Could a professional MMA fighter stand a chance in the ring with a professional boxer? Could a professional boxer step into the MMA cage and defend against the collection of martial arts? In the past, some in the MMA world said that boxing is only a sport, not real fighting. This was most likely the beginning spark that moved the boxing world to enter the cage to challenge the skill sets.

MMA requires high levels of striking along with ground game. A single punch of a boxer can end any fight within seconds. However the rules are very different between the two sports. So which one reigns as king? It is hard to say no matter what fans say.

The basic difference of rules

• Boxing bouts go for up to 12 rounds of 3 minutes each. Only punches are allowed and everything must be above the belt.
• MMA title bouts go for 5 rounds, 3 minutes each. All martial arts are allowed and that means stand up techniques and ground action.

Who would win?

Could it be possible for a MMA fighter, who spends his training and effort spread across several disciplines, hone in their boxing skill to compete against the professional boxer in the ring? Likewise could a professional boxer stand a chance in the cage with a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist?

Many of the MMA fighters around the world don’t start in MMA from the get go. A specific discipline is trained in for years before moving to another, and many have a boxing background. A MMA fighter trains across the different disciplines, whose strategic mental and physical game plan has been expanded through the wide scope of various martial arts that require fine tuning of the bio mechanics of different sports.

Joe Rogan debates Lou DiBella about boxing vs mixed martial arts. We all know who won this one 😛

A boxer’s skill set is narrow and pinpointed on the specific discipline of boxing and a higher level of endurance in terms of rounds. Boxers also have life-long experience in only that profession, a massive history to learn from and Olympic bouts. MMA is a newer sport without much history in comparison, it has not entered the realm of the Olympics and may be reason to question the ability to hold up against a boxer.

A good boxer focuses on punches and foot work, whereas a MMA fighter spreads his capacity across a wider arsenal of techniques like kicks, knees, elbows, punches, and ground game. One can argue that the amount of physical and mental energy, as well as a mindset that has to be ready for all angles of upper and lower body attack, of an MMA fighter outweighs the ability of a boxer. However the much more focused life-long training based solely on boxing can be said to outweigh the talent of a MMA’s boxing ability alone.