Boxing & Mixed Martial Arts

By Rod Bourgoine


While MMA offers fighters an opportunity to utilize a variety of fighting skills, there is no doubt that boxing is a big part of the sport. A strong punch requires less energy with more potential impact than other MMA skills. Many of the sport's top fighters have strong boxing skills and a few have professional boxing records. Here are a few MMA fighters with major boxing skills.

While Georges St.-Pierre never competed as a boxer, he takes his boxing skills very seriously. His trainer, Freddie Roach, is one of the best trainers in the world. St.-Pierre has won many fights using boxing techniques, including UFC 48 where he downed his opponent, Jay Hieron, at just 1:27 in the first round by knockout. Obviously, St.-Pierre did not earn his 22-2 record and welterweight title by boxing alone; he also holds an impressive array of black belts in three martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kyokushin kaikan.

When you think about the best MMA fighter of all time, Anderson Silva's name is always up for consideration. However, he also fought two bouts as a professional boxer back in Brazil, winning one of the fights by knockout. Silva obviously sees the importance of having a wide arsenal of skills. In addition to boxing training, he is one of the top Muay Thai fighters in the world, holding a black belt. Of course, he also has a black belt in Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo, as well as a yellow rope in the Brazilian art of 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.

In the final analysis, mixed martial arts fighters need to become experts in a variety of styles of fighting. Boxing is just one of the key parts of your arsenal, so when you are looking for good MMA gym, be sure the one you select offers many different classes taught by seasoned professionals.




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