All-time boxing legends in MMA
When we are asking who the best boxers are in MMA, we do not just want to think about how they do in MMA, we want to also consider how well they would be able to transition to professional boxing.
We will look at some of the MMA fighters who have found the most consistently effective use of the sweet science inside the octagon, adapting to suit the numerous demands of a cage-fight.
MMA is a very popular sport in the present time, and it is ever-growing. It is fast catching up with field sports, and the betting scene for this industry is growing ever bigger. People all over the world love betting on MMA fights, and it is fast becoming one of the biggest financial assets to the scene. Don’t believe us? Check out www.fanduel.com and see for yourself.
What makes a great MMA Boxer?
When it comes to boxing in MMA, there are a few qualities that you want to watch out for. The traits and qualities that are required for the sport include a passion for it, being able to adapt to anything that comes your way, as well as avoiding distractions on the way up, and fighting the odds to reach your goals.
Strong character and self-discipline to get you through the rough patches are also required for a great Boxer, in the MMA and not.
MMA has seen some incredible Boxers, and these are characters who would easily be able to switch and adapt to professional boxing in the blink of an eye. Let’s look over some of these epic legends.
Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is the UFC’s golden boy. He has some of the best boxing that the world of MMA has ever seen. He has a powerful jab and an incredible left hand that he uses to stun his opponents. If there was any one person who we could pick from the UFC to successfully transfer their skills into the boxing ring, we would pick Conor McGregor. He doesn’t only have excellent stand-up skills, but is also a counter fighter who can get into the heads of his opponents.
He started training boxing at just 12 years old in the Crumlin Boxing Club, and he did fight as an amateur for quite some time. But now, in the MMA cage, he is an unorthodox striker who prefers to catch his opponents coming in. He uses speed, timing, and accuracy behind every single punch he throws. His entire success in MMA has been built brick by brick, by his great boxing skills.
Cody Garbrandt
Cody Garbrandt is the owner of the fastest hands on the east side of the Mississippi. He has some incredible boxing skills that he learned from his uncle. He actually has a 32-0 amateur boxing record that he built before he became an MMA fighter. There is no doubt in mind that he could easily transfer into professional boxing if the tides ever took him that way. But… don’t hold your breath for that to happen, he is building his UFC successes every day. He's not going anywhere.
Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva, also known as ‘The Spider’ is the greatest of all time, so we couldn’t leave him out, could we? He is a multidimensional striker who uses his range and high fighter IQ to completely dominate his opponents. Many will believe that he is the best of all time, and it is hard not to agree.
He is an epic Muay Thai fighter, however, it is often overlooked that he mainly uses his boxing skills to KO his rivals. He was one of the first fighters to show how important boxing is in modern MMA.
Nick Diaz
Nick Diaz might be a BJJ black belt, but he is more than that in the octagon. He has hands so fast they could belong to the Flash, and he uses this speed in tandem with his range. Standing in a southpaw stance, he is known to continually push forward to his opponents fearlessly. This is why people love the Diaz brothers, as they are simply fearless brawlers who do not take anything from anyone. Both of the brothers have stellar boxing skills, which could easily be transferred to the boxing ring if they desired.
Jon Jones
This man may well go down as being the best MMA fighter to ever exist. He has an insane stand-up technique that he credits to boxing and Muay Thai. He actually states in the past that he could compete with the best boxers in the world after 2 years of strict boxing training. Whether that is true or not is yet to be seen, but if he is willing to do so, then this speaks volumes. He will forever be racking up knockouts in the octagon, we know that much.