What would it take for a boxer to beat an MMA fighter

Other than an early KO.... Cross train.

 

Just make it a kickboxing match.

 

Well if it's the ufc... 1. A willingness to relinquish your dignity in allowing yourself to be put in the missionary position - and explicitly dry-humped in front of a global tv audience - by a greased up man wearing nothing but Reebok cycling shorts.

Then you have to be interviewed by Joe Rogan.

 

If you change the rules it really isn't an MMA contest. Not under what our understanding off MMA has become. MMA has the most allowable techniques of any combat sport. It has more varying ranges than any other combat sport. All of these techniques and ranges take years to learn. Removing these techniques and ranges makes it a different competition entirely.

Tyson Fury should look at competing in K1, or find an MMA fighter that competes in K1, and fight in a K1 style event if he wants so many alterations.

 

Throw a punch

Like this:
[yt]wb-eOej5Xzc[/yt]

 

If you ever find your range...

If you can't find your range a street fighter, with only a couple months training and no MMA credentials, can do this to someone that only knows how to box...
[yt]DahOLe5z3Ek[/yt]

This is why Fury is afraid of an MMA bout with an MMA fighter. He doesn't have the skills.

 

Distance and timing. Oh yea...and some good takedown defense.

 

It would take years of training in take down defence for a boxer to stop a mama fighter especially one with a wrestling base from grounding and then pounding him or submitting him in a multitude of ways. Couture already proved this against Toney. Both were over the hill but the point was well made. Boxing is great for learning how to defend against some aggressive drunk or road rage punk as is mma training. Both are awesome sports to watch especially at the highest level like Condit, Robbie Lawler or Cotto, Canelo.

 

Footwork.

 

I'm not too well-versed on MMA but I imagine exceptional footwork and distance control would come in handy when it comes to defending against takedowns?

 

Unfortunately a boxer is always going to be a severe disadvantage when put up against a fighter that can use an entire skillset not available to him. Even though his punching may be better, the availability of throwing kicks balances that out, and then some. But the MMA guy, if he has any sense, will close the distance asap and either shoot or clinch. From there it is a short trip to the floor and getting humped

If I were a boxer having to face an MMA fighter, because I lost a bet, say, I'd personally pick the best striker with the most volatile temper that I could. Then I'd insult his pathetic boxing skills ad nauseum, making it clear that he was the boxing equivalent of a street bum fighting for dimes under a bridge. Then I'd hope to God that he lost his temper and tried to prove how good his hands were. Then I'd hopefully KO him like Mercer KO'd Sylvia before he came to his senses and wrestled.

 

The levels of talent, skill and athletism in boxing are lightyears ahead of anything in MMA and like it or not, most top boxers would do very well in MMA, even with little cross training.

 

The evidence does not support that statement, unfortunately. Boxers have quite a long history of losing rapidly to the floor humpers when taken down. There's little more pathetic than seeing a striker with no clue about groundfighting, trying wild-eyed to get back onto his feet as a grappler digs in the hooks and then the choke. BUT: Boxing is certainly one of the best bases to build from. Boxers - top boxers, that is - typically have very good conditioning and damage resistance. With a LOT of training to avoid the takedown in various positions, I don't see why they shouldn't do well. Some top guys, Cro Cop for instance, started out as boxers.