Boxing Fighter Vs. MMA Fighter

What two fighters would you like to see fight each other?
Tyson vs. Randy Couture would be cool to see.

I honestly would never be interested in seeing a top-flight boxer fight a top-flight MMA fighter in an MMA rules match or a boxing match. Each would get totally blown out in the other's domain. 

I agree with @Skelliher...The boxer would have a better shot against the MMA guy in MMA though, because of the stand-up, but for the hell of it lets throw out my pick

Andre Ward vs. Nick Diaz...In a boxing match would be awesome so we could see Nick Diaz get lit up  

                 

I wouldn't necessarily say the boxer would have a better chance in MMA. People seem to forget how easy it is for even an intermediate level wrestler to take a boxer to the ground. Boxers also aren't used to fighting with 4ox gloves or reacting to the different punches and kicks thrown by martial arts fighters. I think it depends on the individuals involved.

I agree with skelliher. If that was the case top level kickboxers would also own mma and without TDD they suck massively.

I think Nick Diaz vs. any top level professional boxer would end up with Diaz on the canvas.  His boxing is not that great, it's just that he applies it well to an MMA setting, and doesn't have many concerns about being taken down, because he has such high level Jits.

I also think that @skelliher's assessment is very fair.  Most of the MMA fighters would not perform very well in top tier professional boxing, just like most boxers would not fair very well in top tier MMA.  Guys like Chris Lytle, Jens Pulver, and others have tried professional boxing and have semi-impressive records, but they haven't faced anyone even in the top 500 rankings.  We saw what happened when James Toney (a comitted 100% through and through boxer) fought Randy Couture (a past-prime decorated MMA fighter.)  That pretty much sums up the question in this discussion. 

Take Floyd Mayweather Jr for example.  He is one of the best boxers in the history of the sport, whether you're talking about his record, quality of opposition, style, natural talent, knowledge, etc.  The guy simply has it all, and with the exception of maybe Pacquiao, Mayweather hasn't ducked anyone, and I would argue that Pacquiao is doing the ducking more so than Mayweather at this point.   Even a guy like Pretty Boy Floyd would not fair well at all in MMA, because his style is so committed to the rules and confines of the sport of boxing.  Because of his tendency to roll his shoulders, lean his weight, and stand up tall, he would find himself extremely susceptible to take downs, and once on the ground, he would squirm like a fish out of water. 

On the same token, if you took a guy like Georges St. Pierre (P4P one of the best in the sport's history, and one of the most decorated athletes in MMA), and threw him into a boxing ring with boxing rules, against a talented professional boxer, I say GSP gets dominated.  St. Pierre may have a good jab by MMA standards, and may be an extremely athletic guy, but when push comes to shove he is a mixed martial artist, not a boxer.  A seasoned, crisp striking boxer would pick him apart and make him pay for his technical errors all fight long.  He may not get stopped, but he would definitely get beaten. 

The rules, confines, and tendencies of each given sport would produce some overwhelming hurdles for anyone coming from either sport to the other.  I'm sure someone from each sport could probably pull it off, but like skelliher pointed out, it would depend greatly on the individual.

SoccerKick, you've got it backwards.  At least MMA fighters train striking.  At least the MMA fighter would have a clue.  The boxer would be much more out of his element in MMA.

totally agree with soccerkick

there are plenty of good boxers who have crossed over to mma, several golden gloves and state champions. KJ Noons, that heaveyweight in bellator the giant ginger dude, Marcus Davis, and several more i cant think of...

if the best boxer (for sake of avoiding a pacman vs money arguement, ima say..) Sergio Martinez fought in mma, he'd be as effective as mark hunt...in other words, every boxer in mma = james toney...take em down in 5 seconds, GnP, then sub..

mma fighters in boxing have a better chance, imo, because they train it daily...im NOT saying diaz/gsp/anderson silva could win a belt, but i AM saying they could go over 500 against decent to good boxers..while i dont think boxers have a chance to sniff 500 in mma

I agree with jersey I think MMA has too many other factors to consider that would overwhelm a boxer, so overall I think an MMA fighter would stand a better chance in boxing than a boxer would stand in MMA.  Honest opinion.