Both MMA and boxing have been compared and contrasted in a number of areas over the last couple of decades, especially since the UFC’s inexorable rise. To be fair, at times the two sport disciplines are unnecessarily framed with being in competition with one another, as if the rise of MMA is at the detriment of boxing. That is, of course, not necessarily true, with any perceived decline in boxing’s popularity simply that, a perception, when you take into consideration recent record PPV buys and fights filling stadiums like never before.
While the casual fan of combat sports is under no obligation to choose between boxing and MMA, it is interesting to compare the value punters get in the betting markets. Both sports, by their very nature, divide opinions of fans on different fighters, so they naturally lend themselves to betting heavily, especially on big fight nights. The betting on Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor last month, for example, was huge, as fans tested their opinions with their wallets.
Draw a rare feat in UFC
At first glance, both MMA and boxing are quite similar. For example, the odds on a Daniel Cormier win against Derrick Lewis in UFC are priced at 1/7 for Cormier and 5/1 for Lewis. A similar match up in boxing, Tony Bellew vs Oleksandr Usyk sees Bellew at 9/2 and Usyk at 1/6. Very little difference. However, boxing will also leave room for the draw, which, for Bellew vs Usyk, comes in odds of 28/1 with William Hill. Boxing draws are quite rare, but they do famously happen, such as with Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. A study of all UFC fights from 1996-2017 saw just 21 draws in 3569 fights, just 0.59% overall. For that reason, the draw is not always offered on MMA fights by bookmakers.
But, while boxing fans can plough into the odds for a, sometimes controversial, draw, MMA fans have other options when it comes to the method of victory. A boxing match (in the bookmakers’ eyes) ends in two ways, stoppage (KO/TKO/Disqualification) or decision. However, for MMA, they often break it down into submission, KO/TKO, disqualification, decision. This gives fans a bit more to ponder. Betfair, for example, have put Cormier at 11/4 for a submission win and 25/1 for Lewis victory by that method.
Lots of markets for Wilder vs Fury
However, one could argue that boxing really outstrips MMA when the big, super fights come along. For example, the latest Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder Betting Odds cover a wide range of markets and bookies’ promotions that you would not normally get for a typical fight. Consider that you can bet on both fighters to be knocked down (5/1, Paddy Power), or 6/1 (William Hill) that either fighter wins in the 10th to 12th round (a savvy bet). The nature of the fight, the fact it’s a truly global event means that the markets are endless. For punters, that means some betting value can be located.
One could argue then that it is not the type of combat sport, but the size of the fight that determines how punters get betting value. A massive UFC headliner is going to get more options than a low-key Bellator fight, just as Fury and Wilder will have more betting markets than a random undercard. The best advice is to, like your favourite fighter choosing their shots, choose your betting markets and fights carefully to ensure you get the best value.
