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Originally Posted by Strange Famous
I've seen MEN fight.
I am sure in any society there is a certain element of cowards that will stab a man in the back or kick a man that is down. If they are especially brutal perhaps they go on to become cage fighters
it goes both ways mate. Put one of these louts into a ring and make them fight by the Queensbury rules, and they would be taken apart. But someone schooled in boxing into a fight where it is considered "sporting" to
dip your gloves in resin and broken glass, and I'm sure youre right, they'd have a rough time.
That said, whatever martial art you know... I wouldnt back many people against George Foreman in a no hold bars fight when he was in his prime. He was a monster. Even in his late 40's and hopelessly slow and fat, he could punch with the force of a car wreck.
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i've been paying attention to this debate in general as a former boxing fan that has got with the times and now follows mma.
before i compare the two, i have a couple questions.... why do you have to pick one? both are combative sports that men spend months and lifetimes training for, and both types of athlete deserve the respect due for that kind of commitment. even if it's not your cup of tea, there's no reason to dismiss mma and make veiled comments about how it's fighters aren't "real men". so why do it? the only reason i can think of is sour grapes over the decline of boxing's popularity, but THAT is no one's fault but boxing for 1) failing to deliver good fighters and consistently good fights and 2) diluting itself to the point that there's no clear cut champ.
ok, on to the comparison. here's some points to think about.
have you noticed the difference from when a former boxer gives an interview and when randy couture gives an interview? mma fighters just don't come off as "punch drunk" or slightly brain-dead, regardless of having done their sport in equal time and measure. I believe the reason for this is that mma offers about a dozen ways to win, while boxing is 100% entirely about punching someone in the head as hard and often as you can. you can call it "the sweet science" all you'd like but i'd have to say it's effect on it's participants is more barbaric than what you've labelled as the barbarism in mma.
next up... one thing i absolutely love about mma that you will NEVER see in boxing is the mutual respect that these fighters have for each other. i'm not saying mma doesn't have its share of arrogant asshats, but far more often than not, both fighters in an mma fight will embrace after a tough fight in mutual admiration of what they both just went through. being able to go up to a guy after a fight and say, "great job man, you just kicked the shit outta me!".... THAT is honor.
just some food for thought
