After the fight between boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and UFC champion Conor McGregor, fans of both sports and martial arts fans in general wondered which was better, boxing or MMA, even though the fight was held by boxing rules, this did not stop the debate on the subject. However, boxing and MMA, although they are martial sports, are very different to pit them against each other. In this article we will talk about these differences, there will be no arguments here about which sport is better, we will just look at the differences of these sports, and although the title of this article has the word “Similarities” in it, these sports are too different to have enough things to cite as similarities. Well, let’s get to the article itself.
What is the point of boxing?
Boxing is a sport in which two people fight on their fists. They use soft gloves to protect their hands (the gloves even cover their fingers), and the fight takes place in a square ring covered with ropes around the perimeter. The goal is to defeat the other by scoring points through tactical strikes within a predetermined amount of time.
What is the point of MMA?
Mixed Martial Arts is a full-contact martial art form. It includes punching, grappling, and ground fighting. The fight itself takes place in the cage or more correctly, in the octagon (Although in some MMA tournaments and promotions fights take place in a classical ring as in boxing) Mixed Martial Arts is a mixture of various martial sports and martial arts with many roots. They use tactics such as striking, finishing grappling, controlling, and other techniques to dominate their opponents.
The differences between boxing and MMA
1. Fighting Style
MMA is more than just punching with your fist. It encompasses many types of fighting techniques, including kicks, kneels tackles, and fist strikes. MMA allows for a wide range of martial arts. It is not allowed to use arms or hands in MMA as opposed to boxing.
MMA is a mixture of several fighting styles, as we have said before. It allows for the use of arms, hand strikes, boxing an enemy, kickbox, Muay Thai techniques, takedowns, and ground tackles as well as submission.
Although submission may not be as glamorous as knockouts, it can still get the job done. However, it requires a lot more skill, effort, and strategy. It’s simple and moderate and provides accounting facts about the precision of fighters.
The fist is the primary weapon in boxing. It is only allowed to strike with punches. Ground wrestling, leg kicks, and ground wrestling are not allowed. Boxers cannot hit their opponents below their waistline, or hit someone who is already down. It is also forbidden to punch an opponent. Backfiring and slapping are also prohibited.
However, MMA punches of all types include elbow jabs and knee strikes. Kicks are also allowed. Grappling is allowed, chokes, throws hold, chokes, and joint locks are all too common in the cage.
2. Number of rounds
Boxing rounds last approximately 3 minutes. A fight can go 12 rounds. In all cases, a fight does not have to last beyond the 12th round. If one of the fighters is knocked out, or deemed incompetent to continue the fight, about can be ended within the 12th round. The fights continue until the 12th round and the winner is the boxer who has the most points.
MMA is a three-round fight, with each round lasting five minutes. Similarity with boxing is apparent in MMA’s fight protocols. Fighters can win by knockouts or points, but it doesn’t stop there. Submission is another option. This refers to a situation in which either fighter is placed in a difficult hold by their opponent and the dominant fighter surrenders.
3. Fighting Gloves
Another difference is the use of fighting gloves in each sport. The gloves used for MMA are lighter than those used in boxing.
The MMA gloves are lighter and more flexible at 0.1 kg. It allows fighters to expose their fingers and perform specific strikes, chokes, or takedowns.
Boxing gloves are heavier at 0.3 to 0.5kg. It does not allow for fingers to be exposed, but it protects them. It protects your hands while you punch.
4. Boxing Ring & MMA Octagon
One difference between boxing or MMA is the platforms that hold the fight in each discipline’s combat sport. It all starts with the size. The distance between the ropes and outside of a standard boxing ring is between 16 and 20 feet. It is approximately 3-4 feet high from the ground. The padding is then layered with stretched canvas and covered with about 1″ of padding.
The MMA Cage is smaller than the boxing ring, however. The UFC Octagon measures 750 square feet, is approximately 30 feet wide and 6 feet tall. It has a circumference measuring about 4 feet.
The boxing ring is more athletic than the MMA Octagon from an athletic standpoint. The corners of boxing rings allow fighters to trap their opponent. The ring’s ropes allow skilled boxers to escape and deflect punches. This advantage is not available in the MMA Octagon.
5. Basic Rules
While each organization hosting an MMA event like the UFC may have specific rules that apply to them, the general rules that all MMA fighters must follow, regardless of the organization in which they are fighting, will be the same for everyone. These rules are quite different from boxing rules.
MMA Rules
- In order to defeat their opponents, fighters can implore legal strikes, throwing, and grappling techniques.
- It is forbidden to intentionally throw an opponent outside of the cage.
- Strikes to your groin, back of your head, biting, grabbing the throat, head butts, and hair-pulling are not allowed.
Boxing Rules
- The only one allowed attack is to punch with a clenched jaw.
- Strikes below the belt or the kidneys and against the head of an opponent are prohibited and could result in a penalty.
- After an opponent has been defeated, all further strikes and attacks are stopped.
- A Boxer who is hit by a low blow can take up to five minutes for recovery.
- Unintentional fouls that end a fight before the fourth round are considered a forfeit. The bout is declared a “no contest” starting in the fifth round. The judges’ cards are used to decide the bout.
6. Winning Situations
The MMA fights can be won by knockouts or Judges’ decisions, submission, technical knockouts and forfeit.
It shares some similarities with its rival sports boxing in terms of its winning process. The scores of the judges determine who wins a fight that goes to the end. Contests can also be won by disqualification, knockouts, and technical knockouts.
7. Knockout (KO) & Count Rule
The ten count rule is used in boxing to determine the winner of a fight. Until the count of ten, the boxer must stand on his own, without assistance. The boxer is eliminated from the fight if he fails to stand up until the tenth count.
There is no knockout at the end of ten in MMA. Ground fighting, grappling, and punches to the floor are allowed in MMA. Knockout is declared only if a fighter loses consciousness (or “limps”) as a result of legitimate blows from his opponent, regardless of whether he is on the ground or on his feet.
In other words, the counting rule is not required to declare a knockout in MMA, like in boxing.
Boxing vs UFC (MMA) in real matches
Floyd Mayweather Jr won the fight of the century against MMA legend McGregor. Considering that the fight was fought by boxing rules, Mayweather’s victory is not surprising.
For Mayweather, it was just another boxing match. If he had lost, it would have been an insult and a death blow to boxing.
Both fighters are well respected and highly skilled in their respective sports.
Fans who are passionate about the sport look forward to a new fight between these champions. This should be done with complete freedom and respect for each fighter’s fighting style. Mayweather’s case is an example of this. This will level the playing field.
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