Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

[jipped genes]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

i do both, i can say for myself i get nicked up more when doing MMA, pulled muscles torn ligaments ect but i can say with certainty boxing hurts your head. after sparring in boxing i normally have a headache for days. my Doc called it repeated micro concussions.

those 16-18oz gloves dont seem to me to help cushion but to add weight and "thump" to the punch.

i have been training in MMA for almost 3 years and have really only been hit in the face solid with 6oz gloves on a few times.

also in boxing with the huge gloves covering your chin, it is normal to aim for the forehead, in fact it is taught to take it on the forehead as it wont normally KO you.

i think we will see most mma guys in their later years still lucid and alot of boxers with brain damage.

scott smith and sakuraba will probably not be OK

its a toss up i am a weekend warrior and dont train everyday and only spar once every couple weeks so maybe i am not the best to speak of it but i do have a wee bit of a glimpse into it

[tn94z]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Life altering and debilitating injuries, (death, general scrambling of the brain) Boxing for sure. Overall injuries, (broken bones, cuts, bruises, etc) then MMA. I think he is saying that their are way more boxing matches per year and the data then would be skewed. While this could be the case, esp in the 90's, I wonder if this is taking into account other combat sports overseas, ie K1, PRIDE etc. I would have to assume that their have been a decent amount of deaths in some of those random combat organizations over the last 20 years. Anyway, if we are considering the modern MMA, ie UFC, with the protective rules they have in place, no kicking the head while on the ground etc, then I would think that boxing is a more debilitating sport than fighting in the UFC.

Cuts and bruises may be the same. Broken bones are definitely more in MMA for obvious reasons.

Yeah, and I realized that after reading his post again. I mis-understood. Then I started thinking, there is no way he thought that.

All data that I have ever read includes all "sanctioned" mma fights. It doesn't count the cage fights at your local night club.

Like I said, I can see arguments for both sides. I would like to see a number that gives an evenly matched number of years and death per thousand fighters. Or you could look at the number of retired fighters from each and then see which had the worst long lasting effects. I don't know that there would be a really absolute comparison because there are so many more boxing matches held. But I can say ( and this isn't coming from an article) that when I was in golden gloves, my head felt much worse than when I was training in MMA. The sparring session in boxing were brutal compared to MMA, IMO. The gloves, although bigger and supposedly more padding, hurt much worse ALL OVER. The continuous pounding was much much worse in boxing, even with the head gear. And you can't drop down for a take down to get away from the shots either.

But I will also add that Muay Thai training was freaking brutal as well!

[Strella]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Yea man, that head trauma from boxing is crazy!

[Dzone]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

I dont know if they still have collegiate boxing.I would think that the current day political correctness would have it banned by now. But about 20 years ago we had an actual college boxing team.(Im not really that old..lol) We would have tournaments with other colleges. We didnt know what the hell we were doing. Every night we went down into this old basement gym with a ring and bags. We didnt know any better than to spar full contact every single night. With old worn out leather headgear. It was so stupid. I got the shit beat out of me many times. went to class with a headache. I got a busted nose. Got concussions.The part that really sticks in my mind is the primitive and animalistic nature of it. In a ring with another dude whos sole desire is to knock you out cold. To make you bleed. If you go to the hospital, thats fine. You stalk him around the ring trying to kill him. When you connect with a good shot, you hear your friends screaming your name. It makes you want to kill the som*****. The adrenaline rush is unbelievable. When your back is to the ropes and you are getting pummeled, you can here his girlfriend and family cheering him on to beat the shit out of you. I always found that part to be very strange. Now that I look back, its even more bizarre to me. How I even did that. But at the time, It didnt seem weird at all..
I havent boxed like that in years, but my hat is off to anyone who does mma or boxing or whatever. Its brutal. There is no experience like it. Maybe military combat. I dont know.
Theres a lot of things I dont remember about high school or college. Things my friends remember so clearly, that I have no recollection of at all. Who knows if those thumps to my noggin did something to my long term memory. I dunno.
Does anyone else ever have problems remembering stuff?
No doubt that football is also big time destroyer of brain cells. if youre a lineman, youre getting a mini-concussion on every play. Youre hitting helmet to helmet on every play. Then you end up with a constant headache that never goes away until after the season. It was just an accepted part of life. Football was a requirement. It was like you had no choice. Either you play football or you be a nobody. Its Crazy. I think now days kids have a lot of other options than just football. Thats probably good.

