[UFC] Boxing Champ Kermit Cintron Willing to Fight in the UFC

[LRoling]

IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron is willing to accept the challenge that UFC president Dana White recently issued to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

In the days leading up to his pay-per-view bout with Oscar De La Hoya last weekend, Mayweather made disparaging remarks about UFC fighters, claiming that not only were his MMA counterparts less athletic, but that any boxing champion could easily transition into the UFC and become a champion.

White told Mayweather to put up or shut up, offering the boxer a chance to fight UFC lightweight (155-pound) champion Sean Sherk. White even promised a lucrative fight purse. Mayweather, though, later apologized for the statements and said he wouldn?t be fighting in the UFC anytime soon.

Cintron, however, is up for the challenge.

From Kevin Iole at Yahoo! Sports:

Cintron, who will defend his championship against Walter Matthysse on July 14 in Atlantic City , said he?d be willing to fight Sherk after that.

?I want the fight,? said Cintron, who is 27-1 with 25 KOs . ?I can wrestle. I can box. I can beat those UFC fighters at their own game. Tell Mr. White to make me an offer and I?ll take on his guy after I fight Matthysse on July 14.?

The Puerto Rican-born 27-year-old didn?t actually take up boxing until after a successful run in wrestling. He went undefeated his freshman year of high school in Pennsylvania but never made it to state. Nevertheless, his success in the sport earned Cintron scholarship offers from Ohio State and the University of Wisconsin. He ultimately went to Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and finished 10th in the nation his freshman year. The wrestling team was disbanded after the season, though, and Cintron devoted his efforts to boxing.

Would the UFC and White accept the offer? It?s hard to tell. By offering Mayweather a title shot, the UFC was trying to exploit boxing?s ?one-trick ponies,? as White called them. Although Cintron hasn?t seriously competed in wrestling in nearly a decade, he could surely shake off some rust and actually bring some ground skills to the Octagon.

It?s impossible to know if those skills and his boxing prowess would be enough to seriously challenge a UFC champion under MMA rules ? and I doubt we ever get the chance to find out. No disrespect intended toward Cintron, but he just doesn?t have the name recognition Mayweather does, and his upcoming bout with Matthysse won?t garner the headlines that Mayweather vs. De La Hoya did.

Then again, the UFC ? and especially White ? aren?t ones to back down from a challenge. Or the occasional novelty act.

Source: UFCjunkie.com and Yahoo! Sports

This would be interesting. He's a champion boxer with some ground skills. However, I still think Sherk would dominate him.

[digipoi]

Cintron is a hard puncher but not a great boxer. He got devastated when matched up with Margarito. Cintron stands a chance but showing boxer's track record, it may be another disappointment. On the flipside, MMA fighters could not do the same and beat a top boxer. For instance, put Sherk in with Mayweather utilizing boxing rules or put him in with Cintron. Outcome will be the same.

[Rappy Veteran]

Be interesting to see....a cross fight...it would be awesome tho its not gonna happen for Mayweather to now he has retired from Boxing go into UFC :laugh:

[digipoi]

Mayweather doesn't hold enough stones to enter. Plus, thats just not how boxers fight.

[LRoling]

Nobody is saying that a boxer in a boxing ring in a boxing match would get dominated by a UFC fighter. The debate is probably the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time and a lot of "Sports Writers" are blind to the fact that MMA and Boxing are different. Writers point out one advantage over another, but the fact is, a boxer owns the boxing ring in their sport, but if you put a boxer into the MMA world without an awesome ground game, submission defense, and overall ground defense, they will be murdered inside 1 minute. That's the story here.

Mayweather ran his mouth about how he would dominate a UFC fighter in the boxing ring. Wow, that was really big of him. Let's bring in Sean Sherk to fight you in a boxing match, give me a break, no **** Mayweather would win. He's faster, and boxes every day of his life. Sean Sherk is a ground man. But then Mayweather says he could take Sherk in any fight, MMA or not. Wrong. Sean Sherk is massive at his weight. He is pure muscle and an unreal ground game wrestler.

