Which Is More Dangerous: Boxing Or MMA?

[BABY1]

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• Better Man in brief ...
• Extra padding in boxing gloves actually leads to more severe injuries.
• In MMA, body lacerations are the most common type of injury.
• There have only been two recorded deaths in MMA; in boxing, there have been 70.

"90% of boxers will have sustained a brain injury by the end of their careers."

There is a common belief that Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a barbaric sport. The biggest argument used to condemn it is the position that the fights are excessively violent and dangerous. It has been labeled as human cock-fighting by politicians, even as images of scarred and bloodied fighters are used in marketing campaigns by MMA itself.

On the other hand, boxing is considered by many of the same people to be an American institution, while its detractors believe that in the boxing ring, fighters are allowed to take drubbings, sometimes round after round, for upwards of 10 to 12 rounds. There is also a widespread belief that those repetitive concussions increase the likelihood of brain damage among fighters.

These arguments both lead to the question: Which sport is safer?

Boxing injuries

Both the government and boxing's controlling bodies have made attempts to put into place a number of regulations, such as the Muhammed Ali Boxing Reform Act, aimed at minimizing major injuries in the sport. However, head injuries are still a significant concern in boxing. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons says that 90% of boxers will have sustained a brain injury by the end of their careers. Couple that with eye injuries and dementia, which are both effects of being hit in the head, and you can begin to understand why boxing is a dangerous sport.

The Nevada Athletic Commission did a five-year study on injuries in boxing and concluded that the amount of padding used in boxing gloves is directly correlated to the injury rate in boxing. The study warned that more padding in gloves meant punches were easier to absorb, which means a fighter could be hit more times. The cumulative effect of constant hitting over the course of a fight can have a traumatic effect on a fighter’s head. In a typical boxing match, most punches are thrown at the head, since it's difficult to achieve a knockout through blows to the body.

According to a study undertaken by the British Board of Sports Medicine from 2002 to 2007, the standing eight count is the primary cause of the most serious injuries in boxing because it gives fighters the option to worsen injuries they have already sustained. Continuing to box after receiving a concussion leads fighters to stutter, stumble and end up suffering what doctors call pugilistic dementia. Time and time again, boxers drop to the mat with such force that hitting the deck is what wakes them up. Being neurologically short-circuited or concussed once is sufficient reason to stop a fight right then and there. Instead, more often than not, boxers are given the protection count and if they are capable of fighting, the match resumes.


A standing eight count is given to Michael Spinks

From 1998 to 2006, there were 70 recorded deaths caused by injuries related to the sport of boxing.
The average direct hit to the head that a boxer sustains is equivalent to being hit with a 12-pound wooden mallet traveling at around 20 miles per hour." MMA injuries

Unlike boxing, MMA fighters are allowed to use different fighting styles -- like punching, kicking and grappling holds -- to knock their opponent out or get him to give up. Mixed martial arts include one or more of the following fighting styles: Muay Thai (a type of Thai boxing), judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, karate and variations of these. Oh -- and boxing. Injuries suffered by MMA fighters include head trauma, musculoskeletal stress, joint dislocation and soft tissue trauma.

In 2008, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine published a study of injuries sustained during sanctioned mixed martial arts competitions. According to their findings, the most common reported injuries were lacerations and upper extremity injuries. Because of all the holds, slams, throws, and takedowns in MMA, lacerations to the body are the most common injuries reported by fighters to the Nevada Athletic Commission. Among these, the most frequent injuries are broken bones. These types of injuries occur often in the UFC octagon.

Injuries to the head are also frequent in mixed martial arts. Eye injuries, face cuts and face lacerations are all part of the sport.

There have been two recorded deaths in mixed martial arts. Douglas Dedge died in 1998 after a fight on an unregulated card in Kiev, Ukraine, and Sam Vasquez died from injuries sustained in a 2007 fight in Houston.

Georges St-Pierre knocks out Jay Hieron
and the winner (?) is...

According to the Johns Hopkins study, head trauma and cerebral hemorrhages are the No. 1 cause of death in combat sports. The study concludes that boxing is the most dangerous combat sport in America.

