Dana doubts boxer's desire to fight in MMA - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Dirty Fighter · 05-15-2007, 01:36 PM

Now that a champ wants the fight Dana doesn't seem so keen on making it happen.

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There was a time when mixed martial arts always walked in the shadow of boxing. But it seems that lately, despite a record-setting pay-per-view by the recent Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. bout, boxing has been riding the coattails of MMA to grab the spotlight.

Even garnering approximately 2.15 million pay-per-view buys and a live gate of more than $19 million for their blockbuster bout, Mayweather was parlaying the popularity of the UFC to lead up to the record-setting numbers from his fight with De La Hoya. In weeks building toward the fight, he said things like, “[The UFC] ain’t nothing but a fad… These are guys that couldn’t do boxing.”

When UFC President Dana White called him on his comments, offering to give Mayweather the chance to back them up by facing UFC Lightweight Champ Sean Sherk, Mayweather quickly retracted his statements, sending word to White that it was just hype for the fight.

On MMAWeekly Radio recently, Sherk didn’t hold back his thoughts on Mayweather’s comments, “I took it as a direct insult, as the UFC champion. I wanted to get that fight set up. It was something Dana and I talked about. Immediately after the fight, he retracted it. He said he did it just to sell tickets.”

He continued, “I would have loved to have a fight like that. That would have been great to expose boxing for what it is, it’s one dimensional.”

Since that time, International Boxing Federation Welterweight World Champion Kermit Cintron, ranked #7 in the world by The Ring magazine, has said he wants the fight with Sherk.

“I want the fight,” said Cintron. “I can wrestle. I can box. I can beat those UFC fighters at their own game. Tell Mr. White to make me an offer and I’ll take on his guy after I fight Matthysse...”

Cintron was referring to a mandatory defense of his IBF title against challenger Walter Mattysse on July 14. The fight is scheduled to take place on the Arturo Gatti vs. Alfonso Gomez fight card on HBO.

With all of these boxers, now including former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, jumping on the MMA bandwagon, White gave his thoughts on situation to MMAWeekly, "Boxing is in a position now where to get any notoriety they have to come out and say they're going fight our guys. Not Floyd (Mayweather), Floyd's the real deal.”

The UFC President also doubts that these boxers really want to fight MMA at all. Addressing whether or not Mayweather would really agree to such a fight, White stated, “No. Come on. Kermit Cintron doesn’t want to fight any of these MMA guys either. No one knows who Kermit Cintron is.”

Informed that Cintron is the current IBF Welterweight Champion, White replied, “Which means what? What does that mean? It means nothing. I mean, when they're calling us out now, obviously it's a good thing.” Of course referring to boxing’s numerous attempts to piggyback MMA’s popularity.

Harms · 05-15-2007, 01:48 PM

Dana had a point on "noone knows who Kermit Cintron is". I bet Dana would do it against a boxing star, but I'm not surprised he won't do it for any ol' boxer.

Bomber · 05-15-2007, 01:52 PM

Well Sean Sherk isn't exactly a household name either. If Dana doesn't take Cintron up on his offer, he's going to look like he's flapping his gums just like Mayweather was. The guy's a boxing champ, set it up already.

Dirty Fighter · 05-15-2007, 01:56 PM

Kermit Cintron isn't any ol' boxer. He is 27-1 with 25 KO's. I think Dana made the challenge knowing full well Mayweather wouldn't accept. I just don't think he expected anybody else to be willing to take on the challenge. I would love to see the fight. And I think Dana should make it happen or he will lose face.

Switch · 05-15-2007, 02:23 PM

Again the first question that comes to my mind is what rules does this guy have in mind? It sounds like he thinks that all he will need to beat Sherk is his boxing ability and what wrestling ability he has. Can anyone expound on what his record is in wrestling? I mean if he wrestled in highschool and expects that to put him on the same level as a current MMA fighter like Sherk I see the men getting hurt.

Paul "Switch" Preble

Amatuer Boxing 20-1
Amatuer Kickboxing 10-0
Professional MMA 1-0

Dirty Fighter · 05-15-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Switch

Again the first question that comes to my mind is what rules does this guy have in mind? It sounds like he thinks that all he will need to beat Sherk is his boxing ability and what wrestling ability he has. Can anyone expound on what his record is in wrestling? I mean if he wrestled in highschool and expects that to put him on the same level as a current MMA fighter like Sherk I see the men getting hurt.

Sherk himself does not have much of a wrestling background. He wrestled at a young age, but incorporated Muay Thai, Shooto, and BJJ into his game. I think too many people are underestimating the boxer here. He may be one dimensional, but he is world class one dimensional. And if his wrestling coach in high school had half a brain one of the first things you learn is to sprawl and it's something that you constantly drill. A boxers hands with good TD defense can spell trouble for any fighter.

MTKrav911 · 05-15-2007, 02:57 PM

I personally am getting tired of boxing/mma comparisons. I like them both. Both fighters from each sport would be at a disadvantage if you exclusively used the other ones rules.

nublood · 05-15-2007, 02:57 PM

What's with your avatar Dirty Fighter? And why do I find it so funny?

Dirty Fighter · 05-15-2007, 03:06 PM

That's Akebone vs. Giant Silva, courtesy of the gif pimp, Gooner. I would have shat myself if I was at ring side when those two behemoths almost toppled out of the ring.