MMA fighters probably couldn't beat a top boxer, but it's happened before. Top boxers who went to K-1 and DIDN'T try to kickbox got dominated. I know for a fact, Mirko beat a few top heavyweight boxers at their old age. Granted, they were old, I get that, but most boxers had big wins at their old age. A young Mayweather would dominate a MMA fighter in the boxing ring.

The article doesn't state a boxing match, it will be an MMA-UFC match. Cintron vs. Sherk. Outcome: < 1 minute submission or ground and pound stoppage easily by Sherk. On a side note, the De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight didn't even come close to the hype and boxing is not saved. I hear all these articles about Boxing's legendary status as a sport that has surpassed countless times of decline. Give me a break. MMA is really the new age of fighting, and it's watched a lot more than Boxing ever will be in the future.

[snyper]

Dam HIM!

After the fight there is going to be a sharp spike in the price of titanium...due to the hugh amounts of it that will be needed to reconstruct his face.

Looks like i'l be keepind one eye on the price of the market ;)

[digipoi]

Nobody is saying that a boxer in a boxing ring in a boxing match would get dominated by a UFC fighter. The debate is probably the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time and a lot of "Sports Writers" are blind to the fact that MMA and Boxing are different. Writers point out one advantage over another, but the fact is, a boxer owns the boxing ring in their sport, but if you put a boxer into the MMA world without an awesome ground game, submission defense, and overall ground defense, they will be murdered inside 1 minute. That's the story here.

Mayweather ran his mouth about how he would dominate a UFC fighter in the boxing ring. Wow, that was really big of him. Let's bring in Sean Sherk to fight you in a boxing match, give me a break, no **** Mayweather would win. He's faster, and boxes every day of his life. Sean Sherk is a ground man. But then Mayweather says he could take Sherk in any fight, MMA or not. Wrong. Sean Sherk is massive at his weight. He is pure muscle and an unreal ground game wrestler.

MMA fighters probably couldn't beat a top boxer, but it's happened before. Top boxers who went to K-1 and DIDN'T try to kickbox got dominated. I know for a fact, Mirko beat a few top heavyweight boxers at their old age. Granted, they were old, I get that, but most boxers had big wins at their old age. A young Mayweather would dominate a MMA fighter in the boxing ring.

The article doesn't state a boxing match, it will be an MMA-UFC match. Cintron vs. Sherk. Outcome: < 1 minute submission or ground and pound stoppage easily by Sherk. On a side note, the De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight didn't even come close to the hype and boxing is not saved. I hear all these articles about Boxing's legendary status as a sport that has surpassed countless times of decline. Give me a break. MMA is really the new age of fighting, and it's watched a lot more than Boxing ever will be in the future.

Boxers like Corrales saves the sport of Boxing. Cintron will be submitted if he can't keep Sherk on his feet.

What I can't stand is MMA enthusiasts capping on boxing everywhere you turn. There really is no need for that as we can all live together. I follow both sports for the record. Its almost fair to make the assumption that sports like Boxing and Kickboxing helped pave the way for MMA. Be grateful. We all need to do what we can to keep 'all' contact sports alive.

[Rappy Veteran]

Boxers like Corrales saves the sport of Boxing. Cintron will be submitted if he can't keep Sherk on his feet.

What I can't stand is MMA enthusiasts capping on boxing everywhere you turn. There really is no need for that as we can all live together. I follow both sports for the record. Its almost fair to make the assumption that sports like Boxing and Kickboxing helped pave the way for MMA. Be grateful. We all need to do what we can to keep 'all' contact sports alive.

I love both as well but over the last year or so I have been a bit more into UFC because Boxing has gone a bit off the boil...but maybe now it will come back better then ever after Mayweather/Hoya fight next month is Hatton vs Castillo which should be good...

[LRoling]

I have no real problem with Boxing. The sport has it's own sense of rivalry, excitement, etc., but I guess I can go on and say this.... I'm impatient and can't watch an overally hyped grudge match between two boxers, but... I don't want to see an MMA fight end in the first 8 seconds either. Boxing may have paved the way for MMA, but... Boxing isn't huge anymore, not like it was. It's a blip on the map now. It's the 11th placed major sport in the U.S., that's horrible. The Pay Per View numbers are horrid.

