The Toughest Sport in the World Is... Boxing
by Nick Thomas on Jan 14, 2010 9:47 AM EST
in MMA News
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PrintThe Sweet Science. That's the sport that demands the most from the athletes who compete in it. It's harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated.Martial Arts comes 6th.
HT: sports.espn.go.com
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I played basketball in high school
and have trained in MMA. MMA is much more demanding. Give me a break ESPN.
by Myke25 on Jan 14, 2010 9:53 AM EST reply actions
It seems to me that if someone was crazy enough to combine sports number 1, 5, and 6 we’d have a clear #1 hardest sport. I’m just not sure how you’d go about combining boxing, wrestling and martial arts. Any ideas?
by cmsove on Jan 14, 2010 9:55 AM EST reply actions 14 recs
this again shows how espn hates mma
ive still never understood it but espn does everything then can to ignore mma
its never ever ever ever mentioned on sportscenter or any other show
they dont even have an mma page on their website they use sherdog
the one thing they do regarding mma they dont even show on tv(mma live) they’d rather show outside the lines every single day of the week
by milk72 on Jan 14, 2010 1:42 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I personnally find it insulting that they relegate their soccer coverage to ESPN Deportes...
because, you know…you must be Hispanic if you like soccer, right?
by Razreshat on Jan 14, 2010 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
This is much less about ESPN
and more about mainstream media in general in terms of knowledge and perceptions. That panel had doctors, people from the Olympics, Brian Jordan as well as ESPN folk. Go ask Randy Couture in on that panel and I think you’ll get a different result.
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
by Cory Braiterman on Jan 14, 2010 2:26 PM EST up reply actions
Eh?
What martial arts are they talking about? MMA or friggin XMA? I would think MMA would rank above boxing, unless they are counting all the noggin’ pounding that boxers have to take.
certified warlord
You Gotta Be Kidding Me!!!
Seriously they even have wrestling above MMA, and most of MMA fighters incorporate wrestling skills (never mind the weight cutting) in their game along with other art forms (Like boxing, Muay Thai etc). MMA fighters are the best overall athletes.
Have you ever wrestled?
Think back to the highest paced MMA fight you’ve ever seen. That’s the intensity always in wrestling. And no, WRESTLERS who transition to MMA are the best overall athletes.
People who haven't wrestled honestly can't understand how hard it is
to go out there for 3×2min rounds. It’s literally locked, inescapable mortal combat where if you run for more than five seconds, you’re likely to receive a point deduction (competitive matches score < 15 points combined).
I will say this about boxing, though. They have a 36 minute fight at the high end of competition, and with all the padding in the gloves, fighters are forced to receive so much more punishment than MMA fighters. I think I could get behind the idea that boxing, at its highest level, is one of the most technically and athletically demanding sports in the world, but I think you could say that about pretty much any sport.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
The biggest misses were on STR and Endurance...
Are you serious? One of the biggest pitfalls of various MMA fighters are gassing and getting manhandled. Sure, technique can alleviate some of the STR issues, but END is always always always an issue.
This is what happens when you have people that don’t understand a sport try to rank it. Three rounds of MMA combat is not the same as three rounds of boxing :P
Associate Writer - WindyCityGridiron.com
by Jacob Hayes on Jan 14, 2010 9:58 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I call shenanigans, MMA is the toughest sport in the world becuase you have to learn multiple deciplines in order to be successful. Boxing is number two definently considering all the brain damage you sustain after getting hit in the head repeatedly for sooo many years.
And where the hell is professional eating competitions? I would like to see Pacman try and eat over 60 hot dogs in one sitting. Also, midget tossing deserves to be on the list.
"If your going to come on then come on!" - Harold Howard
If ‘wrestling’ includes the pro variety, then I would rank wrestling as the toughest sport in the world.
There is a reason all those guys are addicted painkillers, booze, and steroids. The demands placed on their bodies are positively inhuman. It is not humanly possible to compete in that ‘sport’ without a LOT of pharmaceutical assistance. It is rare to see a pro wrestler make it past his 50th birthday due to all the abuse (both physical and chemical) that their bodies take.
It really is too bad
that viewers of Pro Wrestling don’t understand just how much those guys put themselves through purely for our entertainment. There’s no mythical title, no mainstream legendary status, and for most there’s not even any cross-over potential into other media. They botch shooting star presses, spear the corner-posts with the tops of their heads, and literally CUT THEMSELVES ON THE HEAD in the middle of a fight just so we can see a little blood.
