12 Things Boxing Could Learn from MMA

MMA and boxing both had a good night this last Saturday.  The UFC debuted on FOX and had a great, if short, fight.

In boxing, Manny Pacquiao fought Juan Manuel Marquez in a thrilling battle that saw Pacquiao win a close decision, that has been somewhat disputed.

It was a great to be a fight fan that night, especially a boxing fan.

Unfortunately for boxing fans that is not usually the case.  Both sports might have had good showings Saturday, but for MMA it was normal and for boxing it was an exception.

It's a shame as Saturday showed that when boxing tries it can be every bit as exciting as MMA.  

Instead it seems resigned to have one or two big nights a year.

But if boxing took a step back it could see what MMA is doing and improve.

Here are 12 realistic steps that boxing could take to improve itself if it studied MMA.

Focus Less on the Different Title Belts

MMA does actually focus on belts a little bit, but not nearly as much as boxing.  MMA also doesn't have as many belts as boxing.

Each MMA company has its own belt and even though collectively that means that MMA has more belts it is commonly accepted that the UFC's belt is the best.

However, even though the UFC hypes title fights, they focus more on the fighters who will be fighting for the belt.  The belt is secondary to the quality of the match because in the end it is the matches pitting two of the best in the world against each other that gives the belt value.

At least that is the way it is in MMA.  All four of the major sanctioning bodies in boxing allow fees and bids to decide who should challenge next for the belt.  Instead of having the best in the world fight each other, it's about making the most money on a title fight.

Boxing can't get rid of the belts from these sanctioning bodies, but they can downplay the belts and just sell fans on the fights.

Which also means...

Focus on Boxers' Abilities and Stories Honestly

Boxing does have 24/7 on HBO but not every fight warrants that kind of exposure.

Yet the UFC can focus on smaller fights by putting out one minute Youtube promos and using thirty seconds to hype each fighter and thus the fight.

It can be pretty simple and just involve three things.

Who are these people?

Giving the name of the fighters, their nationalities and a few key adjectives answers this.

What are they doing?

Fighting in a cage or in boxing's case a ring.

Why Should I care?

This is the tricky part.  In MMA a fighter's strengths are mentioned.  If they are strong at wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu it is mentioned as it gives each martial artist a different flavor.

But in boxing this is passed over.  It's a shame because even though both combatants use boxing there are so many different ways of explaining their styles.

There are brawlers who want to start a street fight, counter-punchers who look for the opportunity to make their opponent pay, outside-boxers who try to win by decision, maulers who try to grapple to a win, sluggers who look for the one-punch KO and pressure fighters who try to back their opponents up.

And that is only the tip of the iceberg.  Giving boxer different distinctions could help emphasize the reason people should watch.

Which leads to the next point...

Boxing Should Have a Show That Focuses the Fighters in a Different Light

At one point boxing had The Contender which tried to be like The Ultimate Fighter and have a bunch of fighters compete and live in a house to win a prize.

This wasn't a bad idea it just didn't work for the sport of boxing.  

A television show outside of watching fights would probably help boxing grow its fanbase.  It just has to be done the right way.

MMA has always been about multiple fights and multiple fighters.  It has even been about multiple martial arts.

Boxing on the other hand is about two men in the ring.  It's about one style of fighting.  All that and the average fights are longer than the ones in MMA.

That means that any shows should focus on one or two fighters.  A better setting though would be a gym.  Seeing everyone from a world champion to a prospect and what they have to go through to prepare for a fight, to having to pull out of a fight and what they have to struggle with in-between fights and paychecks, would be much better.

It could also help a number of people decide whether they want to join a boxing gym or not.

Don't Have Every Major Fight on Premium Cable

It's not that every major fight for boxing is on premium cable.  

It's that every major fight for boxing is on premium cable and when those run out, decent fights are then put on premium cable.

Nowadays most prospects can appear on HBO and get high five to six figure checks before they are ever really tested.  It isn't their fault.  They are merely accepting the best deal in their favor.

Instead, the blame lies with boxing and the premium channels that allow it happen.

UFC just put a heavyweight title fight on network TV.  They lost a considerable amount of money, but it made MMA even more mainstream and succeeded in getting fans excited about watching the bout.

The UFC shouldn't continue to do this all the time.  At least not until network TV fights become a little more lucrative.

Boxing needs to put decent fights on TV though and not just keep the "good" fights for those that pay a monthly subscription.

Put Boxing Back on Network TV

Boxing has a long way to go before it can reach this, but it will have to get back here if it wants to thrive.

Before boxing gets back to network TV it has to prove that the public wants to see it.  Considering that one of ESPN's Friday Night Fights sponsors is Just For Men, which is a hair dye for men with graying hair they need some work.

However, if boxing does start to internally fix itself and improve the matches seen on all levels it may gain back enough fans that this might become a viable option.

When and if it does, those in power need to jump on that chance.  Having a boxing on network TV gives it a different feel and helps establish it as one of the bigger forces in sports.

It would also show that the sport has returned to its former strength.

It will push MMA to the forefront of sports, making it equal with football.

Hopefully, boxing will use this to motivate itself.

Have Boxers Push Themselves on Twitter, Facebook and Media Appearances

Most UFC fighters are willing to do extra media appearances to help push the company and the sport.  They have Twitter accounts and Facebook pages and regularly use them.

Boxers on the other hand seem to be very secluded and don't seem to interact with the fans.

Whatever a fan's take on personal media might be, it can help build up fans not just for the sport but for an individual fighter.

