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MMA Fighters Who Have Tried Their Hand at Boxing

While there’s no shortage of regular athletes who jumped straight into MMA fighting with no previous experience, there are also several that buck the trend. Did you know there is a growing number of MMA fighters who have tried their hand at boxing? Just by reading the latest MMA news, you will be surprised at who either excelled at boxing and transitioned to MMA, or gave it a shot and didn’t succeed. See if any of these names ring a bell, some may surprise you.

 

Holly Holm

Holly Holm is a household name in the latest MMA news, but she’s also a home hero in boxing too. She has a standout record with the World Boxing Association and Council and is no stranger to kickboxing too. However, Holly also made a name for herself in MMA, becoming a bantamweight UFA champion after KOing Ronda Rousey.

 

Eric Esch – Butterbean

Eric Esch, known as Butterbean, is an MMA fighter but has had more success and prominence in the boxing community. If you take a look at the latest MMA news regarding him, you will see he gained a few wins but nothing substantial. In boxing, though, his 300-pound bulk sees him hold an exceptional four-round fighting record.

 

James Toney

James Toney is an old hand in the boxing and MMA community, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t lose any standing even though he is aging. Even today, he occasionally makes it into the latest MMA news. James has titles in heavyweight, cruiserweight, super middleweight, and middleweight. He also lost to Randy Coutre at the 2010 UFC 118. In 2016 when he was almost 50, he still had the occasional fight.

 

Ricardo Mayorga

Ricardo Mayorga is an MMA fighter who has tried his hand at boxing with relative success in both fields. He was a super welterweight and welterweight champion and hit the latest MMA news with his debut in 2013 with four fights. He won his first fight, only for it to be deemed no contest later on, then lost his remaining three before quitting.

 

Many famous names appear in both MMA and boxing, with these four above only a handful of those who tried to give it a real go. Keep your eye on the latest MMA news to find out who will be next to dabble in both boxing and MMA.

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Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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