MMA and boxing are two fighting sports that have much in common, but also many differences. Everyone has an opinion about which sport is safer or better, but it will be easier to decide which is better for your safety by learning more about each sport.
The truth is that no matter what kind of fighting you’re doing, there’s going to be some level of risk involved. There are ways to mitigate those risks, though. In this article, we’ll look at how MMA and boxing compare and how each one stacks up against the other in terms of safety.
Understand the ideals of each fighting sport
MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is a combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from various forms of wrestling and striking to grappling and the use of weapons. Tournaments are usually organized in weight classes. Fighters are often classified according to the methods they adopt to win their fights, with some being praised as experts of submission while others are known for their striking skills or their use of leverage against an opponent.
MMA fighters train extensively in order to be effective in all areas of combat. It is not uncommon for MMA fighters to cross-train in other styles and disciplines, including boxing, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, wrestling, muay thai and karate. Boxing involves two fighters competing against each other using their fists. The goal of the sport is knock out your opponent or make them concede by way of a judges’ decision.
Boxing was born out of the ancient Greek Olympics when competitors would fight without weapons until one man submitted or was knocked out. Modern boxing is now separated into a myriad of different weight classes, with more than one champion allowed per weight class.
Understand the training methods
More than ever, kids are taking up boxing and martial arts to learn self-defence. But is one sport safer than another?
The two sports have different rules and regulations, which change the way they’re practiced and the damage they inflict. Tearing the ACL or MCL in your knee while training is relatively common in MMA — it happens to about one in every three MMA athletes, according to a study published in the journal Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. These injuries are less prevalent in boxing, which limits grappling techniques.
Another study published in the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy found that MMA athletes are more likely to suffer from “shin splints,” a painful condition caused by repetitive stress on the tibia. The most common injury for boxers is a broken hand; for MMA fighters, it’s a broken foot or ankle. Because MMA requires a wider range of motion than boxing, it’s more likely to result in muscle strains.
Boxers rely more on their fists than their feet, so foot injuries are rarer among them. A greater proportion of boxers wear headgear than do MMA fighters, who don’t tend to wear any protection beyond gloves and mouth guards. That said, head trauma is a serious concern for either sport.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation has been studying the long-term effects of repeated head blows in contact sports like football, hockey and boxing for years. Its mission is to prevent brain injuries.
The study found that amateur boxers are the most likely to suffer repeated concussions. That’s because they don’t wear protective head gear during training sessions — unlike professional fighters.
Boxing’s governing body, USA Boxing, has changed its rules to help protect fighters. It now requires competitors to wear headgear while sparring at all levels of competition, including local tournaments and the Olympics. Mixed martial arts (MMA) also has changed its rules in recent years.
They also must undergo blood testing to check for signs of brain damage caused by repeated blows to the head.
“There is no safe way to get your brain hit,” said Dr. Charles Bernick, a neurologist who studies concussions at Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nev. “But we have made tremendous progress in making contact sports safer.”
Consider injury risks with each sport
MMA has a reputation as an extremely violent sport, and to be sure, the injury rate in MMA is high compared to other sports. However, is it really that much higher than boxing? Which combat sport is safer?
We’ll start by looking at the injury rates in boxing and MMA as a whole before we break out specific injuries in each sport. According to data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, there were 462 documented “catastrophic” injuries in boxing from 1990 through 2005. That works out to about 5.7 injuries per 100,000 participants per year. It’s worth noting that some of these injuries were suffered by amateur boxers; most of these injuries occurred during professional fights.
Injuries sustained in boxing are often the result of a direct blow to the head. Although helmets are used in amateur matches and professionals typically wear mouthpieces, serious head injuries can still occur. The risk of brain damage is heightened when a fighter takes repeated blows to the head without wearing a helmet.
A study published on the Neurology Journal found that fighters who trained in boxing were at higher risk for brain damage than those who trained in other combat sports. Additionally, boxers who receive more hits during a match are significantly more likely to develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) later in life.
Many boxers wear hand wraps to protect their hands from injuries such as cuts, swelling and sprains, but injuries can still occur if their hands are not wrapped tightly enough. Heavy punches can cause bones in their hands to break or chip, resulting in serious pain and permanent damage.
A study of 60 MMA fighters found that just 1 percent suffered head trauma and 6 percent suffered brain trauma during training. The numbers were significantly higher for boxers: 19 percent had head trauma and 27 percent had brain trauma during training. In fights themselves, there’s a similarly wide gap between the two styles. A survey of doctors who worked at ringside for over 100 MMA events found only 1 percent of bouts resulted in head injury. By comparison, 20 percent of boxing matches resulted in head injuries.
Although the safety measures and attire differ, either sport can be incredibly dangerous if you are not careful.
The debate over which is safer, MMA or boxing, is one of the most hotly contested arguments in fight sports. The reason for this is that both sports have their individual risks and rewards. Because of this, choosing which sport to focus on should be based on your own personal goals.
Although it might seem that the rules would make MMA more dangerous than boxing, you must also take into consideration how much padding each sport provides. MMA fighters wear gloves with open fingers, whereas boxers wear padded gloves that protect their forearms from injury as well as their hands from being broken by a direct hit.
Despite the difference in protection, either sport can be incredibly dangerous if you are not careful. Both sports involve participants trying to knock out their opponents or force them to submit by placing extreme amounts of pressure on their necks and joints. Injuries occur all too frequently in both sports.
While both boxing and MMA have had their share of controversy regarding fighter safety, I think it’s safe to say that the two sports are not identical. There are some real arguments for both sides, but ultimately you’ll have to decide what risks you’re willing to take when you strap on those gloves.
NOTE: The content provided is for informational use only. It is not a substitute for professional insurance guidance or medical advice.
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