MMA and Boxing Can Coexist Peacefully, Roy Jones Jr. Says

Boxing and mixed martial arts are often portrayed as bitter rivals, as in the above debate between UFC announcer Joe Rogan and boxing promoter Lou DiBella. But the boxer Roy Jones Jr., who decided to put some MMA fights on the undercard of his own upcoming boxing match with Omar Sheika on Saturday night, has a very different view of the relationship between boxing and MMA.

When I interviewed Jones about his upcoming March Badness event, he said he was thrilled at the opportunity to promote boxing and MMA on the same card.

"People are always trying to separate the two and make it a big rivalry," Jones said of MMA and boxing. "Why does it have to be a rivalry? Why would one have to be better than the other? You can have your own personal preference, but mixed martial arts is what it is and boxing is what it is and they're not against each other. They're still two forms of fighting man to man. If you like one you've got to like the other one. There's no reason to like one and not like the other one. And if you're going to do either one, you should try to learn things from the other one."

I think Jones basically gets it right, and I find it baffling that some people think there's an either-or proposition for fans, that you have to choose to enjoy either boxing or MMA. There are some in the boxing world (like DiBella in the above video) who feel the need to denigrate MMA, but Jones isn't in that camp at all. I'm not sure that boxing/MMA co-promotions are really going to catch on, but I'm glad Jones is giving it a try and attaching his well-regarded name to the idea.

You can read the full interview at Boxing FanHouse.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

3-16-2009 @ 1:30PM

Niv said...

I wish someone would have mentioned that both sports have actually been around for over two thousand years.

Stand up boxing was first developed by the ancient Greeks and boxing was a contended sport in the original Olympics. Pankration no holds barred matches also were developed first in ancient Greece and were contested since some time around 680 B.C.

When Zuffa and Dana White first purchased Pride FC, the first thing Dana White said is "This is going to be the closest we get to the great martial arts fights of ancient Greece."

The point here is that these guys are arguing like MMA is a new sport when in fact it has been around forever. What we are witnessing is a rebirth of the sport and both have existed a long time.

I love MMA and I love boxing, I wish fighters and promoters alike will just accept that they are both legitimate and both can co-exist and prosper. Let's face it if you like fighting you'll watch both.

3-16-2009 @ 1:58PM

TheHulk said...

1st Let me say I like both Boxing and MMA...

Joe has got to calm down... Lou wasn't attacking him or the sport just stating his case.

Why does it have to be one OR the other.

I will say if there are any strickers who could become a champ in Boxing THEY WOULD do it because they would make 100x the cash...

But they can't.

The same way when a washed up boxer (past his earning days) can not go to MMA a get past 2 or 4 fights before getting pummmeled on the ground.

I see MMA as triathletes... the #1 TriA is not going to beat Lance in a bike race, or beat the guy from somilla in a marathon or beat Philips in a swimming race. but those guys arn't beating him in his race either...(well maybe lance could)

The MMA champ can't fight a champion boxer (If he could he WOULD... get $20 million for his next fight, who wouldn't go for that if they thought the could win)
Joe meantion wrestling and the olympics, I havent heard of any GOLD MEDALIST in the sport of MMA.

REMEMBER Randy C never did make the Olympic level.

I like the idea of both sports on the card its good for the respective sports and the fighters.

I would love to see Boxing do some of the clean business moves it appears the UFC is doing and MMA to not be sooo single company dominated...

3-16-2009 @ 2:19PM

Eric said...

Hidehiko Yoshida
Makoto Takimoto

Both are Gold medalists who made the transition to MMA.

Satoshi Ishii is the next to make the transition.

Many others have competed and/or won silver and bronze.

3-16-2009 @ 2:33PM

Thanks Eric, I stand corrected... I still don't believe a pure boxer can make the transition over to MMA

3-16-2009 @ 2:43PM

Lou should have tapped out in the first minute.

Lou is in for a rude awakening if he thinks only "young white males" are watching MMA. I don't doubt that they are the target demographic, but if you look at some of the title holders fighting in the US there is an African-American, Brazilian, French-Canadian, Korean-American, and a Mexican.

If viewership isn't already diverse, it will be soon.

3-16-2009 @ 7:38PM

retrojoke said...

uh he did attack Rogan. He assumed Rogan did not watch Boxing and then assumed he didnt understand boxing for what it really is.
He also called MMA a cockfight and rolling around the ground. The term cockfight has been used by many governors and senators as a derrogatory term for MMA.

3-17-2009 @ 1:02AM

yamobthere07 said...

Rogan should ease up on the steroids. Mayweather is 100% correct saying MMA fighters cant make it in boxing. Just watch Lidells punching , its a joke compared to even a a good amatuer boxer .. never mind a contending pro. MMA fighters are street fighters , Boxers are athletes. I watch MMA fighters landing clean shots on the other guys chin over and over and not do damage ( with a 2 to 4 ounce mitt on ), Great BOXERS will knock you out with 1 punch , oh yeah 10 ounce gloves , get the picture?

3-17-2009 @ 7:24AM

You're not making any sense ... there are MANY more one-punch knockouts in MMA. Also, MMA fighters are incredible athletes. An in shape boxer would be overwhelmed by the energy exerted during wrestling and grappling.

What makes you think that MMA fighters want to be in boxing? Like Joe said ... boxing isn't fighting, it's punching. Not to mention it's corrupt and boring.

Do you know why Liddell punches the way he does?

Because it's effective in an MMA fight! Because of kicks and takedowns the range of an MMA fight is completely different than in Boxing. Not to mention that you don't have those HUGE boxing gloves to use for defense in MMA, and the small gloves land with MUCH more impact.

