Ricardo Mayorga's MMA debut set for May 15
by SC on Feb 24, 2010 7:00 PM EST
in News Analysis
28 comments
Looks like Ricardo Fighting Mayorga is actually going to go through with his attempt at MMA, as Shine Fights sent out a press release to hype Mayorga's May 15 fight with credible MMA veteran Din Thomas. In it, Mayorga had this to say:
"I conquered the world in the boxing ring all the while I was puffing cigarettes and drinking beer. I won three world title belts and I stood toe to toe with so many legends, beating some of them. Vernon Forrest, God rest his soul, was a great boxer yet I beat him back twice. I cannot be denied as I am a force of nature.
"Now I will shock the MMA fans and I know so many of my fans from boxing will follow me as I expand my repertoire. They can't deny me in MMA and I will destroy Din Thomas. I am going to smash him the way I smashed all the big superstars of boxing. To me, a fight is a fight -- in a ring, in a cage or on the street. Fighting is my middle name."
Mayorga (28-7-1, 22 KO in boxing) and Thomas (25-8 MMA, 7 TKO/KO, 14 SUB) will fight in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at the Crown Coliseum. They're thinking good business for this event, of course.
"We think Mayorga’s fans are just that, his fans and they will follow him to MMA. Many boxing fans are out there who can become fans of both sports and that's our target here. Mayorga inspires passion and that's what we're looking for," said Thomas.
While this will definitely get Shine Fights more attention than they usually receive, they're hopefully being reasonable here. Mayorga has not fought since Shane Mosley knocked him out in 2008, and I think the last real major memory of him in boxing is Oscar de la Hoya beating the ever-loving crap out of him in '06. Mayorga doesn't have a huge following.
This is a boxing/MMA idea I actually like. Mayorga is a pure brawler no matter what sport he's in. His limits in MMA are more glaring (I assume, anyway) than his limits in boxing, but he was no ring genius in boxing either. He's got nasty power, though, and with those small gloves he can turn lights out in a hurry. Thomas is a good fighter, probably on the downside of his career, but tactically should have almost all the advantages against Ricardo. Din has been fighting on small cards since his last UFC appearance in 2008, a loss to Josh Neer. He's been fighting professionally since 1998, stays in good shape, and unless he's hit fast, has got to be the overwhelming favorite against Mayorga.
But it's interesting. And I love the words from Devin Price, the CEO of Shine Fights.
"In my opinion, boxing and MMA are not in some knockdown, dragout war. It's not all one and none of the other. The sports have so much in common, especially when it comes to the courage and fighting heart of the athletes. There is room in the marketplace for both boxing and MMA and seeing a big boxing name like Mayorga cross over without abandoning boxing is proof of this. It's all about an open mind because fans of one sport can learn to love the other. I really feel this. All that boxing versus MMA nonsense is ancient history."
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I've always thought...
That the speed at which a boxer throws punches could be able to knock out a guy trying to give in and get a take down. Along with the fact that a lot of the MMA fights I’ve seen started out as short boxing matches, this could favor Mayorga.
I’m really interested in this.
It depends on the style they go against. Some guys might just stay away and leg kick the hell out of a boxer (leg kicks f-ing hurt!), or shoot so low as to go under his punches (now if he knew how to throw a knee?). If Mayorga has worked on avoiding the takedown this might be really interesting, and I could see him f-ing Din Thomas up.
I think that Thomas has to go for the take down and use his MMA skills to his advantage. If Mayorga and Thomas have just 3 min of stand up boxing, there’s almost no way that Thomas doesn’t get knocked out…
At least IMO.
I think you’re right. Maybe – maybe – if Ricardo hasn’t done any work on checking kicks Thomas can leg kick and punch kick the shit out of him, but I think he’s got to shoot or take him down somehow. No mma fighter should ever want to trade blows with a real boxer.
Din would probably have more success with a clinch than a straight double leg shot, but there is certainly a threat anytime he gets within Mayorga’s striking range.
Either way, Im an interested observer.
I’m definitely interested. I want to see someone with elite level hand speed and power in boxing make the transition to mma. Does Ricardo still have it? I don’t know, but I’ll watch and find out.
Mayorga has crap hand speed and always did. Honestly, Mayorga’s actual boxing ability is probably not a whole lot better than any of the best MMA boxers. Mayorga throws a ton of really wide, really slow punches. Honestly if Din is smart he’ll trounce Mayorga. All he has to be wary of is Ricardo’s power, but if Thomas gets brave, then all bets are off. Mayorga can still punch.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by SC on Feb 24, 2010 9:30 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah the elite speed was a little much, but I was speaking about basically any top level boxer in relation to most mma fighters. Ricardo has always been a heavy-handed free swinger, which I think might translate easier than someone like a Trinadad or Mayweather. With 4 oz gloves and swarming shots that come from every angle, that’s the shortcut to success in a cage.
Hahahahaha
Well of course not…MMA stars aren’t trained to box, but I wouldn’t mind seeing them try to step into the 4 sided 18 sq ft ring against some of the best in the world.
That would be interesting watching an MMA star learning how to box…
Andrei Arlovski and Nick Diaz come to mind. Arlovski has a few fights under his belt and trains with Roach. Freddie has floated the idea of Andrei focusing on a Boxing career and considering his lack of options in MMA, its likely.
Nick has 1 pro fight under his belt but a more promising MMA career at this point.
Thank you...
I had no idea that transition even happened. I’ve seen Nick Diaz fight so I understand that MMA is the way to go for him…
The other guy, I’ve never heard of.
Arlovski was a multiple-time UFC heavyweight champion. Terrible chin.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by SC on Feb 24, 2010 8:26 PM EST up reply actions
I thought he held it more than that. Well, I’m wrong. I was counting the interim title and then the bump to full champion status as two, like a dope.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by SC on Feb 25, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
KJ Noons is another. I think he might not even be a half-bad pro boxer if that was his sole focus, but it’s not.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by SC on Feb 24, 2010 8:26 PM EST up reply actions
KJ Noons and Marcus Davis are two guys that were both actual legitimate pro boxers. And I think Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, and Gegard Mousasi all have “pro boxer” abilities. At what level? That I don’t know. My “real boxer” comment was directed at those that think guys like Kimbo Slice are great boxers because he looks like a real-life Clubber Lang.
Trust me when i say that any real boxing or mma fan knows that Kimbo Slice is not a great boxer and if they did they definetly wouldnt posting on here
Chris 'Lights Out' Lytle
is another with pro boxing experience. 13 or so pro fights. Lytle still loves to bang, dude’s fought everybody in MMA.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
All sorts of things can happen
Yosuke Nishijima paced out to meet Evangelista Cyborg some years back, caught a knee to the dome, and never recovered.
He can say what he wants
I’d probably say that too, no matter what. It sells more tickets, and maybe then Mayorga will underprepare for takedowns. Then come fight time, shoot anyway.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Re: the fan following
In terms of getting boxing fans to watch, it probably doesn’t hurt that Thomas is at least vaguely familiar to those of us who watched March Badness.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Freak show contunues.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Feb 24, 2010 9:35 PM EST reply actions
It only takes one head kick to end it aswell. I haven’t seen Din fight in a while but he used to be pretty fast, good with his hands too. Tough first fight for anyone, based on Thomas’ cage experience. I can see Mayorga getting choked pretty quick.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
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