Is The UFC Better Than Boxing?

When Randy "The Natural" Couture beat James "Lights Out" Toney into submission it made a statement that MMA Fighters are more well rounded and effective than the one dimensional boxer. In an alley fight Tito Ortiz is beating up Mike Tyson (if he doesn't land a lucky punch). That being said is the UFC really better than boxing?

If depends on your definition of better. MMA purists will argue that when you come to see a fight, you come to see a fight. No dancing around the ring landing pity pat punches, you come to see someone get their ass kicked. Boxing purists suggest that the sweet science is much more refined and displays the mastery of a skill barbaric cage fighters can't fully appreciate.

I'll be the first to admit that on average a UFC fight is more action packed than a boxing match, but I can't tell you who won UFC 84. Tyson vs. Holyfield? Leonard vs. Hearns? De La Hoya vs. Trinidad? Roy Jones Jr, vs. Bernard Hopkins? Those fights are truly memorable. UFC fights somewhat run together for me. No one match up really stands out in my mind.

In terms of fan popularity boxing has a 100 year head start on the UFC. Gracie, Smith, Shamrock, and Liddell doesn't roll of the tongue the same way Ali, Frazier, Foreman, and Tyson does. Boxing is on life support however while the UFC is gaining in popularity and acceptance. The gap is still rather wide though and the UFC has a long way to go before the fighters make as much money as boxers. Georges St Pierre and Josh Koscheck will make 40 times less than Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao would if they decide to fight. In the end boxing still has more drama, intrigue, and anticipation than the UFC, but if both sports continue at their current pace the UFC will surpass boxing in the next decade. We'll see how it goes.