Rampage Jackson Considering Boxing After UFC Contract Expires
by Scott Christ on Sep 29, 2011 1:59 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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UFC star Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is considering a move to professional boxing once his UFC contract is up, according to ESPN UK:
"I hate fighting people who are scared," Jackson told the ESPN UFC Podcast. "When you fight somebody who is scared you never know what they're going to do. They turn and run.
"That's why I'm gonna go to boxing. I'm gonna try boxing because they've got to stand with you. If I get knocked out I don't care because at least it's a fight.
"I've tried a lot of boxing, I'm falling in love with boxing and I know I can put butts on seats over there."
Jackson, 33, has been a star in mixed martial arts for years, and is without a question one of its most charismatic fighters in the short history of the sport. I have to assume his move to boxing would, indeed, draw legitimate attention, but as we know, coming into pro boxing isn't just a "hey, I'm here, give me a fight with a top guy" sort of deal.
Also, Jackson is a 205-pound fighter in mixed martial arts, and given his age it would be unlikely he'd be able to cut down to cruiserweight, where there's no U.S. market, and that means he'd have to fight as a heavyweight. At 6'1" with a 73" reach, he'd be undersized and probably underpowered.
I think Rampage would actually consider it if there was big money in it somewhere, but my skepticism comes from the fact that he's got an unfortunate physical build to become a boxing star, even if he were actually good at it.
Jackson is coming off of a bad loss to Jon Jones at UFC 135 on September 24.
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He'll have about as much luck as Badr Hari
Why is it these guys think they came come over and have success in a sport with an amateur hierarchy and everything? He doesn’t even like to make 205, so could he even make cruiser?
Most people don't know shit about boxing. At all. Period. - Roger Mayweather
by The Kittitas Kid on Sep 29, 2011 2:22 PM EDT reply actions
Rampage vs Kimbo for the WBF heavyweight title next year
by Bajingo on Sep 29, 2011 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’ll say this for Rampage: he has excellent technical boxing for a MMA fighter.
You can see there that he throws short, tight punches with power, counterpunches well, and protects his chin during exchanges.
But good for MMA doesn’t equal good.
by Verklemptomaniac on Sep 29, 2011 3:26 PM EDT reply actions
Right
add to that his size being really bad for boxing, I just don’t see where he could be succesfull. I’d think he could rack up some wins in the journeyman circit, maybe even enough for one highish profile fight with his skills if he wasn’t at HW.
1. Anderson Silva is waiting for you to punch him.
2. That guy is Anderson Silva.
3. Don't fucking punch that guy.
by Chris Barton on Sep 29, 2011 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions
He also dropped Chuck Liddel with a nice hook after slipping a punch.
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
Let him try it.
Fighting arts are what they are, and the first “M” in “MMA” would, I think, allow any cross-over. I expect that it would be a disaster for him, but he can certainly give it a shot. Boxing, though, is not the last refuge of an MMA fighter, any more than MMA is the last refuge of a boxer.
I actually think he could easily make cruiserweight if he so chose. Problem is he has often let his weight get up too high prior to training camp in the past. Either way I dont think there is any way he does boxing because his initial paydays would be much lower than in MMA, and quinton is all about the skrilla.
Rampage you are an mma fighter, its called mixed martial arts, not boxing.
So because someoen doesnt come out and stand with you and have a boxing match with you means they are scared?
Maybe it means its an mma fighter and kickboxing, wrestling, judo, bjj are a part of the sport.
Plus Jones stood with you for most of that fight and worked you over.
Over/under 4 fights before he is begging Dana to resign him? He makes big money in the UFC cause he is a name and he headlines fights, in boxing who would really care?
Sure he would get some attention but any good boxer beats him, I just dont see it.
Maybe he feels ok it took me years to get another title shot since i lost to Forrest and I got my shot and Jones beat me easily, the LHW div in the UFC is stacked and with SF LHW probably coming over come Feb you have Machida, Hendo, Rashad, Shogun again, Mo, Feijao, Davis and maybe Mousasi all in the mix in the div.
Page is getting older and he probably isnt ever gonna get a title shot in the UFC again, I mean I wont say never but its gonna take a while for him to build back up so maybe he sees this as a chance to jump ship and see if guys in the boxing world would be interested in promoting him.
he is a big name in mma and crossing over to boxing atleast at first would generate interest from boxing fans to see how he looks and mma fans to see how he does but I think he should stick to mma.
I think he’s delusional. Boxing is very hard work, and it’ll be like starting over. He’s looking into escapism b/c his skills have not significantly improved over the years, and his best years are past after having knocked out Liddell twice, and had a close exciting match with Sakuraba. Like Matt Hughes, guys that depend on their power and brute strength and athleticism usually have the shortest career in MMA b/c other guys improve, adapt, and develop new skills. Tito Ortiz is another guy who was very strong and who had one game plan and eventually became obselete as a fighter. Boxers if nothing else have different styles and not all of them stand and trade which is harder to deal with then slick MMA fighters. Holler!
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
There are a number of better boxers or equal boxers in MMA I can think of such as Sam Stout, Nick Diaz, Jon Jones, George St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans etc. He is not unique, just used to be strong, and now a burnout.
"According to all the laws of aerodynamics the bumble-bee should not fly, but the bumble-bee does not know this and so flies anyway."
no he's still top 10
bones is just that good.
Decision (unanimous)
Decision (unanimous)
Decision (unanimous)
..Decision (unanimous)
... .Decision (unanimous)
Decision (split) !!!
disagree with you on some bits.
i think rampage has better hands than stout, gsp, and rashad, and would do better in boxing than them. stout is a good kickboxer, and i’m a big fan as a fellow canadian, but spencer fisher has better hands than him. gsp has a good jab, but lacks the chin and power to do anything else with it. outjabbing josh koscheck doesn’t make you a good boxer. rashad… he got outpunched by machida, for chrissakes.
bones and diaz in boxing though, i would definitely love to see.
You cannot walk if you fear to crush the ant in your wake.
Actually, I think Rampage was at his best against Henderson.
He showed awesome skills in that fight.
"With gold thou boughtest Gýmir's daughter,
and so gavest away thy sword:
but when Muspell's sons through the dark forest ride,
thou, unhappy, wilt not have wherewith to fight."
~ Lokasenna
I like Rampage alot
But no way he makes it as a boxer. I watch the standup in MMA, and it is nowhere near as skilled and precise as boxing. Even Anderson Silva, as great as he is in striking, he wont be able to do that to a boxer.
"Winning is Everything"
Failure is not an Option
If you're not first, you're last
This is a negotiation ploy
nothing more.
Rampage isn’t seriously going to go over and box. He may enjoy boxing, but he knows he’d get his ass beat against any high level fighter.
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