Boxing – A COMBAT sport in which two people wearing protective gloves throw punches at each other for a predetermined set of time in a boxing ring.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) – A full-contact COMBAT sport that allows both striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts.
This isn’t a definition class, but an article on what I term an “acceptable anomaly” on the proposed BOXING bout involving a career-long pugilist and a mixed martial artist.
Goose bumps, Stomach butterflies, Mouth agape – were bit part reactions when the official announcement was made on a fight involving reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, Connor McGregor against American undefeated professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. A former fighter, Bernard Hopkins tagged the fight “a circus”. Truly, it’s hard to carpet that remark albeit cynical from the former boxer.
How does a man who all his life has mastered the act of engaging in professional combat with gloves battle he who knows not more than mixed martial art? It is much like having Jan-Ove Waldner, the man widely regarded as being the greatest table tennis player of all time; take on Lawn Tennis legend, Roger Federer – because (Tennis) is involved in their craft. Befuddling!
Experts believe this fight is tolerable based on the definition above, both fighters are COMBATANTS.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2012, the pair appeared in front of thousands of fans at a news conference in Los Angeles – both with venomous words enough to sink a ship. McGregor was the first of the fighters to taunt their rival
“Little legs, little head…the movement, power, ferociousness – he has not experienced this…” McGregor said.
Mayweather responded in kind “I guarantee you’re going out on your face or your back. We know ‘Mr Tap Out’ likes to quit and you will wave that white flag.”
The LA conference was the first of four events called to promote the Las Vegas fight which will reportedly earn each man around one hundred million dollars ($100m). Surely, it seems the reward for the combatants is the drive as this fight most likely in years ahead wouldn’t be dissected by scholars, or put in jars containing jots of some of the great Boxing bouts.
To those on the ‘circus’ divide, and the few eagerly anticipating this blockbuster, one thing is certain, we all would be entertained, even more than the bore fest that was Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao.
Photo Credit – Reuters
