Boxing Freak Show

[Jedi Poker]

Mike Tyson has signed to fight 350 lbs. ultimate fighter Bob Sapp in a kickboxing match this coming May. The promoters are trying to get George Foreman to fight sumo wrestling champ Akebono in a kickboxing match for the undercard.

I think both these boxers will win their respective kickboxing rules matches. Hopefully, neither would agree to an ultimate fighting rules match. They WILL both get killed if they did.

[daryn]

wow, you think mike tyson wouldn't stand a chance in an ultimate fighting type match?

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
wow, you think mike tyson wouldn't stand a chance in an ultimate fighting type match?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, since he doesn't stand a chance against the top boxers, how in the world is he going to beat the best in the world from other fight disciplines?

[Al_Capone_Junior]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, since he doesn't stand a chance against the top boxers,

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure he does! As soon as they allow biting, eye gouging, chair-smashing, calling their mother names, etc.

al

[daryn]

correct me if i'm wrong clark but i think boxing's rules actually *gasp* hold back mike from doing things he would like to do

[MMMMMM]

It is my firm opinion that he should have been required to wear a muzzle for all matches subsequent to that infamous bout.

[Jedi Poker]

[ QUOTE ]
wow, you think mike tyson wouldn't stand a chance in an ultimate fighting type match?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not against a 350 lbs. former linebacker who is trained in Thai boxing, sumo, and jujitsu. But in kickboxing matches, Mike Tyson should do well...if he can get close.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Boxers, kickboxers, all the striking type marshall arts get their assess kicked every time by the grapplers, wrestlers, jujitsu, submission fighters, etc. I've watched at least 18 UFCs and the grapplers win virtually every time. The only strikers that have ever beat grapplers are the ones who wise up and practice grappling too.

al

[Boris]

That's becuase only bad boxers end up in UFC. If any of the UFC boxers had skills they would box for the potential big money, not waste their time with UFC. Tyson, or any of the heavyweights ranked in the top ten, would destroy the best UFC fighters. I know boxing is a sleazy sport but the top guys are world class athletes with skills that are a cut above anything in the UFC.

[John Feeney]

I don't bet sports, but if I did I'd have to get very good odds to pick Tyson over any decent UFC (or similar) champ. The grapplers, starting with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu's Royce Gracie, showed *totally* convincingly that a good grappler, trained in submission holds, and with a little experience in dealing with punches and/or kicks will win handily, nearly every time. Tyson's only chance - and it is a very small one - would be to knock out, or essentially incapacitate his grappler opponent with his first punch. If he didn't do that that grappler would be inside the punches and on him. Then it's over for Mike. The good grapplers have practiced getting punchers to the mat quickly, and would likely have little trouble doing so with Tyson or any other boxer.

OTOH, I'd give Tyson a very strong chance against a kick-boxer. Kicks don't add all that much, especially when compared to the power and skill of a world class boxer.

Concerning the issue of weight advantage when it goes to the mat. All things being roughly equal it's obviously an advantage. But if the smaller grappler is much more knowledgeable or technically skilled that can make a huge difference, as 180 pound Royce Gracie showed when he choked out 270 pound Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Dan Severn (sp?) before Severn had become familiar with various chokes and submissions.

Regarding HDPM's thought that grappling is favored only when there are certain rules. I'd say it's really the reverse of that. Striking (boxing, karate...) is favored if there's some sort of an agreement that it won't go to the ground. Once it does, the stiker is finished. And it's extremely easy for the good grappler to get it to the ground. On occasion they sustain a glancing blow or two, but if they have the experience with dealing with that, then it's no big deal. (Also, note that the UFC started with *very* few rules. I think there are a few more now.)

Back in the '70s or so I was pretty highly trained in sport karate. (Worked out with some of the top guys in the Western US...) It wasn't till many years later, seeing UFC films and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu films that I appreciated the several years of wrestling (and the bit of Judo) I did (some under a really top notch coach) in grade school and high school. Though I was much more into karate as a sport than as a self-defense, on some level I still kicked myself (pun intended) for having devoted so many years to what was really useless against a good grappler. Now I think I'm too old to risk my body the way you have to, but if I were to take something for self defense or were to recommend something (aside from guns [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]), I'd go straight to Fabio Santos' Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school.