Mike Tyson: Toney looked horrible.... I know 100 percent that a boxer (could win)

[Liquidrob]

Mike Tyson talking about James Toney vs Randy Couture

"You have to admit, Toney looked horrible. He looked slow. He didn't look like a seasoned, conditioned athlete. You only had to look at his body structure. No way, Toney didn't get ready to fight a real, professional athlete like Randy is. It was ridiculous. He had no respect for Randy.... I know 100 percent that a boxer (could win). As long as he learns how to grapple and wrestle, he could do great. You've got to go in there respecting the sport, and not just thinking you're going to knock somebody out every time. It's a complicated sport, but a good boxer has to be a great athlete anyway."

[Warner2BruceTD]

I don't think anyone disagrees with Tyson. Of course if a top level boxer learned to grapple & wrestle, at minimum a mediocre level, they could be successful. No doubt.

BUT...take the worlds best boxer, gold medal olympic freestyle or greco roman wrestler, bjj black belt, judo world champion, K-1 kickboxing champion, sambo world champion, or karate world champion, stick them in a cage against an MMA fighter with no other training other than their specialty, and the boxer has the least chance to win.

Not only does the boxer have the least compatible skill set, his strength, his striking, is nullified by the differences in distance & footwork than you need when a man can kick your thighs to death or shoot on you.

The boxer has to come the farthest in terms of what he needs to learn to be competitive. Toney proved that.

[Rush]

Once a boxer learns all of those tools aren't they considered a mixed martial artist since their skill set now encompasses more than just boxing?

If a boxer knows how to grapple, wrestle, etc.....he shouldn't be labeled as a pure "boxer". It makes 0 sense to me.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Once a boxer learns all of those tools aren't they considered a mixed martial artist since their skill set now encompasses more than just boxing?

If a boxer knows how to grapple, wrestle, etc.....he shouldn't be labeled as a pure "boxer". It makes 0 sense to me.

Exactly, this whole boxer vs. MMA thing is stupid. The boxer being the "baddest man on the planet" is a myth that died at UFC 1.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Id say the Karate guy gets whipped by the Boxer.

Like Rush said once you cross train youre no longer a "boxer".

[Liquidrob]

Baddest man on the planet you say?