Mixed martial arts has made a big splash with sports fans in recent years. A reality TV show about the UFC (the official organization of MMA fighting) brought a lot of publicity to the sport; leading many take an interest in the sport. There has been some concern on the part of boxing fans that the ever growing popularity of MMA has detracted from the attention paid to boxing. However, the two sports are very different from each other and there is no reason why the popularity of one should be in inverse proportion to that of the other. MMA isn't boxing and doesn't pretend to be. There's no reason at all that the two sports (and their fans) can't coexist.
Boxing for a long time has been falling off of the radar of the American sports fans consciousness. However, for just as long there have been people saying that boxing would die, that it would never survive and that it would never be as good as it used to be. But despite all of the hardships along the way boxing has survived and it has a hardcore group of fans that would never give it up. Some of these fans refuse to watch MMA because they feel it's low quality or that it's a cheap knock off.
However, many of those boxing fans have taken to MMA as well. After all, MMA does incorporate some boxing, and it is an individual fighting competition. MMA of course includes many other disciplines, such as wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, grappling, kick boxing, Muay Thai and many other distinct styles of fighting. The combined aptitudes in all of these disciplines make MMA fighting much different from boxing.
Fans of each will find something that is appealing, and you can be a fan of both for different reasons. For example, the quality of the actual boxing in MMA is low. Fighters have to stand differently to guard against takedowns and strikes from other angles. Additionally, without years of honing fine boxing technique, the punches themselves are sloppier.
There are more TKOs in MMA matches than in boxing proper, however. This is due to the very small, light gloves used in MMA. Little more than knuckle guards, they don't cushion the impact of a blow the way that traditional boxing gloves do. This is in line with MMA in general - it's less focused on skill than on force and raw physicality than is boxing, which is unarguably a more refined sport. Both MMA and boxing have their own appeal to fans due to the differences in approach between the two.
It's definitely possible to be a fan of MMA and boxing at the same time. Fans enjoy each sport for different reasons. You're not letting down boxing by taking in a MMA event; and the UFC won't feel betrayed if you watch a boxing match. It's not as if you hear people saying that they can't watch soccer since they like to watch baseball. The sports may share a few similarities, but they are at their very core different sports which should not be taken to be in competition with each other for your attention.
MMA and boxing fans would find a lot to appreciate about each other's favorite sports if they would simply set aside this feud and look at the other sport on its own merits rather than as an enemy. You don't have to like both, but you shouldn't dismiss either out of hand.
Boxing for a long time has been falling off of the radar of the American sports fans consciousness. However, for just as long there have been people saying that boxing would die, that it would never survive and that it would never be as good as it used to be. But despite all of the hardships along the way boxing has survived and it has a hardcore group of fans that would never give it up. Some of these fans refuse to watch MMA because they feel it's low quality or that it's a cheap knock off.
However, many of those boxing fans have taken to MMA as well. After all, MMA does incorporate some boxing, and it is an individual fighting competition. MMA of course includes many other disciplines, such as wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, grappling, kick boxing, Muay Thai and many other distinct styles of fighting. The combined aptitudes in all of these disciplines make MMA fighting much different from boxing.
Fans of each will find something that is appealing, and you can be a fan of both for different reasons. For example, the quality of the actual boxing in MMA is low. Fighters have to stand differently to guard against takedowns and strikes from other angles. Additionally, without years of honing fine boxing technique, the punches themselves are sloppier.
There are more TKOs in MMA matches than in boxing proper, however. This is due to the very small, light gloves used in MMA. Little more than knuckle guards, they don't cushion the impact of a blow the way that traditional boxing gloves do. This is in line with MMA in general - it's less focused on skill than on force and raw physicality than is boxing, which is unarguably a more refined sport. Both MMA and boxing have their own appeal to fans due to the differences in approach between the two.
It's definitely possible to be a fan of MMA and boxing at the same time. Fans enjoy each sport for different reasons. You're not letting down boxing by taking in a MMA event; and the UFC won't feel betrayed if you watch a boxing match. It's not as if you hear people saying that they can't watch soccer since they like to watch baseball. The sports may share a few similarities, but they are at their very core different sports which should not be taken to be in competition with each other for your attention.
MMA and boxing fans would find a lot to appreciate about each other's favorite sports if they would simply set aside this feud and look at the other sport on its own merits rather than as an enemy. You don't have to like both, but you shouldn't dismiss either out of hand.
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