Say what you will about everything being choreographed, but that’s where it should stop. Brock’s right about Pro Wrestling, try telling him WWF is fake.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
I’m pretty sure their martial arts category is referring to TMA, not MMA.
I don’t think MMA was even an option.
by Steve4192 on Jan 14, 2010 10:02 AM EST reply actions 5 recs
Football demands more than MMA? Did they not see TUF 10?
Ex Football players were gassing all over the place.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Jan 14, 2010 10:06 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Just like many MMA fighter would get injured during a NFL game. Different sports, different conditioning.
by David_ on Jan 14, 2010 11:03 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Plus
just cause a guy is an ex football player in no way means that they are at in-season shape. If NFL players were ready to go year round, why have a preseason?
"The ball always seems to find Ed Reed...The man is a menace"
by UMBC Oriole fan on Jan 14, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
LOL, what a joke...
As a former minor league hockey player…. hockey is fucking demanding as all hell. Ridiculous conditioning is required, raw grit and determination, and putting your body and eyesight on the line to deflect pucks and shots as a power forward is insane to the casual viewer. Taking sticks in the face, etc….
But MMA… you get PUNCHED in the face constantly, requires just as much insane conditioning, and you take way more damage. At least we had pads. ESPN is off the mark here.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
This is an old article
It’s from around April 2004.
Not sure why ESPN moved it up to the Page 2 mainpage recently, but I remember reading it YEARS ago.
So, basically, this is way before MMA was on any mainstream radar. I’m pretty sure the “Martial Arts” listing is a reference to traditional martial arts.
by DuRuffio on Jan 14, 2010 10:08 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
How in blue perfect hell did they quantify this? (I too also assume that they mean martial arts as traditional martial arts… which btw why the hell is that in the top 10? I can make stupid poses till the cows come home, it’s not difficult; hell Yoga should be up there if TMA is).
Lacrosse isn’t listed in the top 10? Rowing isn’t listed in the top 10? What an amazingly retarded list.
The mat is my church, the ground is my heaven, Jiu-Jitsu is my religion. And once you hit the ground you're in my world. My world is like the ocean, I’m like a shark and most people don't even know how to swim - Draculino
by Patrick Tenney on Jan 14, 2010 10:15 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I can make stupid poses till the cows come home, it’s not difficult; hell Yoga should be up there if TMA is
Brilliant =-)
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Jan 14, 2010 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
"Martial arts"... aren't a sport
I’ve seen a chinese dude that removed his balls for martial arts, lol.
No seriously, to be on this list with other “sports” is a joke and a disgrace for the whole history of martial arts.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
Baseball doesn’t belong in the top 10 or 15. The only thing tough about baseball is trying to stay awake.
by MusicCityBeatdown on Jan 14, 2010 10:20 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
+1 You can be a fat, out-of-shape pig and still be an awesome baseball player.
by MMAEruption on Jan 14, 2010 10:32 AM EST up reply actions
they have baseball above rugby
i play rugby it deserves to be at least top 5 the fact that baseball and tennis are above it and mma isnt even featured on the list makes this whole thing complete bullshit
try attempting to hit a 95mph pitch one moment and a 75mph breaking ball the next
Hitting a baseball will always be one of the most difficult challenges in any sport. I guess the main factor is defining “difficult”. If by difficult, you mean “physically demanding” (imo only one aspect of difficulty) then baseball should of course rank far lower on the list. However, if you listen to Mark McGwire, he would let you know how physically demanding it can be.
The fact that mma is not on a list or even mentioned with boxing, wrestling, and (i guess traditional) martial arts is absurd. One of the reasons I love mma so much is the overall demand it puts on a person physically, mentally, and spiritually.
I think the list is trying to express
a combination of technical difficulty along with athletic standards. Baseball, with its 162 game season (nearly 200 all-told) and the insane difficulty of both throwing and hitting a small white sphere with a rounded stick has to be included in any list.
It’s just different from football, MMA, boxing or hockey.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
I have always thought of sports as an activity where the physical abilities of the contestants defines the outcome. Pro wrestling doesn’t qualify as a sport for me.