I also think the fact that boxing has one real big hyped fight per 2 months - 4 months kills their influx of money. UFC is hyping at least one major event per month. With bringing in the big guns from PRIDE, it's only going to get bigger and badder. And the revenues are only going to get larger and larger to the point where the payrolls will rival Boxing.

Just my opinion, I think people love the multiple facets of MMA more than boxing. Both should be great together, but with the recent spouting by boxers and MMA fighters alike, it's getting a bad blood type of hype now.

[snyper]

Don King Ruined Mike Tyson

Don King Ruined Boxing

Don King Must Die

[digipoi]

I have no real problem with Boxing. The sport has it's own sense of rivalry, excitement, etc., but I guess I can go on and say this.... I'm impatient and can't watch an overally hyped grudge match between two boxers, but... I don't want to see an MMA fight end in the first 8 seconds either. Boxing may have paved the way for MMA, but... Boxing isn't huge anymore, not like it was. It's a blip on the map now. It's the 11th placed major sport in the U.S., that's horrible. The Pay Per View numbers are horrid.

I also think the fact that boxing has one real big hyped fight per 2 months - 4 months kills their influx of money. UFC is hyping at least one major event per month. With bringing in the big guns from PRIDE, it's only going to get bigger and badder. And the revenues are only going to get larger and larger to the point where the payrolls will rival Boxing.

Just my opinion, I think people love the multiple facets of MMA more than boxing. Both should be great together, but with the recent spouting by boxers and MMA fighters alike, it's getting a bad blood type of hype now.

That all came into play when fans started insinuating MMA as being a 'replacement' sport for boxing. I'm not going to further elaborate on the differences of the sport as it will always be compared but does not matter. MMA will not replace Boxing. Two completely different sports.

I will agree with you on all counts that Boxing has become tainted with greedy promoters and greedy fighters. No one wants to take a chance anymore and step up to great fights. Same way Mayweather had to retract his statements. He made 15 - 20 million for fighting Oscar, how much you think Dana would offer him to fight Sherk? 1 mil, 2 mil? It wouldn't pay off for him to risk getting his head ripped apart. Boxers are pricing themselves out of the public eye.

People love MMA because it seems to be the blue collared sport with its brutality. The only thing I do not care for personally, is the ground and pound. Again though, I'd have to use Boxing for a comparison on the gentlemanly conduct it was created on. Stand up and fight, if your opponent falls, you let him get up. Having done Jiu Jitsu myself, I appreciate the ground submission though.

What keeps Boxing alive are fights like the one this Saturday shown on HBO. Miranda vs. Pavlik. If you have the means, take a peep, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[digipoi]

Don King Ruined Mike Tyson

Don King Ruined Boxing

Don King Must Die

As much as he has been responsible for taking advantage of fighters with low IQs, he has been a great business man. He has also been responsible for some of the greatest match ups in recent history.

[Rappy Veteran]

As much as he has been responsible for taking advantage of fighters with low IQs, he has been a great business man. He has also been responsible for some of the greatest match ups in recent history.

I agree with that...:)

[snyper]

He has also been responsible for some of the greatest match ups in recent history

Yes Mike Tyson vs McNeilly :rolleyes:

What he did was gave us a bunch of worthless fights and whebn the last penny was squeesed out he would give the best two a crack at it.

He Ruined Tysons career, himself and that ***t Robin Givens,

Tyson was a great fighter with gis old crew, but as soon as that ****** got a hold of him his style and skills never progressed....

[digipoi]

Yes Mike Tyson vs McNeilly :rolleyes:

What he did was gave us a bunch of worthless fights and whebn the last penny was squeesed out he would give the best two a crack at it.

He Ruined Tysons career, himself and that ***t Robin Givens,

Tyson was a great fighter with gis old crew, but as soon as that ****** got a hold of him his style and skills never progressed....

