The Link Between MMA And Boxing

By Nolan Barias


While standing around throwing punches is not the best strategy for MMA fighters, one cannot dispute the importance of boxing as part of your training regime. One good punch can quickly end a fight, and requires far less energy than you might need to expend using a Muay Thai or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique. Some of the world's best MMA fighters not only have excellent boxing ability, they have even competed in professional bouts.

Georges St.-Pierre is arguably one of the best mixed martial arts fighters of all time. While he has no professional boxing experience, St.-Pierre was trained in the sport by boxing great Freddie Roach, one of the sports best-known trainers. Many of St.-Pierre's wins were due to his strong striking skills, including several knock-outs, most notably in UFC 48 where he knocked out Jay Hieron during the first round. Of course, St.-Pierre's 22-2 MMA record is not only due to his boxing skills, as he also has black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Gaidojutsu and Kyokushin kaikan.

Anderson Silva might be known as a skillful Muay Thai fighter, but he also has a record as a professional boxer. He only fought twice, winning one of the two bouts, but it's still an impressive addition to an already distinguished resume that includes a 32-4 pro MMA record. Silva rounds out his skills with black belts in Judo, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo, as well as a yellow rope in Capoeira.

Brazil has given us no shortage of exemplary fighters, and Vitor Belfort is no exception. In addition to his black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, Belfort has a purple belt in Shotokan and a short career as a pro boxer in which he won his only fight by knockout, defeating Josemario Neves in less than one minute.

For K.J. Noons, limiting himself only to the MMA arena is apparently out of the question. He has an impressive 11-5 MMA record, which began with his first fight in 2002. Between then and now, he has also competed as a professional kickboxer, earning a record of 12-2. He also is a professional boxer with an 11-2 record, winning five of his bouts by knockout. As a teenager he also won the gold medal at the Long Beach International Karate Championships and holds a black belt in Kenpo.

The moral of the story is that boxing can be a huge component of your overall arsenal, so be sure to find a gym with excellent boxing instructors as well as a gym that offers classes in many other fighting styles. Not only will boxing improve your ability to throw a punch, it also will help you learn how to avoid being hit and how to better absorb a hit.




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