Boxing in MMA gloves

Nothingcompares

What do people think of a typical boxing match, but instead of 10oz boxing gloves you're wearing 4oz MMA gloves?

Someone from the UFR fight team who was fighting on a show in the UK mentioned this to me before. He said that on the MMA undercard there was a boxing match between some boxers (not mma guys in a boxing match) in the mma gloves. I've also heard that Tommy Gunn Morrisons upcoming MMA fight is actually going to be a boxing match in the 4oz.

When I first heard this I thought it was "barbaric" etc. That people were actually risking significant injury for the sake of $$$, fame and notoriety. At the risk of sounding hypocritical I'll explain myself.

I've no problem with boxing or mma. In boxing you take lots of punches to the head and body but the gloves make it easier on the hands and cause less abrasions to the other guys face. I've heard on the grapevine that the concussive impact or the gross head trauma is still very much the same. I'm not sure how true this is. In MMA you've got the small gloves but much less punches (and when you get knocked down you get TKOed not stood back up for more punches).

So would two good boxers slugging it out in MMA gloves increase their risk of head injury or would the gloves only increase cuts not impact trauma? Would the smaller gloves increase the chances of a KO and therefore the fight ending quicker and therefore less punches?

As a fan are you interesting or approving of this hybrid sport?

Roper

Seems fairly pointless to me. I like MMA he way it is, I like boxing the way it is.

mark.leonard

I think Rodney King had something like that going in South Africa before, called it Ultimate Striking or something, I think its just goign to be a broken hand fest tbh.

SBG Ireland

yes i fought on that card in SA and on the undercard there was a number of 'striking' only fights in mma gloves. the match ups were messed up too...good boxers/thai boxers matched up with 'classical' style karate/kung fu (before a big argument starts i just mean they spent most of their training time on kata/pre-set style training - not pads/sparring). it was fairly brutal to watch.

however if 2 properly trained and well matched guys want to fight under those rules/conditions then i'm all for it. i've seen plenty of MMA fights were there was practically no clinch/ground anyway.

cowzerp

Boxing is the most dangerous combat sport in the world-making it more dangerous is just unethical imho, also lots of the fights would end prematurely due to cuts and boxing fans would not be too happy about that-mma gloves make sense in mma tounaments but would be extremely dangerous in stand up arts such as boxing or thai boxing and unnecessary. leave both sports as they are.

RealJohn

Boxing gloves are not intended to protect the guy's face, they're intended to protect the puncher's hands. I'm with Mark and Barry on this: it's likely to result in lots of broken hands and both sports are fine the way they are so why mess with them?

rossedge

Its one or the other, but your always going to get somone who wants to prove there tougher than the rest!

Kevinly_

There is an entire event in Britain called Cage Boxing which involves a cage, mma gloves and boxing. The author of this article on MMAweekly.com is not supportive of these events as he feels it is damaging to the image of MMA. He also says that the likely participant in these events are failed or novice pro-boxers and MMA guys at the foot of the ladder along with a couple of "tough guys".

dlofnep

I'd rather watch boxing as it is today.

cowzerp

im with dlofnep on this-boxing is fine as it is and has stood the test of time-no need for bringing it back into the media spotlight where they try to get it banned-mma is getting this instead for now which is good for boxing but stupid the same way it is stupid when boxing was getting the flak.

droc

I would have nothing against it as an event in itself, the problem I would have is the image that it will put across if it's mixed with MMA on an MMA show or if it's in a cage for example. The fights are likely going to be more brutal than MMA giving critics more ammunition.

In Ireland or the UK where critics are abound and the sport is still only partially accepted I would avoid it.

DROC