This writer's colleague and very good friend Joshua Kaufman wrote a stirring piece yesterday on why the MMA is superior to Boxing today.
And while Mr. Kaufman presents a compelling case, from this author's perspective, he is way off base. He personifies the sweet science as a "father or grandfather" who needs to "embellish" the past to remain relevant in the present and future. And while the sport rightfully emphasizes its rich history, its present is still pertinent and colorful enough to hold its' own with its' perhaps slightly more contemporary MMA cousin. In fact Boxing is more like the guy from Dos Equis ads, affectionately known as the "World's Most Interesting Man," than a withered old soul sharing tales of yesterday from his rocking chair.
Here are the reasons why:
1. International Appeal
While the MMA has its fair share of stars from across the globe, it has yet to come close to Boxing's mass appeal across multiple continents. 136,000 + people filled Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on 2/20/93 to look Julio Cesar Chavez take on Greg Haugen. More recently 70,000 + looked Carl Froch take on George Groves in England's Wembley Stadium. Live attendance is not the only proof of Boxing's powerful impact all over the world. Studies have proven that during a Manny Pacquiao fight, crime actually reduces significantly in the Phillipines. Pacman's fights are practically National Holidays in his home country.
If the above facts aren't enough, please if you will, find us any MMA weigh-in where 12,000 + enebriated Englishmen are singing and screaming with the same fervor they would at a World Cup Final. This was the weigh-in folks, not the actual fight.
2. Boxing's Best Fights are Better & More Exciting than the Best of MMA
Let yours truly preface this by saying that he has a healthy respect for the MMA and the excitement it brings. Some of the matches are fantastic to look, and the drama of the fights and sheer will of the competitors are certainly something to behold.
But Gatti-Ward good? Corrales-Castillo good?
Sorry MMA, but you haven't yet reached this level of intoxicating theater just yet:
Perhaps one day the best Mixed Martial Artist will achieve greatness in the ring that surpasses the Greatest Boxer. And perhaps MMA will produce the kinds of fights that inspire something similar to HBO's "Legendary Nights" series that provides the background on fights like those above. But in the meantime, Boxing is still the King when it comes to high drama.
We leave you with the below quote from Sugar Ray Leonard that perhaps best explains this author's perceived edge in the greatness category:
"Bruce Lee was an artist and, like him, I try to go beyond the fundamentals of my sport. I want the public to see a knockout in the making."
They don't call it the "Sweet Science" for nothing.
3. Aforementioned Rich History
MMA may one day build its very own rich traditions and produce events that are passed down over many generations. But even as the sport gains in popularity, it will be hard pressed to ever match what Boxing has already achieved. Boxing has stepped outside of sports arenas and into our social consciousness time and time again.
From the time that Jack Johnson overcame "Jim Crow" laws to win the the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908, to when Joe Louis shattered Hitler's heir of Aryan invincibity by knocking out German Champion Max Schmeling in 1938, to of course Muhammad Ali's refusal of induction into the military in 1967 as a religious objector, Boxing has been not only a part of our fascination with sports, but also a huge part of our mainculture.
For a closer look at one of the greatest stories in Boxing History that stretches well beyond the ring, take some time to look the link below.
4. Bigger Personalities
Love him or hate him, Floyd "Money" Mayweather is a crossover star.
Ali is not only a former superstar fighter, but also an International Ambassador and one of the most famous humans alive.
It's been over 20 years since Mike Tyson was relevant in the ring, but we are still so enthralled with the man himself, he can still star in a successful one man show.
And when the MMA has anyone half as colorful outside the ring as Larry Merchant with his seemingly endless scotch induced siloloquies, and near brawls with Mayweather, talk to us.
In the Reality TV world we live in today, bigger personalities mean bigger revenue and better entertainment. The MMA has yet to scratch the surface in this arena.
5. "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" is way better than "It's Time!"
Boxing has Michael Buffer and MMA has Bruce Buffer. In a match-up in the orating arena this is as one-sided as The Dream Team Vs Angola.
But hey, judge for yourself:
Final Thoughts
There's plenty of room at the Big Table for MMA. But Boxing remains at the head for many reasons. Not only has it been around so much longer, it is consistently more compelling. But more than anything else, we know the characters in the story so much better. MMA shares many of the same qualities, but it is not yet as refined or entrenched as Boxing. Over time that may change, but for now the "sweet science" remains better not only because of what it brings to the table, but whom.