What I mean is, the non-sport of pro wrestling is probably more physically demanding than any pro sport.
by MMAEruption on Jan 14, 2010 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
+1
Given how much those guys perform (100 shows a year? More?) and how basically all they do is get beat up, no wonder so many of them get hooked on painkillers and go through their later years with a body too broken down to function.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Jan 14, 2010 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
I think each sport has its merits in difficulty, as someone said above, this chart was made before MMA was popular, ideally it would be above boxing for the simple fact that it incorporates many disciplines in one whereas boxing is just one discipline. I don’t think one sport is harder than another though, one sport may be tougher, but not necessarily harder.
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
correction
I guess the word I was trying to say above is actually rougher instead of tougher, since I guess tougher and harder are synonyms. I fail
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
Hey dummies, it says Martial Arts, not Mixed Martial Arts. They mean like karate and tkd, its not including the sport we love. MMA wasn’t an option.
I’m surprised at the rank for soccer which is a straight cardio sport with a ton of explosion in it.
exactly
I’d rate soccer at #1 actually, I don’t think there is anything more physically demanding than soccer IMO
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
My sister was a gymnast, I’d probably rank gymnastics in the top 5 as far as conditioning/time in the gym/toll on your body is concerned.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 10:36 AM EST up reply actions
every sport has its merits
everyone is going to have a different take, I’d agree that I am somewhat biased towards soccer though
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
I agree on gymnastics. Very easy to destroy your knees and shoulders in that sport. For that matter, ballet can be pretty tough on the body as well.
by MMAEruption on Jan 14, 2010 11:49 AM EST up reply actions
I tried watching American football once, it seems like they take breaks almost after each play!
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
Yes, some sports are demanding in different ways, one reason I never understood arguments about which is the most demanding or toughest. Playing American football at a high level, has been equated to being in a serious car accident on a weekly basis. I would say that is pretty demanding in its own way.
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:47 AM EST up reply actions
oh I agree
players collide at each other in high speed, to me it’s more dangerous than soccer, not more harder though, but again, we each have different views in what we mean by harder :p
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
sorry, to clarify, the physical impact on the body is what is equated to being in a serious car accident.
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:51 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah, they do take breaks after every play. The killer is that, depending on the position you play, each and every play is somewhere between a bar brawl and a car crash.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Jan 14, 2010 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
Unless you’re a kicker…then its like every play is a relaxing day at the football game.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 12:17 PM EST up reply actions
hahah…no worries…but i’m convinced that the NFL should have a rule allowing kickers to eat wings and drink beer while they’re watching the game. Seriously, those game winning field goal nerves? GONE! Cause of a belly full of wings and beer.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
I don't doubt that
but to me, it’s kind of boring with all the stops, but that’s just me.
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
Also, who’s your soccer team? FC Barcelona for the really good soccer teams and NY Red Bulls for the local bullshit MLS team.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 10:37 AM EST up reply actions
GALOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Atlético Mineiro, I’m from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, you probably haven’t heard of my team though :’(
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
I used to play and made the switch to American Football when I was 11 cause all my friends played football instead of soccer. My last job had a league though and that was awesome.
Seriously, soccer is probably the toughest sport, with rugby the next toughest.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 11:03 AM EST up reply actions
yeah, America has a long way to go to make soccer a mainstream sport. Hopefully they’ll do well at the World Cup and maybe that will help the cause for you guys. You guys really impressed the rest of the world during the Confederations Cup.
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
Yeah, I ended up leaving work early those days to watch the Confederations Cup at the Irish Pub nearby.
MLS is fun for what it is, we get the aged players like Juan Pablo Angel when they want some extra cash before retiring.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
You’re nuts then.
I played both hockey and soccer at high levels, and hockey was much more demanding in my opinion. You have to basically have the same level of conditioning with the added danger of being cut, beat the fuck up, blasted with a 90+ mph puck, and beat down by sticks in the guts, groin, face.
I would rank soccer pretty high though.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Jan 14, 2010 1:16 PM EST up reply actions
Soccer is seriously a physical sport. I think I just saw it as a games are 90+ minutes instead of 60 and you are moving just as much.
Also, did you play hockey in college? Which school? My buddies were on the Northeastern University and Boston University hockey teams so Beanpot was the best time to live in Boston.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
While I don't disagree with about how tough hockeye is...
much of what you are using as a foundation for that toughness are illegal activities in the sport that result in penalties.
By that logic, getting beamed by 90mph fastball in baseball should be included in its criteria for toughness.
