I understand why MMA has passed boxing in terms of popularity.
There are more ways to win a match, plus you can still knock out your opponent with one punch, just like with boxing.
When I visited Las Vegas in July last year, I saw firsthand that MMA has not only passed boxing, but its lapped it a few times.
I was tempted to go to UFC 86 (Rampage Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin), but when I saw it was going to be $500 just to get in, I balked.
Then I saw on the same night as UFC, that there was going to be a boxing match between Ricardo Torres and Kendall Holt to decide the WBO light welterweight title.
I could get fifth-row tickets for $150 each. Sign me up. While I have never been to a MMA event, I hadn’t been to a boxing match, either.
While 11,000 people were going bonkers at Mandalay Bay before the start of the UFC event, Planet Hollywood was listless, as there may have been 4,000 people at the boxing event.
In between fights, Paris Hilton shockingly made a cameo, something that Showtime obviously paid big bucks for. The crowd was amused actually.
Earlier in the day, I went to Imperial Palace and made a bet on the "Total Rounds" the fight would go. I bet over 9.5, figuring I would either see a few knockdowns or win some money. After seeing the 2/1 underdog Torres knock down Holt twice in the first 30 seconds, and then Holt knockout Torres 30 seconds later, I had never been so happy to lose a bet before.
After the final knockout to decide the fight, I was jumping up and down like an 11-year-old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert.
There is still a prominent spot on the sports map for boxing.
One reason I think that boxing will always be somewhat popular, is you can't dilly-dally and bear hug someone for two minutes straight, like you can in MMA.
I think the emergence of MMA is great, but there is no reason for so many people to turn their back on boxing.
Yes, there are neurological concerns for boxers, but that’s what doctors are for. The problem more times than naught is that there are too many boxers who don't know when to throw in the towel on their career.
After witnessing the boxing match like I did live, I realize that I am not ready to throw the towel on boxing.
Please let me know what you think about the state of boxing today.