Went to the UFC the other night and as I watched the styles it got me thinking about what boxers fro the past would have made terrific MMA fighters .. Jack Dempsey immediately can to my mind with is punching, reach, interior mauling style .. a combo of elements .. other thoughts ?
Dempsey far and away my first choice also. Maybe Jeffries with his knowledge of wrestling. Nelson & Wolgast also come to mind
Foreman, Tyson, i agree with Dempsey. Duran i think would be great too. Oh and Loma, he has some experience with wrestling etc.
Paul Berlenbach the former World Light Heavyweight champ, he was of course a excellent amateur wrestler as well, making the US Olympic wrestling team but got injured and didn't participate at Olympics
Well you’d have to consider all Thai Champions like Samart, Khaosai, Samson, Chartchai, Sahaprom etc etc the list is endless & non champs to like Jomthong, Kongsak, Kongtoranee etc due to thier backgrounds in high level Muay Thai.
No offense to all the Dempsey folk but Duran is my first choice. His sensitivity on the inside and when grappling makes that mother****er a shoe in for best striker turned grappler. Duran and it isn't close. I say that as somebody trained in MMA.
Well, some MMA fighters are strikers...not all are wrestler/grapplers...just for spits and giggles, @he grant, which boxers would not make good MMA fighters?
These guys are an excellent shout out too. MT is much closer to MMA. the ground game is something entirely different. The sensitvity of great grapplers is something different on the ground rather than the clinch.
Sam McVea basically fought in some proto-MMA exhibition bouts, "all in" style against grapplers and by accounts did well for himself.
