Boxers who can excel in MMA

AF EW we e k s back, mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor said he would like to see a boxer get into the octagon, which made me start to think of possible names from boxing who can excel in MMA.

From what I have observed since its infancy in built, and should have powerful upper bodies so they can mount effective defense against superstar status are in fact rare, with Jon Jones being one of them.

So the boxers who want to excel in the Octagon should also have a powerful built Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward, among others, may not make it big in MMA. Mayweather and Ward also happen to be counterpunches.

So let me list down three boxers who have a from the lower weight divisions. Please note that I have followed closely because I have written much about them in my columns.

middleweight (160 pounds), Alvarez almost fearsome punching power, Alvarez has a wellbuilt upper body that can serve him right in the octagon provided he be trained well in the other facets of mixed martial arts like grappling and wrestling. He can also add another 11 pounds so he can excel in MMA’s welterweight division, which has a limit of 171 pounds.

Looking at how Alvarez punches, he some stance and stepping forward to close the distance. His boxing record is 49-1-2 with 34 KOs.

Sergei Kovalev—like Alvarez, Kovalev is also strong that can make him excel in the octagon. And he has frightening knockout power delivered usually from a wide stance, which is essential in MMA to defend against takedowns. And Russians are known to be one of the bestconditioned combat athletes in the world.

- weight ( 168 pounds) that is only three pounds short of the 171-pound limit for MMA’s welterweight division. His boxing record is 30-2-1 with 26 KOs.

Anthony Joshua—at 6’6” and weighing almost MMA could be scary, provided he equips himself with the other skills necessary to excel in the octagon. Joshua’s huge frame, along with MMA skills besides striking, would be enough to make him competitive in the heavyweight division.

Joshua’s boxing record is 20-0 with 20 KOs, which will make him a feared hand striker in MMA. And he can take a punch! Just look at how he took the best shots of Wladimir

My thesis is only boxers who have good punching power and strong built can excel in MMA. That means boxers who lack punching power and rely octagon. Among these boxers besides Mayweather and Ward are super welterweight (154 pounds) Erislandy Lara and welterweight (147 pounds)

I agree with the view that MMA is closer to street to a boxer (or one who relies largely on skills).

For boxers relying more in skills to win in MMA, they must invest hundreds of hours to acquire a high level of grappling and maybe jiu-jitsu skills. That’s another matter worth discussing.