For anyone growing up a boxing fan over the last century, it was always a thrill to watch real power punchers. They were "warriors," able to end a bout with one quick strike or pummel opponents into oblivion with violent flurries. Sonny Liston, George Foreman and Mike Tyson are three names forever associated with power and intimidation in the ring.
In Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), a rapidly growing alternative to boxing, Muay Thai has emerged as the discipline of choice for the modern "warrior," the modern Tysons of the world. Instead of boxers, these warriors are consistently the most feared strikers in the sport.
Muay Thai in Thailand
Take the UFC, for example. Jumping across weight classes, we find many famous knockout artists who use Muay Thai as their primary weapon. Kenny Florian is known for bloodying foes with lethal elbows. Thiago Alves turns heads with this Pit Bull mentality (and nickname) in the welterweight division; Wanderlei Silva, devastating in the clinch, is among the most feared strikers ever in MMA and now joins equally revered Anderson Silva in the middleweight division. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has dispatched many MMA legends with his sheer aggression and powerful Muay Thai combination's. We also can't forget Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, a gladiator who has walked through the Strikeforce women's lightweight division.
All this talk of boxers and Muay Thai practitioners in MMA today begs the question: which is the more effective style? Muay Thai fighters get our hearts racing but don't elite boxers in MMA like Vitor Belfort, BJ Penn and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira deserve just as much praise?
Let's break down the pros and cons of each discipline in an MMA context.
MUAY THAI: Pros
Some MMA brass argue that, because Muay Thai incorporates more of the entire body, it's better suited for MMA than boxing is. Whereas boxers, naturally, do everything with their hands, Muay Thai fighters turn all their appendages into weapons. They can unleash punches but also elbows, kicks (high and low) and knees.
A prime example is Thiago Alves defeating Matt Hughes with a flying knee.
Another key advantage is its use of the clinch. Unlike boxers, who tend to avoid it when attacking, Muay Thai fighters can inflict some of their best damage when clutching an opponent's neck in a clinch. There's probably no more famous example in MMA than Anderson Silva's two defeats of Rich Franklin.
BOXING: Pros
While Muay Thai gives fighters a wider arsenal of attacks, boxing is perhaps a more cerebral form of striking in MMA, as it relies more on timing and is equally useful for offense and defense. Jabs are used to keep opponents at bay and control the pace of a fight and boxers are generally excellent at anticipating and blocking enemy strikes.
Because they focus on their punches so much, boxers can be more effective when they do land a square shot. Remember Dan Henderson's devastating knockout of Michael Bisping at UFC 100? Henderson, a wrestler who uses boxing when standing, took his time, cocking his right fist until the time was right to explode.
MUAY THAI: Cons
As flashy as Muay Thai is, it's very offense-heavy. It focuses so much on obliterating opponents that it often leaves fighters in vulnerable positions as they attack. Wanderlei Silva, for example, is a fearsome warrior, but few fighters eat more punches than he does. He's so busy going for a knockout that he doesn't think to defend counter attacks.
BOXING: Cons
While boxing rewards the patient, any boxers in MMA who stay back on their heels too much may hurt themselves with the judges. Whereas flashy Thai fighters can score quick points with their aggression and pace, boxers who don't have KO power sometimes don't do enough to win. Also, if opponents do close the gap on boxers, the boxers are at a big disadvantage. The key in that type of situation is to develop good dirty boxing, as Randy Couture has.
THE VERDICT
Ultimately, the best solution is to deploy a combination of Muay Thai and boxing skills. Kenny Florian is among the best at doing so; he keeps opponents at bay with his strong jab and can inflict plenty of damage if they get too close.
The ideal MMA fighter may be one who combines Muay Thai's clinch work and use of knees and elbows with boxing's crisp punching and defensive responsibility.
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