OneStepAhead · 05-15-2007, 03:18 PM

Well, looks like FF, and I'm sure many others, were right when they said Dana would never make it happen with Cintron. That is still smart though. Why would Dana risk Sherk losing to a no-name to a common MMA/Boxing fan? Sure, I would personally LOVE to see the fight, as would many other boxing/mma enthusiasts. However, it holds no draw.

Bomber · 05-15-2007, 07:20 PM

Dana White and legions of MMA fans think boxers are one-dimensional and have virtually no chance against an MMA fighter. Here's a perfect chance to prove it.

If all the blather is worth anything at all, there should be no real worries about Sherk losing. And this fight would definitely get some attention in the boxing world. If Sherk wins, maybe then he has a better shot at Mayweather. I'll be very disapointed if the UFC wimps out on Cintron's offer. This is a great opportunity if you truly believe that MMA is a better fighting system than boxing.

PINOYPRIDE · 05-15-2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bomber

Dana White and legions of MMA fans think boxers are one-dimensional and have virtually no chance against an MMA fighter. Here's a perfect chance to prove it.

If all the blather is worth anything at all, there should be no real worries about Sherk losing. And this fight would definitely get some attention in the boxing world. If Sherk wins, maybe then he has a better shot at Mayweather. I'll be very disapointed if the UFC wimps out on Cintron's offer. This is a great opportunity if you truly believe that MMA is a better fighting system than boxing.

I agree but I think Dana doesn't want this fight because this boxer has a wrestling background.

Harms · 05-15-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty Fighter

Kermit Cintron isn't any ol' boxer. He is 27-1 with 25 KO's. I think Dana made the challenge knowing full well Mayweather wouldn't accept. I just don't think he expected anybody else to be willing to take on the challenge. I would love to see the fight. And I think Dana should make it happen or he will lose face.

Who exactly has he fought? The best fighter he fought was Margarito who knocked him out in the 5th round. When I think of the best WW in boxing, Cintron isn't even in the top 5. Cintron doesn't have the star power for anyone to care. Perhaps if Judah or Mosely took Dana up, it would be worth it, but it would be a waste of a fight for Sherk. Go let Cintron fight KenFlo or someone.

jolucas · 05-15-2007, 11:24 PM

Am I the only person that has a problem with letting some boxer fight the UFC Champ when there are other MMA fighters that should be getting the fight instead?

If it were mayweather than I would get it. The amount of publicity that the UFC would get from a name of that caliber would justify allowing the match to occur. This new boxer just sounds like another in what will probably be a growing list of boxers that are just trying to get some headlines. If he wants a fight then give him a fight against some other lower level fighter just like any other new fighter would get.

If you are a Judo world champ you don't just get to fight a UFC title holder in your first fight. Why should it be different for boxing?

FatCatMC · 05-15-2007, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jolucas

If you are a Judo world champ you don't just get to fight a UFC title holder in your first fight. Why should it be different for boxing?

Because the Judo World Championships didn't sell 2 million PPV's.

I agree though, and that will be the very thing the boxer figures out when he's on the losing end of a submission.

Harms · 05-15-2007, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatCatMC

Because the Judo World Championships didn't sell 2 million PPV's.

I agree though, and that will be the very thing the boxer figures out when he's on the losing end of a submission.

Kermit doesn't sell 2 million PPV's either.

Dirty Fighter · 05-15-2007, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harms

Kermit doesn't sell 2 million PPV's either.

Neither has Sherk. I get what you say about Cintron, but Sherk's first LW match was for the title and against KenFlo on top of that. Not the most credible champ in my book.

Harms · 05-16-2007, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty Fighter

Neither has Sherk. I get what you say about Cintron, but Sherk's first LW match was for the title and against KenFlo on top of that. Not the most credible champ in my book.

Jolucas said it much better than I did. I just don't think Cintron is worth a fight with Sherk cause I would much rather see a top UFC LW fight him instead. MW would have been worth it, but Cintron isn't.

I agree with you about Sherk. He hasn't even defended his title yet so it remains to be seen at how credible he is as a champ. But how bad would that suck if the next fight for the winner of Franca/Sherk was Cintron and not Penn or Stevenson?

jolucas · 05-16-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty Fighter

Neither has Sherk. I get what you say about Cintron, but Sherk's first LW match was for the title and against KenFlo on top of that. Not the most credible champ in my book.

I don't think anyone was suggesting that Sherk sells 2 mill PPV's. The point was more along the lines that it would make some sense to let mayweather fight sherk in his first and probably last MMA fight because he just sold 2 mill PPV.

As for Sherks title, the one match deal is what we got because they were starting the division from scratch. All in all I feel Sherk is a pretty tough 155 fighter. Only two total losses and those were to two top 5 fighters in the world at the 170 class(Hughes, GSP). That makes him a pretty tough customer in my book.

earvinarp · 05-16-2007, 12:47 AM

Anyone can get caught with a good punch. And a boxer with bare hands and a decent take down defense can do a lot of damage. There is no doubt that boxers are much faster on their feet than mma fighters.

Aside from boxers, in my book Sherk has not yet proved himself as the real 155 lbs champ. He won the title in an interim title fight with Florian, who was still figuring things out. There is a whole lot of talent in that division right now, and, as long as he holds on to the belt, he should not be having an easy fight for a long time. Even if he beats Franca, does anyone see him beating Huerta?