That my friend is a tough one to call. Who really is responsible for Tyson? Tyson himself. No one really had control over that man except for Cus. Even at that point there were rumors of Teddy Atlas pistol whipping Tyson for raping a neighborhood girl. He was 15, she was 12 (may not be exact).

Tyson is really a bad example for me to be concerned over someone's career. Don King has done his dirt and is also a murderer, but a rapist is right up there with him. As a fighter Tyson was fun to watch but as a member of society, he can rot in prison. Which is what he will do after his latest stint.

[snyper]

^ i did enjoy watching his last fight, where an irish man finished his career. Kevin McBride.

Yea, Tyson is a poor example, but i feel Boxing is in decline because of what one member poster on the forums before..MMA give us the fights we want...boxing just holds them off giving us hyped meaningless fights..that can only last so long until we get sick of it..which we have..

[LRoling]

MMA can replace Boxing, I'm not sure how it can't. It's got more hype, and it has the boxing. A lot more fighters coming into MMA are the stand up and pound fighters. If they can retain a good number of those type of fighters, the excitement is there. Sure, ground and pound, and I'm an avid MMA watcher, is pretty lame. I will admit I hate fights ending in ground and pound unless it's quick, ala Fedor Emelienko style. But ground and pound to an extent, makes MMA suck. Seeing a classic ju jitsu battle on the ground of maneuvers and grappling can be exciting though, and it adds to a whole new breed of fighting. Sambo is a unbelievably great skill that hasn't been explored in UFC, but with PRIDE coming in, the Russian fighters are world champions at the defense skill. It makes the matches exciting. MMA is much more exciting. That's my opinion, I know.

The only way I see Boxing coming to life, is bringing back the big name heavyweights. We don't have an Ali, a Tyson, a Foreman, Joe Louis, none of that anymore. I never hear of any Heavyweight superfights. They don't hype the fights at all, the media coverage is horrible. It's a dead sport, the media has given up. I used to see it all the time, but it's just dying off. Boxing just needs to either fade or be kicked in the nuts.

And btw, Tyson, ruined his own career. He probably did rape Robyn Givens. He's a damn lunatic.

[digipoi]

MMA can replace Boxing, I'm not sure how it can't. It's got more hype, and it has the boxing. A lot more fighters coming into MMA are the stand up and pound fighters. If they can retain a good number of those type of fighters, the excitement is there. Sure, ground and pound, and I'm an avid MMA watcher, is pretty lame. I will admit I hate fights ending in ground and pound unless it's quick, ala Fedor Emelienko style. But ground and pound to an extent, makes MMA suck. Seeing a classic ju jitsu battle on the ground of maneuvers and grappling can be exciting though, and it adds to a whole new breed of fighting. Sambo is a unbelievably great skill that hasn't been explored in UFC, but with PRIDE coming in, the Russian fighters are world champions at the defense skill. It makes the matches exciting. MMA is much more exciting. That's my opinion, I know.

The only way I see Boxing coming to life, is bringing back the big name heavyweights. We don't have an Ali, a Tyson, a Foreman, Joe Louis, none of that anymore. I never hear of any Heavyweight superfights. They don't hype the fights at all, the media coverage is horrible. It's a dead sport, the media has given up. I used to see it all the time, but it's just dying off. Boxing just needs to either fade or be kicked in the nuts.

And btw, Tyson, ruined his own career. He probably did rape Robyn Givens. He's a damn lunatic.

You should realize the boxing in MMA is not boxing in the least. Look at Sylvia when he tries to turn his fights into boxing matches, boring. They lack the intensity because they are not boxers. Their punches are not refined and their feet are always planted. Horrible movement.

Speaking of Boxing as if it were already dead is just ignorant. Judging by your comments though, I can tell you haven't bothered to learn much about the sport. Not sure why you are dooming it though. Must hold some weight since you will never find big name PPV MMA fights held on the same day as big name PPV Boxing events. If Boxing were truly dead, promoters would brush off the scheduling conflict entirely.

Bringing back heavyweights is a tired argument. Would you stop watching MMA if heavyweights were out of the picture? Are the heavyweights on MMA the bread and butter of MMA? The last fight on PPV Boxing was DLH vs. Mayweather and they weren't heavyweights. They still did numbers.

