We take a look at some of the best boxers that have graced the UFC octagon, and pick some of our favorites – here is who the best boxer in the UFC is

Boxing remains one of the most fundamental skillsets a fighter must possess in a mixed martial arts ruleset. While every fight and round begins on the feet, boxing has been a primordial requisite in an MMA setting. During his fight against Calvin Kattar, Max Holloway entered invincible zone as he peppered his opponent with boxing shots, and yelled at the commentary booth, ‘ I am the best boxer in the UFC’. But who is the best boxer to fight in the UFC?

Much like wrestling, boxing is one of the most important skillsets and base to have in MMA. Establishing a boxing range might get challenging, but having your fundamentals on fleek can open up opportunities at the right moment that fighters can capitalize on. Regardless of that, one can secure unblemished footwork, and immaculate defense by putting in boxing rounds. A good sparring exposure in boxing can also improve a fighter’s cardiovascular abilities, and chin conditioning. Boxing remains one of the most physically tiring aspect in a training regime, and it would be a brick short of a load if fighter’s neglect that aspect. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite boxers from the UFC.

Junior Dos Santos

Junior Dos Santos is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion; as a professional wrestler, dos Santos makes appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a member of the American Top Team. Dos Santos and his two siblings were raised by a single mother, Maria, after their alcoholic father, Sebastian, left the family in the mid-1990s. He had to go through some serious childhood trauma, when he started to work at the age of ten in order to help his family. He trained in capoeira throughout his teenage years before he began taking martial arts seriously at 21. He began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Yuri Carlton. After six months of training, dos Santos won a few jiu-jitsu tournaments in Salvador. One year later, dos Santos was invited to join a boxing practice by a friend, where he met his boxing coach Luiz Carlos Dórea. Dórea also trained mixed martial arts, and roughly a year after he started training in boxing, he had his debut professional fight.

Dos Santos was one of the slickest boxers inside the UFC. For a fighter his size and stature, Santos would move with pristine grace, setting up beautiful combinations. He also possesses one of the best jabs in the game- a fundamental and basic punch, often overlooked. Mastering the jab can win fights if you used perfectly, and Santos did just that. He was also very good at ring-distance management, and cutting angles whenever threatened.

Conor McGregor

A boxing list in the UFC is incomplete without mentioning the name of the ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor. One of the best counter punchers in the game, Conor would stifle opponents with his kickboxing, but make no mistake, every move that he performed was a set-up for his favored left hand from boxing range.

Take the Eddie Alvarez fight for example, Mcgregor used his distance to keep Alvarez at bay. He created a sort of imaginary fence around his range, and every time Eddie tried to enter it, Conor would counter him hard with quick combinations, that would completely dismantle the American. An absolute master of illusion, Conor at times gave Eddie a false sense of security by intentionally missing punches and faking his range. Once Eddie got comfortable, he would charge in range and hit him with his powerful left hand, dropping him on multiple occasions.

Besides that Mcgregor also has in-ring experience with arguably the greatest boxers of our generation in Floyd Mayweather. Mcgregor lasted eight solid rounds, and even had some initial success against the experienced Floyd. In his second fight against Nate Diaz, another skilled boxer, Conor showed some beautiful defense when threatened.

Nick Diaz

Punches in bunches is a concept introduced in MMA by Stockton’s finest, Nick Diaz. Although Diaz has never been a UFC champion, his influence on the sport remains vital to this day. He integrated healthy lifestyle, vegan diet, and high intensity cardio training as a must in the game. Diaz has trained alongside the biggest names in boxing and kickboxing, like Andre Ward and Joe Schilling.

In his earlier fighting days, Diaz utilized his grappling skills to get past opponents, up until he met his boxing trainer Richard Perez. Perez helped Diaz reinvent his game with a boxing heavy approach. In his fight against Frank Shamrock, Diaz’s childhood idol, the Stockton bad boy dismantled his opponent on the feet completely, and became the Strikeforce champion.

Diaz also gets the credit for revolutionizing bodywork in MMA. He would mix his targets by hitting opponents with only half energy, and digging shots to the body.

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