When we talk about the peak of combat sports, MMA and boxing inevitably enter the discussion. While boxing dominated as the global leader in combat for decades, MMA carved out its own massive foundation, largely fueled by Dana White’s vision.

But the real question remains: the prep for which sport is more dreadful? Let’s end this debate once and for all.

Boxing. Vs MMA Injury Comparison

MMA injuries are quite higher than Boxing. However, the fatalities in boxing are more intense. Historically speaking, over the years, approximately 1064 boxers have died from fight-related injuries since 1890.

In comparison, only 16 MMA fighters have died throughout its entire history. In the largest MMA promotion, UFC, no fighter has died as a result of injuries sustained in a sanctioned fight.

“You’re more likely to get injured if you’re participating in mixed martial arts, but the injury severity is less overall than in boxing. Most of the blood you see in mixed martial arts is from bloody noses or facial cuts; it doesn’t tend to be as severe but looks a lot worse than it actually is,” said Sleby Karpman, lead author, University of Alberta study.

A study from Boston University reports that approximately 90% of former boxers showed signs of CTE long-term in their career, which is significantly higher than that of MMA fighters.

Structural Differences Raise Injury Issues

Existing structural differences between MMA and Boxing rules directly or indirectly influence the intensity of injuries for the athletes. If we were to talk about rounds, then historically, boxing has 12-15 three-minute rounds at the professional level, while MMA has 3-5 minute rounds.

A boxer stays inside the ring for 40-45 minutes, while an MMA fighter stays only for 15-25 minutes. The extended exposure in boxing can amount to more severe injuries, considering that the boxers predominantly target the head or the ribcage area.

“The initial argument about MMA being safer than boxing is that the gloves being bigger in boxing and all that stuff is actually worse because you're gonna keep taking too much damage as well. You can get knocked down and then get up and continue fighting while being concussed, whereas in MMA they'll stop it if you're not defending yourself,” said Joe Rogan on the comparison.

In boxing, the quickest way to win a match is to knock an opponent out with a punch to the head. Over the course of a career, an average boxer may absorb thousands, and in some cases, even millions, of head strikes, which significantly increases the risk of long-term cerebral damage. The number is far less when compared to MMA. It is also to be taken into account that chokes and grappling moves also constitute a huge chunk of MMA.

While both boxing and MMA are high-risk combat sports, MMA distributes impact across the body, whereas boxers absorb significantly more punches to the face, which carries a much higher risk and is considerably more dangerous.

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Joyita Das