MMA fighters generally don’t fare well in high-level boxing. However, legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas believes there’s a UFC champion who could do the job.
Atlas is confident that UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley could transition and cross over to the boxing world and hold his own. Atlas, who analyzes both boxing and MMA, has seen enough of O’Malley to make him believe that he could do something in the “sweet science.”
“He can cross over because he has the instinct, the talent, the abilities of a boxer, a pure boxer,” Atlas said on his YouTube channel. “He’s got the legs. He’s got the eyes. He sees things real good. He’s got long arms. He’s got quick hands. He’s versatile, and he can use the ring and move around and get angles. He can set traps. He’s a great, great natural counterpuncher.
“If you wait in front of him, he gets out first, and puts punches together – smart and educated punches. Smart combinations, up and down. Tricking combinations. They’re advanced combinations, they’re not primitive combinations. They’re not just basic combinations, they’re combinations of a top fighter. If you walked into a room, and he was on TV and you would’n’t see that he’s not wearing shoes, and you saw him strike, you might think you’re watching a boxing match. He’s that smooth. He’s that natural with it, that comfortable withe it. He controls range and distance beautifully, and he can punch. He gets good power. Wiry guys usually can’t get good power.”
O’Malley, who returns on Sept. 14 to defend his UFC title against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 306, has been public about his desire to box. He’s called out big names in the past, such as Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.
Although Atlas holds O’Malley in high regard, he’d advise him not to fight Davis, who is considered one of today’s best pound-for-pound fighters.
“Who would I take out of those two top guys? I’m not knocking him, but I wouldn’t take ‘Tank’ Davis,” Atlas explained. “I’m not saying the other guy is a walk in the park at all. Obviously, not at all. But I’d take Garcia because ‘Tank’ Davis to me is the more well-rounded fighter. There are more things to worry about. He can punch. He can counterpunch. He can get you. There are so many facets to his game, and he’s so consistent. Garcia hasn’t shown us that can be consistent.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