[ketsugo]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Ya know whats really interesting or ironic- I myself despite my opinions, Im not a big fan of MMA for many reasons. Like - I have many people because of my background and training ask me advice on where to sign their kids up for training. I guess it depends what the goals are. If I had a child and wanted him to learn how to fight, I mean rally learn how to move and hit hard. Never in 100 years would I sign them up for karate. My personaly opinion is that karate is a joke when it comes to fights. To me its more physical exercise - my belief is that it was created for KIDS- not for grown adults. CHildren could not understand the responsibilites of knowing how to kill or maime another, so they used karate to teach- focus, balance, discipline so they could develop the skills and attributes without learning to hurt. I honestly think karate is a system of bad fighting habits- thats from my experience in shotokan, uechi-ryu, kenpo , tae kwon do. All in which I had shodan or higher. Normally Im embarassed to say so. In my opinion- If there was such a thing as childrens Muy Thai - Id send them. Otherwise BOXING is the best place- You learn the importance of using your whole body as a unit, plus the most important thing- how to hit a moving person who wants to hit you- and thats all you practice. Getting in shape is a side effect of the conditioning. You learn how to take a hit. Boxers wear gloves NOT to protect your face, but to protect their hands. In most of the things I not only practice not, but I teach, even when I teach soldiers- kicking and punching is NOT an efficient method of fighting for your life (killing) - but thats another story LOL. Muy Thai - you learn all the same but you learn how to use more of each limb. Elbows, knees which if you dont know how to use them- you will injure yourself. Even pro boxers break their hands constantly in the community. The head is a stupid target for the empty hand or the foot. Thats my only issue in my type of training- they train their minds to always go for the head. Anyway just rambling on........... See the beauty of the forum it stimulates dialect

[tn94z]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Ya know whats really interesting or ironic- I myself despite my opinions, Im not a big fan of MMA for many reasons. Like - I have many people because of my background and training ask me advice on where to sign their kids up for training. I guess it depends what the goals are. If I had a child and wanted him to learn how to fight, I mean rally learn how to move and hit hard. Never in 100 years would I sign them up for karate. My personaly opinion is that karate is a joke when it comes to fights. To me its more physical exercise - my belief is that it was created for KIDS- not for grown adults. CHildren could not understand the responsibilites of knowing how to kill or maime another, so they used karate to teach- focus, balance, discipline so they could develop the skills and attributes without learning to hurt. I honestly think karate is a system of bad fighting habits- thats from my experience in shotokan, uechi-ryu, kenpo , tae kwon do. All in which I had shodan or higher. Normally Im embarassed to say so. In my opinion- If there was such a thing as childrens Muy Thai - Id send them. Otherwise BOXING is the best place- You learn the importance of using your whole body as a unit, plus the most important thing- how to hit a moving person who wants to hit you- and thats all you practice. Getting in shape is a side effect of the conditioning. You learn how to take a hit. Boxers wear gloves NOT to protect your face, but to protect their hands. In most of the things I not only practice not, but I teach, even when I teach soldiers- kicking and punching is NOT an efficient method of fighting for your life (killing) - but thats another story LOL. Muy Thai - you learn all the same but you learn how to use more of each limb. Elbows, knees which if you dont know how to use them- you will injure yourself. Even pro boxers break their hands constantly in the community. The head is a stupid target for the empty hand or the foot. Thats my only issue in my type of training- they train their minds to always go for the head. Anyway just rambling on........... See the beauty of the forum it stimulates dialect

Although I am a fan of MMA, I totally agree with what you just said!!

[FUZO]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

I HAVE ALWAYS SAID TO MY WIFE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO GET MY 7YR INTO MUAY-THAI. SHE HAS COME WITH MY THE LAST FEW YEARS TO CLASS AND I MEAN EVERY CLASS AND SHE WATCHES. AND WHEN WE ARE AT HOME AND I'M ON MY BAG SHE HAS PICKED UP ELBOW STRIKES AND KNEES AND HONESTLY FOR A 7YR SHE CAN PUNCH.. BUT AS FOR MUAY-THAI YES THERE SHOULD BE MORE KIDS MUAY-THAI.

