The UFC returns to the UK this weekend, and while they are only a week away from their megafight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos on Fox, not everyone is in full agreement that they are bigger than boxing just yet, at least not in the …
The UFC returns to the UK this weekend, and while they are only a week away from their megafight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos on Fox, not everyone is in full agreement that they are bigger than boxing just yet, at least not in the UK. On a recent Pardon the Interruption UK, Buncey […]
Ever since mixed martial arts made its transition to the American sports world, hardcore boxing fans have been sparking competitive arguments as to which action sport is more relevant. The discussion between MMA and one of America’s most prestigi…
Ever since mixed martial arts made its transition to the American sports world, hardcore boxing fans have been sparking competitive arguments as to which action sport is more relevant. The discussion between MMA and one of America’s most prestigious and infamously wealthy sports has forced many people to chose sides. Is there a clear-cut difference […]
Ali vs. Frazier, Leonard vs. Haggler, Tyson vs. Holyfield—these are some of the most iconic fights that boxing fans can easily pull from their memory. Nowadays, though, you would be hard-pressed to find a boxing match that fight fans can really g…
Ali vs. Frazier, Leonard vs. Haggler, Tyson vs. Holyfield—these are some of the most iconic fights that boxing fans can easily pull from their memory. Nowadays, though, you would be hard-pressed to find a boxing match that fight fans can really get excited about.
Outside of a fight involving Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao (preferably they should be fighting each other), the sport of boxing is on its last legs when it comes to its standing as the dominant combat sport in the United States.
Over the past five years mixed martial arts has exploded in popularity due to the following advantages which it currently has over boxing:
Bouts are fought at a faster pace
Wider methods of achieving victory—i.e., knockout, submission, decision
Shorter fight length
Most importantly beyond the items listed above, one of the most important factors regarding the success of MMA is that it is fan-centered and web-focused.
Simply put, boxing is a sport for middle-aged to elderly men who have worked the same job most of their lives, marry only once and either don’t like Facebook or cannot understand it. In MMA you have a sport dedicated to the exuberance of youth. The sport is all about instantaneous reaction and an allegiance to the fringe.
The sport of mixed martial arts also has something which boxing severely lacks: structure.
Can you name the true heavyweight champion in boxing? Why won’t “Pac-Man” and “Money Mayweather” just come to an understanding and sign that deal to fight each other? Within MMA you have one major promotion which sets the trend for the sport—the UFC.
Within the UFC, you have a president in Dana White who has been a fan of boxing for a long time and has managed to capitalize on its failures to evolve. He is fan-oriented, and the fans love him for it. Couple that with the mastermind matchmaking of Joe Silva, and fans generally always get a matchup that they can be excited for.
In the digital age, MMA is the combat sport of the future. From streaming fights on Facebook to offering bonuses to fighters with the most Twitter followers, the UFC has paved the way for other competing promotions to follow.
As much as boxing promoters like Bob Arum would like to lament over the dominance that MMA—particularly the UFC—has, they need to accept that in our sensationalistic and ADD-afflicted society, MMA serves the needs of today’s combat consumer.
If you haven’t been following the amazing story of Dewey Bozella, take 12 minutes and get caught up on backstory above and come back and we’ll discuss it.
Okay, now that we’re all up to speed, if you missed it, on October 15 Bozella, who amazingly says he holds no grudge for being incarcerated for nearly 30 years for a crime he didn’t commit even though the police in the case actually buried evidence, made his professional boxing debut on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawsonundercard.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/ESPN)
If you haven’t been following the amazing story of Dewey Bozella, take 12 minutes and get caught up on backstory above and come back and we’ll discuss it.