Its part of the culture...
but the participants still get time in the penalty box for fighting, so technically no.
ah thanks
I don’t know much about hockey, but I’m guessing that the size of the field is not as big as in soccer, and they aren’t subject to climate changes such as a very hot day, rain or snow. And like someone said, 60 minutes instead of 90. I think soccer still takes it, but fruits and vegetables :p
Pain is Temporary
Pride is Forever
The dummy is the dude that put martial arts in there, for many reasons.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
That’s true but the other dummies are the people going sheepshit over Martial Arts’ rank in this poll.
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
I’m offended.
My rec league softball season is grueling. Beer, nachos and 60 feet between bases???
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:44 AM EST up reply actions
First, this list is way off.
and it’s not MMA, it’s “martial arts”. I doubt training TKD at a local strip mall is as demanding as training for an NFL season.
Now, when you combine #’s 1, 5 and 6, well, you have MMA. This should say something about the commitment most fighters make to participate in this sport.
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:43 AM EST reply actions
Well then you haven’t trained with “The King of the Demo”
by ChillMike on Jan 14, 2010 10:47 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Twice in one thread? How great is it that Danny McBride is the “go to” actor for sports roles, lol!
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
And he should play “The Human Stun-Gun” in a movie!
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 10:52 AM EST up reply actions
LMAO
Yeah I remember this guy. What a tool bag. It’s funny because I’d be willing to bet that he actually believed he was capable of doing it. You have enough people blowing smoke up your ass telling you that you are a king, pretty soon you start to believe it.
did you notice Stephan Bonnar?
lol, this vid kills me every time I watch it!
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 11:00 AM EST up reply actions
It works
But we had to wait till he fought coleman for the effects to show.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
by spectaa on Jan 14, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Be sure to tip your waitresses!
Rec’d!
by ultimatefightsource on Jan 14, 2010 11:31 AM EST up reply actions
LOL at hockey, basketball, and tennis ranked above gymnastics. No offense to athletes in those other sports, but gymnastics is ridiculously tough
Definitely great shape, but not the overall conditioning and strength/agility needed to do gymnastics, IMO
by Hardcharger on Jan 14, 2010 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
Tennis pros have off-the-charts great cardio.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Jan 14, 2010 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Scott Stevens
blue line hip check > any balance beam.
How exactly did ESPN definte "tough" in reference to this?
Because it doesn’t make much sense using conventional definitions.
There's a key at the bottom of the list. Its actually pretty good...
by E_liminatorjr on Jan 14, 2010 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
Read it and still find if vague and easily manipulated.
Too easy to discount a catagory for a certain sport if you want.
Curling is on there. Near the bottom.
So is cheerleading.
by CaptnAmerca on Jan 14, 2010 11:13 AM EST up reply actions
Cheerleading
is actually fucking tough for a lot of reasons. It’s basically gymnastics and dance combined with a strong-man styled throws. Requires a lot of body control, mental focus, coordination, and raw strength (except for the flyers, who are tiny and focus on body control). It has no place being below golf on that list, and they drastically underrated it in some of the criteria.
And no, I was never a cheerleader. I played the supportive boyfriend role.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
All these guys that work for ESPN in their 40's and 50's
must not want to believe that all these 155 pound MMA guys can and will beat the crap out of most guys in the NFL,NBA,MLB. I know they cant be that ignorant to MMA on accident. They have to have some grudge against it. They must be pissed that a guy fighting on the WEC prelims making $5,000 is just as good of an athlete as all of these overpaid babies in most pro sports.
by SilverNBlackZach! on Jan 14, 2010 11:25 AM EST reply actions
SPEED
The ability to move quickly. Example: Marion Jones
There you have it, this is old as hell or does Marion Jones still counts as fast?
A test…Go run down the field as fast as you can…Ill throw you a football to catch with your hands…and than ill pass a soccerball you have to control with your chest…
Soccer
MMA
Boxing
Ice Hockey
Tennis
Gymnastics
Basketball
Baseball
Football
by DamnSevern on Jan 14, 2010 12:13 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Furthermore, they have an entire category dedicated to hand-eye coordination. If you add another category for foot-eye coordination, no other sport would be on the list. That alone puts soccer at a different level altogether.
Everyone has some modicum of hand eye coordination. Its a whole different story catching a ball falling from 50 feet, at an angle, with curve, with the inside of your foot.
Out of your list I’d rank it as such.
