WHAT IF boxing switched to MMA style gloves?

I share many of the same thoughts. It would be easier to hit the target with smaller gloves to protect yourself with and yes it would be a harder, less cushioned blow. But what worries me is that even though the bouts would probably end quicker the damage inflicted might still be more severe.

 

Studies seem to suggest that sustained beatings where you take heaps of "smaller" shots is more dangerous than taking a huge punch and being koed. I have doubts about this opinion though as you see guys who are never the same after getting brutally knocked out...but that may or may not be mental. I think its a bit hard for anyone to know. Id say either way can be more dangerous than the other depending on many factors. But so far doctors and some people in the boxing game seem to think sustained beatings are worse. You sometimes hear commentators remark during long brutal fights that this could ruin them or take away their longevity in the game

Vitaly klitschko always turns his opponents in wrecks in his fights because he dosent have the 1 punch knockout. Alot of the guys he beats dont look too healthy after the fight and spend a while in hospitol.

 

I wouldn't want to see it. Boxing is a great sport in it's own right without having to try to be more like 'real' fighting. Also I think the main reason they made gloves bigger was to protect fighters' hands. If you want to see guys throw punches at each other for 12 rounds they have to keep their hands in good nick

 

They use to have 4oz gloves when joe louis was around

 

I can't see a major difference between old school boxers and new school boxers. Dempsey, Louis, even Ali boxed with small tight gloves. The quality of gloves today is very high as is the medical standards. I think it would be fine.

 

You may well be right. I doubt the people and organisations running boxing would ever have the nerve to experiment with it though.

 

dont be stupid

 

Are you suggesting the people and organisations running boxing would have the nerve to experiment with smaller gloves?

 

Smaller gloves can result in fingers up the bummy. As demonstrated in this video:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ata8F7liAx0[/ame]

 

Boxing would probably get a hell of a lot more technical (jabs, slips, distance, etc...). Harder to wing away on something as hard as a skull with less padding.

 

Horrific hand injuries. As if they didn't occur enough with 10 ounces

 

Any stats on the rate of hand injuries in MMA v boxing?

 

Good point that I think everyone has overlooked so far :deal

Boxing is littered with fighters who had fragile hands using the amount of padding they have now. Decreasing the padding would only increase the hand injuries. Names like Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Fenech come to mind straight away as fighters who's hands gave them trouble for years and there's an endless list of others.

 

I'd love to see a few of these fights happen. A lot of questions would be answered.

 

4 oz gloves were used before in boxing and the death rate in the ring sky rocketed, even with a rules change fighters will adapt and the game will become extremely defence orientated and could lead to less exciting fights that could have no action for 5 rounds then one shot finishes the fight, a glove change with a rule change would basically ruin the sport, why change something thats not broke

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