BUCHAREST, ROMANIA: Former kickboxing champion Andrew Tate, who has since gained fame as an influencer, expressed his belief in the superiority of MMA over boxing. With an impressive track record in kickboxing, Tate earned the prestigious title of four-time world kickboxing champion, showcasing his exceptional skills and technical prowess. Despite his success in the ring, Tate made a deliberate choice to abstain from pursuing a career in MMA or boxing, and even turned down an opportunity to fight the legendary Floyd Mayweather.
Tate rose to international prominence through viral video clips on social media during the pandemic. However, his notoriety did not solely stem from his provocative ideas and opinions, which were often criticized for being misogynistic. Before becoming an online 'influencer', Tate had already established himself as a renowned world-champion kickboxer and had made appearances on various reality shows, further solidifying his presence in the public eye.
'It’s much worse for the mind'
Tate, drawing from his involvement in combat sports training, possesses firsthand experience in the realm of kickboxing. This particular discipline necessitates a comprehensive understanding of techniques derived from both mixed martial arts (MMA) and traditional boxing. Consequently, based on his encounters, Tate candidly expressed his belief that boxing pales in comparison to MMA in terms of its intensity and impact. Tate proceeded to mention that, according to his assessment, standard boxing poses the greatest risk in terms of enduring life-altering injuries. He explained that in MMA, when a fighter becomes disoriented or injured, they typically get taken down, grappled with, and struck a few times. Alternatively, if they receive a head kick, they tend to be rendered unconscious. However, in boxing, even if a boxer is highly trained and proficient, they can instinctively endure for an extended period despite experiencing a concussion. Tate emphasized that this prolonged exposure causes long-term damage and being partially hurt is significantly more detrimental to the mind and the brain compared to being struck and knocked out, only to swiftly recover and continue.
Tate said, “The worst in terms of actual life-changing injuries is standard boxing. Because in MMA if you get wobbled or you get hurt, you usually get taken down, wrestled, and hit a few times. Or even if you take a kick to the head you’re usually out. In boxing, if you’re a well-trained boxer and you’re very good, you can instinctually survive a long time even after you’re basically concussed. It’s much worse for the mind and the brain to keep taking damage when it’s semi-hurt as opposed to just getting hit and knocked out getting straight back up.“
Although 'Top G' had expressed his willingness to engage in a bout with Floyd Mayweather, he appeared to decline the chance to confront one of boxing's most prominent figures. When inquired about the rationale behind his decision, Tate offered a surprisingly respectful explanation.
Tate stated, "He is one of my heroes and I think he is the best boxer of all time and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I love his story, I love his confidence, I love how every single word out of his mouth is self-hypnosis and I love how he hypnotizes his opponents. I love his style, everyone says he is boring. He is not boring and if you appreciate defense he is the best he has ever been. So I couldn’t bring myself to throw a punch, I have very few heroes but he is one of them."
'Boxers are the real Spartans'
After Tate shared his perspective on MMA and boxing, numerous users took the opportunity to delve into an analysis of his statements. They expressed their viewpoints and offered their own interpretations of his words, seeking to unpack any implicit biases or problematic implications that may have been present. One user wrote, "One of the few things the man said I agree with as a boxer myself. We are the real Spartans and a dying breed tho, f**k mma." Another user wrote, "MMA is much worse ground n pound ?"