The best part about Twitter and Facebook is that it allows fans and fighters to interact.  Imagine a young teenager getting to talk with Floyd Mayweather.  It might just get him to be more interested in the sport.

It is the ultimate way of making fans one by one in the 21st century.  It's boxing time not only accepted that but caught up.

Put Competitive Fights on TV

This actually needs to be written about boxing.  It should be a no-brainer, but it seems like some boxing TV executives actually are no-brainers.

There have been some fights which were put together that fans had not interest in, and seemed dull on paper, or seemed like mismatches.  They proved to be that way in the ring and left boxing fans wondering what possessed those in charge to make the match.

Sometimes competitive fights don't go as planned.  When that happens fans just have to shrug their shoulders and accept that it is a part of the sport.

With that said, boxing has had far too many "off nights" for it to be a coincidence.

Compared to MMA in which fans almost always see at least a few exciting fights, boxing fans have months of boring bouts. 

Too many times boxing fans have to sit down and pay to watch fights that they know they don't want.  They complain but nothing seems to change, and with that lack of change boxing continues its lack of focus.

If boxing started putting on compelling fight after compelling fight it would start to draw back fans.  It would take time, but it would be worth it in the long run.

Stop Trying To Fight MMA

Plenty of boxing folks seem to have a problem with MMA.

Whether it's promoter Lou Dibella, or Bob Arum, or even Floyd Mayweather Jr. boxing seems to have negative things to say about MMA.

MMA on the other hand seems to have no problem with boxing and there are even fans who enjoy both.  Boxing just can't help but pick a fight.

Unfortunately it doesn't help the sport when boxing biggest names keep attacking and agonizing a sport that is not only becoming wildly popular but also seems to have no problem with boxing.

It makes boxing look like a snobbish sport that thinks that MMA fans are uncultured.

And that is putting it nicely.

For some of the other insinuations, readers will just have to click on the links to the different video interviews, as some of the statements made are not something that should be put in this article.

Boost Pay-Per-View Undercards

The undercard to the Pacquiao-Marquez fight was actually quite good.  It had some decent and even thrilling fights on it and even had an upset.

As stated earlier in this article, though, this Saturday was the exception to what boxing usually is.  Not what it constantly delivers.

For every Pacquiao-Marquez undercard there are several others that underwhelm.

Now let's look at MMA.  When was the last time fans walked away without seeing at least one amazing fight on the card?

If it has happened it's hard to remember.

MMA fans have learned to watch every fight because any one of them could be fight of the night.

Boxing fans have learned that undercards are when to go to the bathroom or order the pizza.

Give Fighters Win Bonuses

In MMA, fighters only make a certain amount of money to show up.  After that they get more money if they win.  It is the very essence of what makes up a prizefighter.

In boxing fighters are paid whatever was agreed upon beforehand.  This isn't a problem in theory but then it sometimes blows up in a promoter's face.

For example, recently Nonito Donaire fought then undefeated super flyweight champion Omar Narvaez.  The fight should have been a decent one.

Instead fans got to see Narvaez try to not get hit as much as possible, while not trying to engage either.

For this he was paid around $125,000.  If half of that had been tied up in his winning the fight it's a good bet that Narvaez would have tried harder to beat Donaire.  It might be too late to implement this in boxing but it might just be necessary to make the sport interesting again.

After all, if a fighter is getting their biggest payday and they are getting older, if they don't have to try harder to win they might just decide to call it a career while still in the ring.

And that doesn't help anyone.

Not even the boxer who decides to do such a thing.

At least not in the long-run. 

Have Fight of the Night, KO of the Night and Decision Win of the Night Bonus

The UFC is known for giving out bonuses for fight of the night, knockout of the night and submission of the night.  It can't be proven, but there is a good chance it has caused many a fighter to go after a knockout, try a risky submission or abandon all strategy and brawl for the extra money it might earn them.

This could help boxing immensely.  It might not be snatched up by the main event fighters, but offering even a $10,000 bonus for fight of the night might motivate many of the undercard fighters to put on an amazing performance.

Even if the crowd at home doesn't see it, it would still help make the arena crowd become excited for the fights and also show up early to see the undercard matches.

With enough money it could even change the tone of the main event matches.

The only difference is that since there are no submissions in boxing an award should go to a winner who got a decision victory but did so dominantly and without seeming to be on their back foot all night.

Take Big Fights Different Places

Boxing has a tendency to put it's biggest fights in casinos in Las Vegas.

The UFC does the same thing sometimes and this is because casinos can afford larger site fees than any stadium.  This is because the casinos know that bigger fights will attract a few high-rollers who will gamble at the tables before and after the fights.

However, the UFC knows to take it's events on the road and not only stages fights in different states in the USA, but also continues to make trips to different parts of the UK, Canada, Brazil recently, and in the future Japan.

Only the biggest fights and The Ultimate Fighter Finales make it back to Vegas.

While this happens in MMA, boxing allows secondary fights to be in Vegas.  Sometime this is because promoters just want the expensive site fees even though the crowds that turn up might be drastically smaller than those if the fight was placed in a fighter's hometown.

Another reason is many fighters today don't want to risk going to their opponent's backyard as they perceive that they will be at a disadvantage with not only the crowd, but the judges and referee.

Because of this fear many fights now take place in random states or in Vegas arenas when they could be in sold out stadiums.

If boxing wants to grow more fans it's going to need to take a page from MMA's book and hit the road.