1. Soccer (so much fucking cardio it’s retarded, especially at high levels)
2. MMA (cardio, strength, very little rest period)
3. Boxing (same as MMA but shorter rounds)
4. Gymnastics (ton of conditioning, a lot of injuries that last long term on the joints)
5. Football (as stated above, depending on the position, every game is either a bar room brawl or a car crash)
6. Basketball (48 minutes with very little rest period)
7. Ice Hockey (same as basketball, but with line changes which allows for more rest)
8. Tennis (a ton of power and cardio needed)
9. Baseball
by Matthew Roth on Jan 14, 2010 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
In that case
Go lace up a pair of skates, and skate as fast as you can into the corner of an ice rink for a puck, while I come from the other side of the rink and hit you full force with my shoulder….
Soccer players do have incredible endurance, and being able to kick a ball from as far out as they do and be able to have the ball go just into the corner is impressive, but you can find aspects of every sport that would put it at the top if the list in other people’s minds….
I feel stupid for reading this post, stats like this are f*cking ridiculous.
by Beyondadrenalin on Jan 14, 2010 12:40 PM EST reply actions
Very clearly TMA and not MMA
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 14, 2010 12:55 PM EST reply actions
Personnally, I think Apples are better than Bananas...
but those damn Pears and Oranges put my whole chart out of whack. Don’t even bring a Tomato into the mix, what the hell is that fruit…vegetable…shit, I don’t know.
by Razreshat on Jan 14, 2010 1:35 PM EST reply actions 5 recs
Been trying to formulate
this exact thought. Well done.
There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.
I could probably agree
MMA fighters spend more time training other things besides their hands but this doesn’t mean that they train more and harder than boxers. MMA has gotten closer to boxing but the training regimen of a top 20pfp fighter is more intense. Plus the fights last longer whereas many MMA fights last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple minutes.
Hockey should should be first, followed by MMA. Have you guys seen the grueling schedule hockey players have to endure? Those poor mofos have to play 80 games in a span of 6 months, not including playoffs. That’s almost 15 games a month. a pro MMA fighter only fights like 3 times a year?
3 times a year?
Then how old would Travis fulton be?
15 matches a month is sick though.
"You hit too hard, too hard, too hard..."
Correct list is :
Father- bought my 4 year old son a mini baseball bat. In line for nachos he hits me with it in the liver. No penalties, no timeouts, I couldn’t even hit him back. Living room wrestling is the worst. Elbows, punches, kicks to the face, kidneys and groin are no joke. Not to mention these are the same little guys who shitty diapers I had to change.
Husband- Most might think this should be number 1. I am 17 years in and it’s getting close to over taking the whole Father thing. I can’t explain in words, just go get married and call me in 15 years.
MMA fan- These guys don’t get what kind of dedication it takes to sit in my comfy chair and pass judgment on : Fighters, promotion, injuries, MMA business models, PeDs, freak show fights, and I have to do all this while keeping my coffee warm.
What? They don’t even have cricket on the list… it’s a major sport in many countries around the world, just not in the US so it doesn’t count I guess.
True that. I would rank it the same as baseball, or maybe one up because the games last for so much longer. If it were my list i would definitely have AFL and rugby league in the top 3 but it’s understandable that they didn’t make the list seeing as though no one outside of Australia and England even know what they are.
Sorry, he Jason Bourned me.
Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines. Test Cricket is like a 5-day game of baseball, where they play for 6+ hours a day, so I’d have to rank it fairly high in endurance and hand eye coordination at the very least. Even durability, as anyone that has been hit by a cricket ball can attest to :-)
Without a doubt, getting hit by a cricket ball is so painful! I have an old x-ray of a cracked rib that can attest to that.
Well it’s painful for everyone not named Ricky Ponting that is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4RliQYLGJ8
Sorry, he Jason Bourned me.
they are techincally 100% correct
Courtesy of American Medical Seminars:
Athletic Competitions of the MOST STRENUOUS Dynamic (High need for Oxygen) AND Static (Force) Components:
BOXING, Kayaking, Cycling, Decathalon, Rowing, Triathalon
Martial Arts mussst mean traditional martial arts and not MMA, so don’t worry. We just aren’t important enough to compete in the “toughest competition” competition.
In a 60 minute football game, there is around 10 minutes of actual action being played.
by Gafford on Jan 14, 2010 9:28 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
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