up in a fight, reminds you of homosexuality, then you have another agenda. I don't judge you for it, I just ask that you keep those thoughts to yourself.
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Jay 6 months ago
Grappling isn't gay, it's when they start sticking their thumbs up each others asses that it starts to cross the line.
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Jon Grilz 6 months ago
It's called "checking the oil" in wrestling.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
Ok we have Established that William is a flaming homosexual, Uncle joe doesnt care- hes a live and let live guy, Jay and Jon are both sick in the head but I believe straight, And I have a great idea for a new "wrestling" promotion.
Kudos all around!
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Jay 6 months ago
And his opponent, in the pink corner ... ...
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Jon Grilz 6 months ago
If anyone is interested, there have been recent studies that rank MMA as being safer than boxing in terms of the number of knockouts per fight or other injuries. The statistics are as far apart as people think. The big factor as been the deaths. The day the UFC has a death (if that day ever happens) the media will be flooded with people yelling "I told ya so."
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
There already has been 1 death in MMA which is why we have so many rules now- I believe.
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william byron 6 months ago
I promise you Unc, I don't have an agenda, and I'm happy to keep my thoughts to myself, though my beautiful french girlfriend would argue with you about my apparent secret intentions. I brought it up in context. Boxing is proven to be more dangerous, whether it 'appears' to be or not. End of discussion. Maybe MMA is more 'painful'- but busted joints and broken bones aren't life threatening like brain injuries are. end of story.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
Boxing is just too one dimensional for me. Stand and swing - eventually somone gets tired and they fall down. Wow.
Like I said they should ride stationary bikes till one gets tired. Same entertainment, Same result. Maybe to juice it up a little they could insult each others bike riding skills or something.
Unfortunately the sport would still fall apart as it has basically done so already due to manipulation of the bicycle gears by shady promoters.
Yeah the fix would be in all right.
Floyd the Money Maker Mayweather Mountain Biker... see how this could work?
Oscar de La Hoya, Golden Bike Promotions
Mike Hatton Huffy
Vlad "Clutch and Go" Klitchko
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Uncle-Joe S 6 months ago
I used to bet on stationary bike "chicken".....................didn't really work out.
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Marco Yanitelli 6 months ago
lol thats very good. very good
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william byron 6 months ago
Marco, all due respect, you are completely right about shady promoters, and it's hurt boxing. considerably. i don't think that interferes overall with the boxers themselves and the actual boxing, but the presentation of it. But again my argument is, what does it matter- you find it boring, you just don't pay attention to it. simple as that. you've got alot of MMA stuff to keep you entertained, so we can all be content. I won't even mention shady-ness and the Elite XC, either.
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carl castillo 6 months ago
Thanks for reading my article everyone!!!
I really appreciate it...and thanks for your comments..I really gained more knowledge...
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