UFC Fighters That Could Become Boxers

There are plenty of sports stars that fancy their chances in the ring as a boxer. In fact, these days even YouTube personalities and reality TV show names get the opportunity to fight in some of the most heavily promoted boxing events around the world but there is always an argument for UFC fighters switching over to the sweet science.

Figure 1 Boxing takes a particular set of skills.

There are lots of technical differences between fighting in an octagon and fighting in a ring but there are some MMA superstars who rely on their boxing skills to win their fights. These are fighters who routinely feature onUFC betting sites for the biggest events but could they really become boxing champions as well?

Francis Ngannou

Our first fighter is a particularly interesting choice, as Ngannou is now looking for new employment after finally severing ties with UFC in January of this year. He had formerly been the heavyweight champion and well known for his ability to box himself to success in the octagon.

The Cameroonian-born Frenchman was considered to have had the hardest punch in MMA and has recently been talking about setting up fights against the likes of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. It is not always the case that sportsmen can switch so easily but the thought of Ngannou in the ring is an intriguing one.

Stipe Miocic

At 40 years of age, it is unlikely that Stipe Miocic will trade MMA gloves for boxing gloves this late in his career. But as someone who is a former Golden Gloves champion, there is an argument that he could have been a contender if he hadn’t become so successful in UFC.

Miocic actually excelled in a number of sports while still at school, playing baseball to a decent level and wrestling at NCAA level. His power and strength were more suited to fighting though – and he is currently the number one heavyweight in UFC. A fact that some boxers in that division are probably quite happy about.

Israel Adesanya

‘The Last Stylebender’ could be said to be at something of a crossroads in his career. After defending his UFC middleweight title on five occasions, it was something of a surprise when he lost to Alex Pereira at UFC 281 towards the end of last year.

It is unlikely that Adesanya will look to boxing as his next challenge, but the New Zealander does have some experience in the ring. Before taking up MMA – and while also becoming a kickboxing champion – Adesanya enjoyed a 5-1 professional boxing record. He could always make the leap back.

Figure 2 UFC fighter would need to relearn their boxing skills to be successful.

Dustin Poirier

An absolute powerhouse in the lightweight division of UFC, Poirier has been lauded for his boxing skills and his ability to punch his way to victory. He has beaten a number of high-profile fighters in his time, including Conor McGregor – and we all know about his switch to the boxing ring.

Poirier has proved to have excellent boxing technique in the past, and has shown that his footwork is just as impressive as his punching power. It is not surprising when you learn that he initially trained as a boxer and was putting together a very good amateur career before MMA came calling.

Petr Yan

This former bantamweight champion is another fighter who could be looking for other opportunities if his current UFC form continues. An explosive fighter, Yan has lost three of his last four bouts and desperately needs another victory to get back on track. That’s not to say that his losses haven’t come in a controversial manner, however.

Yan is an excellent puncher and that obviously comes from his time training as a boxer in his youth. After moving around a lot in his early childhood, Yan achieved the Master of Sport in boxing in the former USSR and has continued to use those skills later on his career in a mixed martial arts capacity.