That conclusion should not surprise fans who understand and appreciate the sport. Research in the American Association of Neurological Surgeons' 2006 study pointed out that the average direct hit to the head that a boxer sustains is equivalent to being hit with a 12-pound wooden mallet traveling at around 20 miles per hour.

It doesn’t take a doctor to understand why 12 rounds of hard hits to the head can cause serious damage to a boxer’s brain, skull and the surrounding blood-vessels. In contrast, only 25% of MMA fights continued, without knockouts, to their end without knockouts, which in the UFC, the premier MMA brand, occurs at only 3 rounds for non-championship fights and 5 rounds for title fights.

So the next time you watch an MMA event, consider that when a fighter is knocked out, the fight is over. In boxing events, fighters that are knocked out get a standing eight count, and their opponent continues to inflict blows to the fighter’s already damaged head.

[tn94z]

TweetI knew that was boxing. I had to do a report a few years ago on boxing vs mma and boxing was by far more dangerous than MMA. Most casual fans think it's the other way around because of the cuts and blood and what not.

[ketsugo]

TweetNo way- MMA is way more dangerous- you cant go by any statistics because Boxing has been around for almost 100 years, MMA - barely has begun.

[tn94z]

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No way- MMA is way more dangerous- you cant go by any statistics because Boxing has been around for almost 100 years, MMA - barely has begun.

Compare death totals of each. It's more dangerous. Even the fighters will say the same. UFC has barely begun. MMA has been around for a long time.

[tn94z]

TweetHere is an article that gives the death totals since 1993 in boxing....1993 is when the UFC started, so the comparison is legit without going back 100 years.

We often hear from people who don't like mixed martial arts. Usually that happens when either it's too violent for them, or because they make assumptions about something they haven't seen.

"It's human cockfighting!" "It's just a bar brawl in a cage!" "It's insanely dangerous!"

The first two are a judgment call. But that third complaint is one we can address.

Johns Hopkins says MMA is much, much less dangerous than boxing, and for several reasons.

First, in MMA, when you get clocked, the fight is likely over very soon afterwards. In boxing, you get a standing eight count, then someone continues to beat on your head.

Any MMA fan will tell you that, within about 40 secons after a knock out, most losing fighters are back on their feet shaking hands with the winner. They're probably concussed, sore, a little woozy, but the fight is over. There will be no more punishment this day. Compare that to boxing, where you could be what MMA would consider "knocked out" three times before the fight is stopped.

The second reason MMA is safer is the smaller gloves. Looking at them, you'd think traditional boxing gloves would be safer because there's more padding, but there's also more surface area, so more of your head is being hit, and it's not one sudden smack that gives a fighter long term damage... it's repetitive hits, both during a fight and in training.

That's the third reason MMA is safer - you don't train by getting punched in the head. But in boxing, sparring with headgear is commonplace, and the Johns Hopkins study shows that ongoing hits to the head does more long term damage to the brain.

The fourth reason: MMA isn't just about being punched in the face. Most fighters spend more time on the floor, or in the clinch, than they do striking. Indeed, many MMA fights have ended without a punch landing.

The fifth reason: Shorter fights. Boxing matches can go an hour, but MMA fights are three round affairs unless they're title fights (those go five rounds). Less time swinging = less time being swung at.

And, lastly, just to put one common accusation to rest, Muhammed Ali did not get Parkinson's Disease from being punched in the head. Ali's thought process is still cogent, it's his nerves that aren't functioning as they should, and you don't get that kind of affliction through head trauma, you get it because you get it.

In fact, some Parkinson's patients are using boxing training to combat the disease, with startlingly impressive results.

Bottom line: There have been two recorded deaths in mixed martial arts. Douglas Dedge died in 1998 after a fight on an unregulated card in Kiev, Ukraine, and in 2007, Sam Vasquez died from injuries sustained in a fight in Houston.

At the same time, the Journal of Combative Sport has documented 71 deaths since 1993 in boxing.

So the next time someone complains to you about the violence in MMA and what it will do to those who participate, point them to this page and remind them that nobody has ever died from a cauliflower ear.

