I think there's space for both. I would never watch MMA, I have zero interest in it. Some people like both while many MMA fans would never watch boxing as they say it lacks action and is too boring for their taste. It's all good IMO.
Boxing will never die. MMA is more popular in USA. Why? Look at the skin color of most of the UFC's champs. You can make more money in boxing.
Cauilflowered ears roid heads are taking over it's inevitable. Hump and pound yeah some people love watching that for hours.
It's a bit like baseball in the sense that UFC is the Major Leagues. You do get some top fighters who have either burned bridges with the UFC, or do just fine outside of it, but generally speaking it's a pyramid system where people aspire to move upwards.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_consensus_effect https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic
Never. MMA isn't a prestigious sport. it's not a classic sport... it will never be as refined or skillful as boxing... it will never be the sweet science... MMA will always look like a bar fight... Boxing will always look like a well structured sport. and UFC is too greedy, they don't take care of their fighters... there's wayyyyyyy more money in boxing.
If you have a short attention span, which most people do nowadays, MMA has some advantages MMA fights are shorter. In general more intense. There are more ways to win in MMA. Punches, kicks, elbows, knees, chokes' submissions. There are more ways to lose in MMA. Punches, kicks, elbows, knees, chokes, submissions. That makes it harder to predict outcomes. It is also the more realistic combat sport, meaning more like a street fight. MMA, at least the UFC, is tightly controlled by the central organization which can make sure the best fight the best (in general). It is turning into a great sport. The athletes and techniques continue to evolve. Boxing has history and tradition behind it. It's evolved. How to box has pretty much been figured out and perfected. MMA looks like a work in progress. When you watch MMA fighters utilize "boxing" in the octagon, they are generally poor to mediocre at it. A good pro boxing match is boxing on an elite level. I think the two sports will coexist for a long time. The growth of boxing internationally ensures that will be the case. In the US though, it seems MMA is already just as popular.
MMA is marketed better; a different type of audience, more willing to bring in money, people 'feel' closer to the fighters and the action. It's like a wild night out sort of atmosphere. A real adrenaline rush and people want to sample it often. Boxing on the other hand feels more refined, it IS more refined, and can often produce real stinkers. It's also harder to get the public to pay the PPV numbers Boxing's promoters need to collude together with the networks and work out better deals. Boxers should also sign up for single fight deals (once this happens more frequently, this WILL become the norm) and anything contrary to this should be offset with a signing bonus from the promoter. When the Super Six happened 10 years ago, it was a revelation for boxing. Since then nothing similar at the same scale has happened. Marketing is not difficult, the issue is promoters do not want to risk their cash cows at all and give them soft touches (PBC and Wilder, Warren and Fury) etc. The issue with that is the public can see through this very transparent charade and then turn off.
I understand all that but I just have the feeling that the ' do gooders' will eventually get there way in countries like Australia, USA and the UK and that boxing will down the track be banned for medical reasons. Money may rule and keep the sport strong but it's just my opinion that's all.
Better question will be when will the silly boxing v mma questions end? In a fairly small country like australia we have 4 major different football codes that each like boxing and mma have there different skillsets but apart from good natured ribbing, each codes athletes and fan bases mostly respect the other,with coaches even taking different aspects from the other sports. There is plenty of room for both sports to thrive,Boxing fans don't have to like mma and vice versa but it's unfortunate there is insecure fans on both sides that feel the need to denigrate and make up garbage about the skill levels being higher and fighters having better chins in 1 sport then the other.
