It what is being billed as the fight to settle the MMA versus boxing debate, the upcoming match between Randy Couture and James Toney at UFC 118 will most likely settle nothing. Sure the interest in the August 18th bout will only grow as the fight gets closer but does anybody really believe that a match involving a 47-year-old Couture and a 41-year-old Toney is actually a true representation of MMA and boxing respectively?
The credentials of both men are well known as Toney is a former three division boxing world champion while Couture has won multiple UFC titles in different weight classes. Nobody disputes that at their primes both men entering the octagon might provide us with an answer to the question of which discipline reigns supreme: boxing or MMA? However both men are past their prime and while their bout should be entertaining it will inevitably prove nothing.
As for the fight itself, Couture should win provided he can close the distance on Toney. On the ground it is Couture's territory while anytime the fighters stay on their feet makes it more likely Toney lands a punch. Toney has more than a puncher's chance as we have seen in Couture's fights against Chuck Liddell and Brock Lesnar, Couture does not have the greatest chin so any punch (not necessarily a combination... even just one) might be enough to knock Couture out and give Toney the victory. Also remember 4 ounce MMA gloves versus 10 ounce boxing gloves makes Toney's punches that much harder. I am sure Toney's camp is focusing primarily on his takedown defence/sprawl and hoping to emulate Liddell in that respect as I am sure Couture's camp is working on closing distance and working a takedown.
I never understood why MMA fans hated Brock Lesnar because he used to be a professional wrestler just like I cannot understand why some MMA and boxing fans have such disdain for each other. Regardless, I am sure that whoever wins at UFC 118 their side will claim victory in the long standing MMA versus boxing debate… but does anybody believe this bout really holds that much significance?
I guess I am rooting for Toney even if it is just to hear more interviews with him regarding MMA:
I agree with you that Toney is at a severe disadvantage since he is leaving his comfort zone and I am surprised at how little that actually gets played up. I think it will be interesting to see the two sports 10-15 years from now. I wonder if athletes who would have gone the boxing route 10 years ago are now choosing MMA. It is possible that MMA will start (or maybe already has) drawing competitors from a deeper talent pool.
"David Haye is a momma's boy; he's gay"
HAHAHA
"MMA fighters are mostly rejects from other sports" - this is a WILD generalization. This reads like something Bob Arum would say.
And of course almost no MMA fighters would stand a chance in a boxing ring with someone like Toney; boxers work exclusively on their hands without worrying about anything else, it only stands to reason that their boxing would be much more polished. Would you say the same thing if you put an MMA fighter in the ring with Toney under kickboxing rules?
Watch this conversation between Lou DiBella and Joe Rogan. While Rogan may overstate the decline of boxing quite a bit he puts forth a pretty reasoned argument for MMA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKx41UdCj0
@miko The current UFC heavyweight champ was also a former WWE heavyweight champ
the better argument when it comes to comparing athletes (since mma and boxing are different sports) is: who would you rather have your back on the street? prime tyson might get ground and pounded by chuck lidell, but no reasoned man would pick lidell on the street over tyson. in this case, i take toney on the street too because he's badder.
Not only is Lesnar a former WWE champ, but he's an NFL flunky. And he won the heavyweight title after just 4 professional fights. In boxing that would be unheard of.
But I admit, I might have been generalizing a little.
@christian - the current ufc heavyweight champ was also a division 1 wrestling champ
i kind of think that even the most talented boxer would fail in their first NFL training camp with minimal football experience. i do think that boxers right now are probably more skilled. think about it... if you wanted to make a living with your fists then boxing was basically the only way to go up until a few years ago when mma rose to prominence. what happens 15 years from now is the more interesting question in my opinion...
@max... regarding dark alley question. i always ended up narrowing my choice to prime tyson and prime foreman. the former has the crazy factor that would be invaluable if you got into a scrap while the latter would probably intimidate enough that the fight wouldnt happen.
while i agree mma fighters are still not the world's elite athletes, boxing has been on such a decline the past two decades that the present crop can hardly be considered that much better.
I enter as evidence Exhibit #1, Chris Arreola's body.
History of boxers in MMA:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=AnFa_Oz.uU5NJY.LfKXySMU9Eo14?slug=dm-boxersnmma082310
The main problem with most comparisons is that they fail to fully recognize that these are two totally separate sports. The fact that an over-the-hill Toney even has a shot at beating an MMA legend who held the heavyweight crown a mere two years ago, is evidence that boxers have a higher pedigree. I'm not saying one discipline is more effective than the other, or that one is more difficult than the other. I'm just saying, boxing has the better athletes (and they also get paid way more)
Remember that Toney is making the transition to MMA, and leaving his comfort zone. I don't think anybody doubts that if Couture (or even Chuck Lidell for that matter) tried to mix it up with Toney in a boxing ring they'd get thoroughly schooled. If this fight lasts more than a minute, I say it's a victory for boxing.
The only guy in MMA that stands a chance in boxing is Silva, and he's MMA's best striker ever! He might be able to go toe-to-toe with a middle-of-the-pack light heavyweight, but he'd prob'ly get his clock cleaned by a guy like Chad Dawson.
At this stage in the MMA's maturation, boxing has the better athletes hands-down. MMA fighters are mostly rejects from other sports and many of the champs didn't even start training MMA until they were in their 20's. Most successful boxers have been training since childhood, with many of them having competed in the Olympics.