Glass Jaws in MMA vs Boxing

I see a lot of funny comments about MMA guys having glass jaws.


The problem is the variables.

Nearly every boxer would look like they had horrible chins if they had 4oz gloves and 5 minute rounds. Truthfully, boxers don't have magically superior chins. They have superior defense. That helps them avoid taking as many flush shots. They also have pillows with which to absorb a good deal of punches. So a lot of impact is pillow on pillow. Not to mention the obvious fact that the punches themselves are padded.

Boxers are human just like MMA guys. The average boxer=the average MMA guy chin wise.

 

Be realistic. If the average middle of the road boxer was hit with a 4 oz glove flush on the jaw/temple without proper defense/movement, without pillow gloves to absorb some of the blow, you'd see a much higher KO rate in boxing. Acting like I said, "it's the gloves" is stupid. I named multiple factors. Clinging to one point shows your denial.

If boxing was done with 4 oz gloves, everyone would look like they had "glass jaws" according to the geniuses at ESB.

 

I'm aware. Boxing was originally bare fisted with unlimited rounds. What would happen is either the fights would be brutal due to easier cutting or guys would break their hands and not be able to really finish the fight leading to horribly long, drawn out fights with two exhausted broken handed fighters.

But that's beside the point. The point is that guys put up their guard and have pillows to absorb the impact. This is ONE factor that I'm pointing out. It's not one single factor. They all work together.

An MMA guy can't put up a gloved guard. Pat Barry tried that against Kongo and got KO'd because he was bracing against his glove, but the hand slipped right through to his jaw.


Everyone likes to say, oh, boxers in MMA with 4oz gloves would KO everyone. Why wouldn't they KO each other then? They would. The lighter gloves and lack of defense, both from skill and gloves, leads to more KO's in MMA. It has little to do with jaws. It has more to do with different variables.

But serisously, imagine boxing with 4oz gloves. You'd see a LOT more KO's. If you doubt that, you're in denial.

 

Excellent post. I did have this thought lingering in the back of my mind I just couldn't fully develop it (I usually post while I'm at work and it's been a busy day).

You make a great point though. Since the sport isn't all punching, it is plausible that more weak jaws sneak through due to their grappling abilities helping them avoid getting clocked.


That said, I still don't think that it's as bad as boxing fans like to pretend it is. I still hold to the belief that if you put 4oz'ers on boxers, 90% would look like glass joes.

 

Examples?


Shogun withstood Hendo's right hand. Hendo has a great chin. JDS got punched like 1000 times in 5 rounds and didn't go dark. Rampage had a good beard. Frankie Edgar is nuts. Nog had a ridiculous chin in pride.

I'm telling you guys. It's really not as bad as people make it seem. The gloves and poor defense is the biggest factor in the higher KO rates. It's not really that much about chin.

 

Also, let's throw in the 10 count and standing 8 count. Most MMA fights that are ruled a TKO would be allowed to keep going in boxing. I'm telling you guys, the chin disparity isn't as big as you think.