3-17-2009 @ 6:30AM

claytor said...

Honestly, i think Floyd would make it past the first, based on what yam said. Think about it...he punches as quickly as he does...with TWICE the weight in his gloves. Imagine when they strap those puny 6 ouncers on, lol.

Another thing i'd realllllllllly like is if Joe Rogaine would simply shut up when it comes to discussing his sport, yes he makes valid points, but his delivery? Horrid. Like words from a typical roided up male pattern baldness sufferer. IF the UFC could just clam him and Dana White's wannabe southie mouths up, they feel more classy, presentation never hurt, you know.

The guy did make one interesting point about white male viewers, after all, we ALL know who is more likely to buy a rap album, and that's black culture, so no, diversity isn't exactly brought to light here. Not true diversity, anyway. Maybe in the sport itself, but not the fans.

When either of these types and not the fighters themselves get into public debates about each of the sports, it's harder to watch than when the actual fighters do, and no, i don't really care if Joe Rogaine likes collecting black eyes in the name of pretending to train in ju-jitsu, Kenny Florian already proved to be a far superior announcer for a UFC PPV. Same thing as Joey Calzone up there, babbling about human cockfighting, this guy doesn't even care about HIS own fighters, much less another sport's.

Let the fighters speak. Roy Jones said volumes more in a mere paragraph.

3-17-2009 @ 7:35AM

Joe is passionate about the sport ... that's a good thing, Claytor. Lou only attempted to bash MMA, while Joe showed respect for boxing & boxing's great fighters.

Listen to Floyd - he didn't even talk about MMA the sport, just what some of the fighters look like. He cares more about image & money than he does about fighting.

3-17-2009 @ 9:47AM

Bohdan said...

DiBella is an idiot, albeit one who carefully chooses his words for their connotations.
"Cockfighting" and "street fight" for MMA, "science" and "aesthetically" for boxing. Too bad DiBella probably never had a good course in philosophy or logic.

By extension, arm wrestling is more science than wrestling, sprinting is more strategic than American football, and checkers is more aesthetically pleasing than chess--or Go.

By limiting the strategy, boxing boils down to whoever learns the basic skills properly and then has the advantage of speed and possibly power. That is why--with glorious rare exceptions like the Klitschkos--boxing is full of men with the I.Q. of an onion, while MMA has a whole host of philosopher-warriors, whether they grew up blue-collar like Keith Jardine or are standouts in the traditional academic sense like Shane Carwin.

3-17-2009 @ 2:04PM

o0soul said...

Yeah, cause getting a phd in P.E. qualifies one as a scholar.

The sports are pretty much the same as far as what kind of guys get invloved. Traditionally blue collar with a few college educated guys thrown in for fun. You're getting more college educated guys in MMA now because of the wrestling background of some of the fighters. College wrestling is everywhere (Shane Carwin), while boxing hardly exists at Universities. There are only 31 colleges in the US that have competetive boxing, there are 347 colleges that have wrestling, not to mention the huge number (thousands) of high schools from which they select their students. How many high shcools do you know of that offer boxing? Every highschool in my county offers wrestling but there is only one real boxing gym from which a young person could learn the sport and it's about an hour away.

3-17-2009 @ 1:31PM

Eric youre the one who isnt making sense. I said not one MMA fighter could make it in boxing , simply put. I never said they would want to. Lidell cant punch , watch him , Never said he wasnt a tough guy. Lets throw Lidell in his prime in the boxing ring against a Larry Holmes or Tyson in their prime. Fight would last 30 seconds at best. Thats all I said ERIC , and Im right.

3-17-2009 @ 2:34PM

Why would we throw Liddell into the ring with Larry or Tyson in their prime? Liddell is a fighter, not a boxer. BOXING ISN'T FIGHTING!! Neither him nor I have ever claimed that he is a world class boxer.

3-17-2009 @ 8:55PM

Bissy Boy (PSN johnnynumber5) said...

Freddy Roach seems to think Andrei Arlovski could transition well into boxing. He even said he felt he could be heavyweight champ one day. I believe Marcus Davis and Cris Lytle were both professional boxers before they fought MMA.

The reason Chuck Lidell throws those big looping punches is because he comes from a kempo background. When you throw those punches from different angles it's harder to predict where the punch is coming from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Kenpo

Chuck also has a background in kickboxing, collegiate wrestling and koei-kan karate. Saying that he has no striking skills because he uses s style your not familiar with makes you look ignorant.

3-17-2009 @ 2:06PM

Eric you made my point for me after saying i dont make sense. Your quote " MMA doesnt have those HUGE boxing gloves , they use small ones that have much more impact. Thats my point Eric , HAHA , put a 4 ounce glove on any heavyweight champ and try taking that punch!! HAHAH , Not 1 heavyweight champ in MMA could last 30 seconds in a boxing ring with a great heavyweight champ like Holmes or Tyson. Sorry

3-17-2009 @ 2:27PM

Better yet , lets put Lidell in the boxing ring against Larry Holmes right now. Holmes is about 58 years old or so. Holmes will KO Lidell today , tomorrow , whenever. Larry Holmes at 58 years old vs Chuck Lidell now? Holmes... easily

3-17-2009 @ 2:37PM

"Not 1 heavyweight champ in MMA could last 30 seconds in a boxing ring with a great heavyweight champ like Holmes or Tyson."

Once again your trying to put a fighter into a boxing match ... you're not a very logical person, are you?

3-17-2009 @ 2:40PM

So you agree.