‘Boxing more dangerous than mixed martial arts’

Boxing poses a greater risk of serious injury than mixed martial arts which has a reputation for being one of the most brutal and bloody of all contact sports, according to new research.

Researchers from the University of Alberta reviewed a decade’s worth of data from medical examinations following mixed martial arts and boxing matches and found that mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters face a slightly higher risk of minor injuries.

Boxers, however, are more likely to experience serious harm from concussions and other head trauma, loss of consciousness, eye injuries, smashed noses and broken bones. “Yes, you’re more likely to get injured if you’re participating in mixed martial arts, but the injury severity is less overall than boxing,” said lead author Shelby Karpman, a sports medicine physician at U of A’s Glen Sather clinic.