A sure way to start an argument between boxing and mixed martial arts fans is to ask one simple question.
“What if?”
What if a top mixed martial artist stepped in the boxing ring to take on a world-class boxer? Or what if the boxer stepped in the Octagon?
It’s an argument as old as combat sports itself. Before MMA sprang to life in the 1990s, the debate raged between boxing and pro wrestling fans. Which sport had the toughest athletes?
Promoters tried to capitalize on the discussion—most notably with the debacle between Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki in 1976—but the scripted environment of pro wrestling offered few answers.
Now, with the upcoming boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor, fans finally have their first opportunity to see high-level fighters from both sports facing off.
To celebrate Mayweather vs. McGregor’s “fantasy turned reality” vibe, we’re going to name seven other dream boxing vs. MMA fights we wish we could’ve seen.