Boxing vs. MMA: Which Style Would Win?


Boxing vs. MMA matchups have been the hottest topic in the fighting world for many years now.

Even though these are two separate martial arts, people are still arguing which one is the best.

Or to be more precise, which style would win if we match a boxer vs. MMA fighter in various fighting scenarios.

To follow this trend, we have made a decision to go into the deepest details and bring you all you need to know about boxing vs. MMA.

In this article, we will find out how they match in all fighting scenarios, and above all, which style would win.

But first, we need to find out what each of these fighting styles brings to the table and how do they differ from one another.

Boxing vs. MMA: What are the main differences?

boxing vs mma main differences

Boxing and MMA are two separate fighting styles that don’t have much in common.

They differ a lot when it comes to rules, which techniques fighters can use and which don’t, or the area they fight. We are going to address some of the key differences below.

The biggest and most obvious difference is that boxers fight only in the standup and use only their hands to do damage, without using others part of the body, in fact somobody can ask if are elbow allowed in boxing, and it will receive a big NO!!

MMA is more rounded because it allows fighters to fight on the feet, in the clinch, or on the ground.

They all need to have Muay Thai skills to strike, wrestling skills to grapple, and BJJ to fight on the ground trying to finalize the opponets with all the different types of choke in bjj.

The next important thing to know is that boxers fight in the ring while MMA fighters fight in a steel cage.

The cage plays a key role because fighters use it to grapple and take their opponent down.

The Boxing ring, however, has ropes on each side which forces the fighters to fight in one area.

And the last thing we would like to point out are general rules.

MMA fights last 3 rounds with 5 minutes each or 5×5-minute rounds if it is a title fight. In total, average fight lasts 15 or 25 minutes,( for more info about How long does a UFC round last? )

which is much less than in boxing where fights last 12 rounds with each round being 3 minutes (36 min in total).

Can a boxer beat an MMA fighter in MMA?

This really depends on the level of skills both fighters have.

But if we assume they are both very skilled, then a boxer has a little chance against an MMA fighter.

In fact, we can even say it would be a miracle to see a boxer beating a rounded MMA fighter under MMA rules.

This is mainly because boxers use only their hands to strike above the waist, which is not enough for MMA.

They don’t know how to defend against takedowns, kicks, submissions as well as elbows and knees.

For instance, leg kicks can generate the same force as hitting someone with a baseball bat.

A boxer, who has never been kicked before, would be in a serious pain after absorbing just a single, hard leg kick.

But how the fight would play out? Well, boxers tend to stand heavy on the lead leg, which in MMA, leaves them open for both takedowns and vicious leg kicks.

In a less painful version, an MMA fighter would take a boxer down without breaking a sweat. Then, he/she would place a submission before a boxer could even realize what’s happening.

This is what happened when a boxing legend, James Toney, fought in mixed martial arts at UFC 118. Toney arrived in MMA to fight against UFC champ and very skilled wrestler, Randy Couture.

Couture scored an early takedown and he submitted Toney with an arm triangle less than two minutes into the fight.

Can a boxer beat an MMA fighter in Boxing?

Even though skilled MMA fighters have solid boxing skills, they don’t stand much chance against boxers in the boxing ring.

This is mainly because boxers spent their entire career learning how to throw punches.

In MMA, boxing is just one of many weapons fighters need to have and they can’t just cross over and expect to beat boxers in their own game.

Boxers are masters in keeping distance using footwork, creating angles, and head movement. Not to mention the hand speed and power of their strikes. Skilled MMA fighters would have a hard time even landing a single clean punch on boxer’s chin. They are simply not used to this type of movement, speed, power, and rules.

Look no further from Conor Mcgregor’s boxing venture if you need an instance.

In 2015, the UFC Conor Mcgregor’s try with his fighting style to face one of the greatest boxers, Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match.

Even though the Irishman looked solid, the general feeling was that Floyd played with him for 10 rounds before putting him out.

Can a boxer beat an MMA fighter in a street fight?

After asking to the question What happens if a boxer gets in a street fight? now it is time to see what will happen in a street fighting with MMA VS BOXING fighter

If a street fight is based just on their skills, without dirty techniques or weapons, then MMA fighters have a huge advantage. They are more rounded since they know how to strike, grapple in the clinch, or fight on the ground.

Even if they fight in the standup only, MMA fighters have more weapons at their disposal than boxers who use their hands only.

They know how to use punches, kicks, as well as vicious Muay Thai knees and elbows. Standing in front of them and exchanging strikes could easily turn out to be a nightmare for most boxers.

However, in most cases, an MMA fighter would be able to take a boxer down to the ground and easily submit them. Or, they would land a couple of very painful calf kicks that would destroy the boxer’s lead leg.

The only chance boxers have is to use their footwork to be on the move and circle around.

They must keep their range using the jab every time MMA fighter tries to enter their space.

For last, boxers need to time their attack perfectly and use the combination of their hand speed and power to score a quick KO.

( as mentioned before boxers can take advantage from the use of footwork, for that reason i always suggest you, to take a look at my 8 Tips to improve footwork in boxing

Is boxing good for MMA?

Without a doubt, boxing skills are one of the best tools fighters can have in MMA. It is often seen as a great base on top of which fighters can add other tools needed to fight inside the cage.

Even though boxers fight “only” in the standup, there is a small science behind this fighting style.

We are not sure if any other martial art can teach you better footwork, head movement, and punching combos. These skills play a huge role in the way MMA fighters attack or defend.

Yet, we have to point up that boxing skills alone are not enough to compete in MMA. To succeed in, every boxer would need to learn how to wrestle, defend against kicks, and fight on the ground.

Some of the best UFC fighters were the ones who had strong boxing and wrestling skills. This allows them to dictate where the fight takes place, and to feel comfortable striking on the feet.

Look no further from the former UFC champ, Daniel Cormier if you need an example.

You migh be interested :

Who are the best boxers in MMA?

In MMA history, there have been many great fighters who had a strong boxing background.

Some of the fighters we have listed below even reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning the UFC titles. Even though they all had other skills needed to fight in the cage, boxing remained their main weapon.

  • Holly Holm — also known as “The Preaches Daughter”, Holm is the former UFC champ and one of the best female boxers ever. Before MMA, she fought in pro-boxing matches where she compiled a record of 33–3–2 and won many world titles.
  • Cody Garbrant — it’s fair to say Cody is the purest boxer on the UFC roster. While growing up, Cody developed strong boxing skills training with his uncle and brothers. He took part in many amateur boxing matches where he had an undefeated record of 32–0.
  • Conor McGregor — the Irishman started his fighting career in the “Crumlin Boxing Club”. He fought in many amateur boxing matches and was a Dublin Novice Champion. But, he would shift to MMA at the age of 17, and go on to become the UFC champ a decade later.

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