I always thought MMA fighters would be physically stronger than boxers due to grappling in their sport until I practiced clinching/in-fighting with a pro boxer. After being surprised at how strong he was in the clinch I started to notice that boxers are actually physically stronger than MMA/UFC fighters. It makes sense that boxers are stronger because when you cannot resort to upsetting someone's balance by going for their legs, it becomes harder to push someone back thus making a boxing clinch harder than getting a takedown. Some examples that confirmed what I now think: when a natural 140 pounder like Floyd pushed a 170 + pound McGregor back for the whole fight. Ex kickboxer Povetkin getting ragdolled by Wladimir. There's sparring footage of 135 lb Prograis pushing back and walking down 190 lb Nate Diaz. When they were fighting chest to chest Prograis was also stronger in the boxing clinch. Who can forget Mike Tyson launching stonecold Steven Austin several feet back with a push even though Tyson was never really strong in a boxing clinch. GGG and Canelo who are the same size as McGregor would manhandle him in a toe to toe boxing match. Beterbiev at light heavy would probably manhandle any UFC heavyweight in a boxing clinch, although I believe that in a boxing clinch Beterbiev would hold his own against most boxing heavyweights, and may be fall slightly short against the super heavies like Wilder, Wlad, Fury, Joshua etc. Put a (fit) guy and girl in a UFC cage and give the girl 10 tries to take down the guy, I guarantee the girl takes him down a couple of times by simply going for his legs, this is also how in rugby even the smallest guy can tackle and takedown the biggest strongest guy. Put the same guy and girl in a boxing ring, and give the girl 10 tries to push/walk the guy back (to the ropes), the girl will not be able to do it even once. Physical strength is probably the most underrated attribute in boxing. Pushing takes more strength than a take down. Out of the three main combat sports when it comes to physical strength I would bet on kick boxers/Muay Thai fighters being the weakest since they resort to elbowing or kneeing in the clinch, and their build is not ideal for manhandling in the clinch.
Context matters. A lot has to do with technique as well. Grappling and wrestling in a boxing ring is way different to that of other sports. At least different enough. And MMA fighters have different diciplines they specialise in. So I can see no way how someone can give a definitive anwser here. Its too broad of a question. Kinda like asking who have stronger shoukders: boxers or NBA players?
I am not really into grapling, but there are some great tournaments where in the open weight catagories, guys who give up lots of weight put on impressive performances. We are easily talking 50+lbs of weight difference being overcome with technique. I might not be able to overwhelm you physically, but if I can find a way to offset your balance then it wont really matter how much stronger you are.
The answer is: it depends. What sort of MMA fighter? What sort of boxer? There are MMA guys that like technical grappling and rely on long range striking skills when on the feet. And then you get Team Hammerhouse. Full-on power wrestlers like Kerr, Coleman and Randleman. Good luck with finding boxers stronger than them. I'd say boxers are likely to have excellent upperbody strength in general, but that they will be unlikely to compete with the heavier wrestlers in the strength department simply because being TOO musclebound inhibits stamina and snappy punches. Some Mark Kerr: This content is protected
Yes, that's what I'm talking about. In MMA and wrestling grappling you can compensate for a lack of raw physical strength with technique but in a boxing clinch the physically stronger boxer will always push back or tie up the weaker boxer because a boxing clinch is strength Vs strength not technique/strength Vs technique/strength.
I'm not impressed. That's exactly my point, he goes for their legs everytime. In a boxing clinch Beterbiev and most cruiserweights will manhandle the three guys you mentioned. The top boxing heavyweights would make it look like Klitschko Vs Povetkin all over again, so I shouldn't even bring them into the conversation.
Not even remotely true. There are techniques in boxing as well. Its not just about physical strenght. Good example would be that if you push me and i take a sudden side step, you will fall slightly off balance and I will be elabke to push you around. Its all about technique and what you specialize in.
Depends on what you mean by strength ? Strength is only good with correct technique. For example, Brock lesnar strength was a mammoth above the rest, but thats due to gear + Natural broadness allowing more muscle. But in MMA, strength only gets you so far. In boxing, a strong clincher has insane upper torso strength and far more retained strength. Overall strength - MMA Retained upper body strength - Boxing.
Grapplers in MMA have superior strength. Even the strikers in MMA have better strength, because they have to constantly defend from takedowns.
Uh, yeah, it's wrestling. That's how they take people down. Cool story bro. Edit: Mark Kerr was 6'1 and weighed 260lb. Show me a boxer built like that. That's why he was able to pick people up and dump them on their heads.