Tyson was accused of spousal abuse of Robyn Givens and divorced. He was convicted for rape of Desiree Washington. He is not a good person.

[LRoling]

This is true, Boxing is not the same as Boxing in MMA, I understand that, and Sylvia is a poor example. Sylvia, for the most part, hasn't fought in the last 5-6 UFC events. And to be honest, he'd probably get destroyed by any Pride Heavyweight contender. He really just uses his size to a huge advantage, and I think guys of his stature, such as Couture, who dominated Syliva, or big beatdown guys like Fedor would just completely destroy him.

I will agree, Sylvia trying to box is boring as hell. Sylvia vs. Assuerio Silva - Most boring MMA fight ever, both boring boxers.

My opinion of boxing, I suppose, stems off the fact that I rarely hear of people having huge fight night events anymore at their homes, or specifically going to go watch the fight when a big name boxing match is on. That and the very minimal TV coverage it is now receiving. But hey, I like to watch Boxing, just not the long grudge matches that really have poor fighting. Mayweather had some exciting early fights which I enjoyed.

That's right, the rape was a different girl. Tyson is a lunatic, no wonder he's not going to be back. And King got the money out of him.

[digipoi]

I'm glad we had this discussion and using Sylvia as an example was poor on my end. We still have huge boxing events at my place so I guess you can call me old school. You're right though, they need to bring back prime time boxing and put it on NBC, etc. Those were the days, Saturday afternoons.

Tyson is being convicted in Arizona for getting caught with Cocaine. He is looking at possibly 5 years I estimate.

[DrunkenMaster]

You should realize the boxing in MMA is not boxing in the least. Look at Sylvia when he tries to turn his fights into boxing matches, boring. They lack the intensity because they are not boxers. Their punches are not refined and their feet are always planted. Horrible movement.

I dunno, I used to like UFC in the days of Gracie and Shamrock. I can't say I'm much of a fan anymore. I'd rather watch kickboxing matches or Japanese MMA as I find it much more entertaining.

I think the UFC has just become a "ground and pound' type of event and its quite boring. Boxing is just 12 rounds of 2 guys knocking their brains out (on that end MMA is probably a lot safer with less chance of traumatic brain injury).

[LRoling]

Yeah, start watching UFC again if you don't like ground and pound boredom. All the PRIDE fighters coming over will result in some crazy matchups. And some crazy fights.

[digipoi]

I dunno, I used to like UFC in the days of Gracie and Shamrock. I can't say I'm much of a fan anymore. I'd rather watch kickboxing matches or Japanese MMA as I find it much more entertaining.

I think the UFC has just become a "ground and pound' type of event and its quite boring. Boxing is just 12 rounds of 2 guys knocking their brains out (on that end MMA is probably a lot safer with less chance of traumatic brain injury).

Thats why I'm in favor of bringing back smaller gloves.

Yeah, start watching UFC again if you don't like ground and pound boredom. All the PRIDE fighters coming over will result in some crazy matchups. And some crazy fights.

Combining the two is sheer brilliance on the part of UFC.

[digipoi]

What keeps Boxing alive are fights like the one this Saturday shown on HBO. Miranda vs. Pavlik. If you have the means, take a peep, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Did anyone btw, watch this one? It was a barnburner imo. Still though, no matter the outcome of that fight, the match we need to see, is, Taylor vs. Calzaghe! I'm with the Welsh man - 99.9% [00.1% diff = If he acts like an ass (rapes chicks, beats small people up, or talk smack about Moms) in public which is highly unlikely]...

[Rappy Veteran]

Did anyone btw, watch this one? It was a barnburner imo. Still though, no matter the outcome of that fight, the match we need to see, is, Taylor vs. Calzaghe! I'm with the Welsh man - 99.9% [00.1% diff = If he acts like an ass (rapes chicks, beats small people up, or talk smack about Moms) in public which is highly unlikely]...

Taylor vs Calzaghe will be good thats something I want to see...but Taylor disappointed in last fight...