Okay, now that we’re all up to speed, if you missed it, on October 15 Bozella, who amazingly says he holds no grudge for being incarcerated for nearly 30 years for a crime he didn’t commit even though the police in the case actually buried evidence, made his professional boxing debut on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawsonundercard.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/fbbcvideos)
Bozella, who has maintained his innocence since his arrest, rejecting an Alford plea that would have seen him released on probation a decade ago for admitting he had slain an elderly woman, only had one dream besides being exonerated and that was to compete in at least one professional boxing match before he died. He made that dream a reality against 30-year-old cruiserweight Larry Hopkins at Staples Center.
Bozella won the bout by unanimous decision after an outmatched Hopkins repeatedly spit out his mouthguard in an effort to have the referee disqualify him. Instead, the official made Hopkins gut out the fight and take his punishment like a man rather than offering him an easy way out of the bout, paralleling Bozella’s path the past 30 years.
For Bozella, who used boxing as an outlet for his anger and resentment while in prision, the bout represented the culmination of his lifelong fight to prove he wasn’t a killer. Definitely a feel good story of forgiveness,moving forward and not dwelling on the negatives in life for a Monday afternoon.
Dewey’s story makes most of our day-to-day problems seem trivial by comparison.
Bozella won the 2011 ESPN Arthur Ashe Award for Courage in July.
As he prepares Dan Henderson for his upcoming bout with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, boxing coach Gustavo Pugliese said he is confident that the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion will earn a knockout victory over Rua, who i…
As he prepares Dan Henderson for his upcoming bout with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139, boxing coach Gustavo Pugliese said he is confident that the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion will earn a knockout victory over Rua, who is renowned for his outstanding chin. Pugliese spoke with TATAME.com and discussed the upcoming matchup between […]
(The knockout comes so quickly, they’ve replayed it for you a dozen times at the end. Video: YouTube/TheHypoparody)
Former UFC fighter (sigh)Kimbo Slice threw his second punch as a professional boxer last night, and with it he secured his second victory. I’ll say this for the bearded one: he’s efficient. For those thinking that Slice has the “sweet science” figured out, I would contend that his management and promoters are the ones wearing the lab coats. Their formula? Take one-part YouTube legend, mix with one part Glass Joe, agitate for 20 seconds, and call it a night.
Kimbo’s first opponent, James Wade, was an impressive 0-1 when he fell to a single bread-bomb in just 17 seconds. Last night, Slice was paired against the more formidable Tay Bledsoe, who stepped into the ring two wins under his belt. Sure, he’d also been knocked out thrice, in the three bouts leading up to the Kimbo fight, with two of those losses coming in under two minutes, but who’s counting? Slice dropped Bledsoe cold with an overhand right just 1:52 into the bout.
The hand speed, the footwork, are we looking at Sugar Ray Slice?
(The knockout comes so quickly, they’ve replayed it for you a dozen times at the end. Video: YouTube/TheHypoparody)
Former UFC fighter (sigh)Kimbo Slice threw his second punch as a professional boxer last night, and with it he secured his second victory. I’ll say this for the bearded one: he’s efficient. For those thinking that Slice has the “sweet science” figured out, I would contend that his management and promoters are the ones wearing the lab coats. Their formula? Take one-part YouTube legend, mix with one part Glass Joe, agitate for 20 seconds, and call it a night.
Kimbo’s first opponent, James Wade, was an impressive 0-1 when he fell to a single bread-bomb in just 17 seconds. Last night, Slice was paired against the more formidable Tay Bledsoe, who stepped into the ring with two wins under his belt. Sure, he’d also been knocked out thrice, in the three bouts leading up to the Kimbo fight, with two of those losses coming in under two minutes, but who’s counting? Slice dropped Bledsoe cold with an overhand right just 1:52 into the bout.
The hand speed, the footwork, are we looking at Sugar Ray Slice?
Ali vs. Frazier, Leonard vs. Haggler, Tyson vs. Holyfield—these are some of the most iconic fights that boxing fans can easily pull from their memory. Nowadays, though, you would be hard-pressed to find a boxing match that fight fans can really get excited about. 