[ketsugo]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Although I am a fan of MMA, I totally agree with what you just said!!

Thats the beauty of the forum- we can disagree and the discussion can be lively and interesting. Plus just cuz Im not a fan doesnt mean I foster any disrespect for anyone that does practice or watch it. To each its own, to me fighting is all about training your mind to understand how to use your body. Not vice versa- If only when I was 5 I knew what I now know ha ha ha. Of course when I was a kid- there was no MMA or Muy Thai schools around here. It was Tae Kwon Do , karate or judo- you didnt have much of a choice in my neck of the woods. Even when I turned 16 and got my first car and job- I still had to travel for miles to find different schools. I was lucky enough to be invited to an underground network of schools , that to this day still do not advertise in the yellow book or the internet. Theres just so many misconceptions by the public, they compare everything to karate or think a black belt means you have acheived some sort of god like status. This is only my personal opinion- As far as combat and saving your life on the battlefield whether it be the mountains of ancient japan and china or the streets of Brooklyn New York- Judo and karate and the whole Dan system of ranking to me are the worste thing to ever happen. Yeah maybe it opened doors or raise conciuousness to the eastern cultures, but it also watered down the effectiveness and integrity of combat. Combat was never and will never be an artform. Training to kill in order to save your life of your family - will never be what self defense is, will never be one on one in a cage or ring-Thats were my issues lie - I train for life or death, maybe as a kid I began somewhere else because thats where mommy sent me. I train soldiers at an area military base on how to fight when they lose their gun or have no access to explosives, because these ways have been lost in time to these greedy money hungry people that care only of belts and trophy. ALL training has its place- I too may train muy thai- because even though my goals are very different- I know the training has value. Its not the art or the system its the man that makes the difference. I run and underground thing that for obvious reasons I dont want to make it public here- However on my flyers or bisiness cards I always write somewhere no push ups, no sit ups no white pajamas and no colored belts. Thats what all the naive , empty public seeks . I mean maybe boxing and muy thai is a sport but you dont get a black belt or shodan rank- If you can fight you do it and you train because you are driven to do so. Your well being depends on it. All that other stuff is for the shallow people that seek the approval of others- when they should learn to look within themselves for streghth. The mind is the greatest weapon.

[tn94z]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Man, too bad you aren't closer to me!!!

[ketsugo]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Just train- you can make it what you want. Your will is the key. Figure out what you want and devise a plan. Pick one maybe two major systems that emphasize what type of fighter you want to be- train mainly in those - then dabble in other systems that maybe emphasize something that you want to work on. Say you want close quarter weapons- choose a kali school that concentrates on knife drills and make it your own. Baby1 posted an MMA training post here- I gave my 2 cents on a short cut there. I actually had a friend whos old like me (40's) and he won his first MMA fight - pro fight even . In my life age 5 til age 25 I investigated 110 schools before I narrowed it down. Always check out how a place trains- see how you feel when yo are there watching.

[ketsugo]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Dang, the speech of some of these old boxers. Holyfield. Some of these other guys. Larry Holmes. Its crazy how not long ago we thought it perfectly safe to box as long as we wore head gear. Those blows rattle the brain around so bad its not even funny. Its impossible not to have brain damage with boxing, unless you some how never get hit.

Hey look at the current trend in the NFL now.

[Strella]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

I know, I'm surprised they can't make a better/safer football helmet. Make em out of aluminum or something

[tn94z]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Isn't it more the power of the blows than the helmet material? Outer material anyway.

[Dzone]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Isn't it more the power of the blows than the helmet material? Outer material anyway.

There was a cover story about concussions in sports illustrated about a month ago. Best write up on concussions Ive ever read.
Anyway, the helmet really is just to prevent a skull fracture, because it is the brain shear forces that cant be prevented. Its like the brain is floating inside the skull and it sort of bounces off the inside of the skull..then the shear forces actually rip the brain. They are saying that the worst brain damage doesnt even have to come from a concussion. It is the # of blows that matter. So there might be a hit count in football like pitchers in baseball have pitch counts. They did a research study on a high school football team. The brain damage was way worse than they expected.

[rc10j1]

Re: Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

Bull riding