[Dzone]

TweetYEP, THAT REPEATED TRAUMA to the head in boxing causes all kinds of brain damage. Sparring with head gear doesnt help

[ketsugo]

TweetBros- How many boxing matches are there? Please, Never should anyone go by one or two studies, thats a big bunch of baloney - studies are flawed. Not until its been reviwed 100s of times does a study mean anything. Nopw here me- Im 46- Ive trained four to sixteen hours per day my entire life, I have a black belt in 14 martial arts, my menkyo in two schools of bujutsu, Ive boxed golden gloves, Im a Guro in three filipino martial arts, one indonesian method and I teach a recreational combat class to military special forces at a military base. Thats 39- 40 years of training, no wife, no kids, no house- total obsession and devotion. Where I come from Im considered an authority. This study I will never take seriously, dont buy it.

[ketsugo]

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Here is an article that gives the death totals since 1993 in boxing....1993 is when the UFC started, so the comparison is legit without going back 100 years.

THIS POST ALONE SAYS ITS NOT LEGIT- HOW MANY BOXING MATCHES DO YOU THINK ARE HELD COMPARED TO UFC, PLEASE THATS ABSURD. MAN I HAVE SUCH AN ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE THINK THEY KNOW THINGS BECAUSE OF A FEW ARTICLES OR STUDIES- I LIVE IT AND HAVE FOR ALMOST HALF A CENTURY- AGAIN BALONEY:sorry just the way it is, no offense.

this is like comparing how many plains fly to how many cars are on the road

[tn94z]

TweetDo you think there are just 2 boxing matches a year because that is all that's on PPV? Manny Pacquiao has had 57 fights in 15 years. That's almost 4 a year just using him. That is 2 times more than the average UFC fighter. And that doesn't even include the thousands of other boxers out there. When I was in golden gloves, there was an event at least 1 per month.

Until you can show some kind of numbers to back up your years of experience, I am going by the studies. We get that you have trained forever and are a pro at all this stuff, but numbers say alot. I wish I could find the article I did a few years ago but it was on a laptop that has since crashed.

How many guys have you seen die from an MMA match? How many have you seen die from a boxing match? With your years of experience, this should be common place.

It's actually common sense if you watch the fights, training, results, follow medical reports, etc....you don't even need to read the studies period.....No offense

[tn94z]

TweetJust to clarify, are you saying there are more boxing matches or less? I may have misunderstood

[tn94z]

TweetAnother thing....the 2 deaths mentioned above are just mentioned with no details

* Douglas Dedge (1998)- walking time bomb anyway, and died in an unregulated event with little or no pre-fight testing etc. The guy's training partners admitted that he had been blacking out in practice and there was obviously something wrong with him before he ever fought. This was a No Holds Barred fight that he was in with very little medical people on site. This should not be included as today's pre-fight checks would catch this before he is allowed to fight.

* Sammy Vasquez - This was the first sanctioned death in MMA and apparently his wife admitted that he had suffered a brain clot previously and probably shouldn't have been fighting. This again should not be included.

* Korean man, (sorry I don't know his name) This guy wasn't on the list but I have read about it. Again this was an unsanctioned event (held in a restaurant) and the promoter was widely criticised for having terrible medical care on hand, and had no insurance, medical check-ups.

The only guy that could be considered is Vasquez and he really shouldn't be considered because his wife said that he had the blood clot previous to the fight.

[Dzone]

Tweetas far as BRAIN DAMAGE, THERES NO DOUBT BOXING IS GOING TO BE MORE DANGEROUS...For overall injuries, MMA may be more dangerous

[tn94z]

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as far as BRAIN DAMAGE, THERES NO DOUBT BOXING IS GOING TO BE MORE DANGEROUS...For overall injuries, MMA may be more dangerous

I can agree with overall injuries if you are counting strains, lacerations, etc....by dangerous, I think life threatening.

Either way, I can see arguments for both sides. But MMA matches are 3 rounds (5 with champ fights). Boxing matches are 12 with standing 8 counts where they trade 30-40 head blows per round...just to name a few things. MMA has other options like ground work, submissions, etc...where boxing is either a body shot or a head shot and the winner is the last man standing.

[Dzone]

TweetDang, 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.

[Strella]

TweetLife 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.