KO Digest: Boxing vs MMA: Yahoo's Kevin Iole weighs in!

September 13, 2011

Boxing vs MMA: Yahoo's Kevin Iole weighs in!

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Very few people cover Boxing and MMA. Yahoo Sport's Kevin Iole is one of them. Today, Iole was a guest on the RingTV radio show hosted by Doug Fischer and Michael Rosenthal.

Iole spoke at length about the upcoming Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz fight before turning his attention to MMA. Through the fine folks at RingTV and their use of Facebook, I was able to ask Iole what he considers to be the biggest difference as well as the biggest similarity between the two sports.

Click play below to hear all of what Kevin Iole had to say about Boxing and MMA.

Lee Groves reads KO Digest at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Cantastota.

The Ring Magazine's Travelin' Man Lee Groves also writes: "Along the way, we ran into the unmistakable 6-foot-9 frame of Jeffrey Freeman, also known as “KO Digest”. He and I always good-naturedly tease one another about our differences regarding Arturo Gatti’s Hall of Fame enshrinement – his advocacy of Gatti mirrors Paul Heyman’s of Brock Lesnar, while I believed he fell far short of the mark – but there always is a deep respect for the other’s acumen. That’s the way it should be; disagree if you must but don’t do so in a disagreeable manner."

KO Digest Testimonials:

"Jeff, I read the article, was very happy the way it came out. Please tell Joel that I think he did a wonderful job. Only one mistake, he said that the only Hall of Famer I beat was Bobby Chacon. Not true, I also defeated Jose Luis Ramirez in a North American Title defense, the fight before I fought Arguello. In fact, Ramirez was such a big favorite, they wouldn't even put a bet on the board in Vegas. Other than that, it was a terrific article. Thank you to Joel and yourself for thinking of me for an article."

~ Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini

Editor's Note: Ray is in fact, correct. Though not a member of the more prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), Ramirez is a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame as well as one of the best fighters that Mancini ever beat. Thanks for the feedback Champ!

"You do a great job of keeping your faithful readers up on what's next, what's gone down and embracing the spirit of a sport that has given so many young men, and women, the means to reach for a dream. Thank you KO." — Lowell, Massachusetts heavyweight Don Halpin, one time opponent of Iron Mike Tyson

"KO is the pied piper of boxing." — Gods of War author, Transnational Boxing Ratings Board founder, and Boxing Writers Association of America member Springs Toledo

"You're a great writer, Jeff. Always look forward to your fight predictions. You and Norm always put a lot of thought into it. Wait for them with baited breath. It means a lot that you are so committed and that you put so much thought into it." — BWAA member Lem Satterfield from The Ring Magazine, now with PBC

"I want you to know that I and everyone else have the absolute utmost respect for your opinion on all things boxing. You do great work and your love of boxing comes through in every word you say!" — Esteemed boxing writer Lou Joshua Eisen

"Jeffrey, you're a gifted writer with passion and exceptional insight. Beyond that you can be very compelling. Your response has reinvigorated my respect for your sense of discernment and keen understanding of boxing. Thank you for giving me the benefit of your time and effort." — Reader Mike P.

"Reputable writing and true to the sport. Good job." — Al Gavin Jr., son of famed cutman Al Gavin Sr.

"Your site is terrific. I enjoy the fact that you favor quality over quantity. I appreciate sites which go beyond the regular fare and which actually help me learn things and yours definitely serves that purpose well. I also like that you're not afraid to run lengthy essays which are obviously well written and edited. You have some of the best interviews I've seen."

"I really admire the work behind your site and how original it is. I think you deserve more attention for what you're doing." — Best Boxing Blog

"You're a terrific writer and a terrific journalist. You definitely deserve the accolades and I think KO is going to continue to explode like it already is. My honest opinion is that you're going to become the preeminent boxing website in the industry, even beating out Fight News, and then being right up there with ESPN." — Scott Ploof, formerly of Fight News

"You remind me of Nigel Collins."

"Hey Jeff, your report on the Gavril vs Falowo bout reminded me why I started following your page. Succinct writing, descriptive and nicely balanced. Reminded me of the great writers that captivated my imagination in The Ring and KO Magazine in the 80's & 90's. You should have your own magazine."

"The best and most unbiased reporting in the business."

"KO Digest, I'm very impressed with your boxing knowledge. You must be a former fighter? You couldn't have predicted or judged this Mattysse vs Provodnikov fight any more precise."

"The new Bert Sugar."

"Your ability to spin words makes me extremely jealous. I pride myself as a historian for being able to captivate people when I'm lecturing some event, but holy goodness you suck people in. Now I'm stirring a jealous pot. It's your ability to identify with people's truer natures."

"KO Digest is an island of common sense in an ocean of hysteria."

KO's #TrumpClinton Pick

KO's #TrumpClinton Prediction — When George Foreman announced his comeback in 1987, they (we) laughed at him and said it was impossible what he claimed he'd do: regain the world heavyweight championship as a fat old man. As the wins mounted and the pounds melted, the media told you not to believe your lying eyes, that Foreman could NEVER beat Mike Tyson and that his comeback was all a big fat joke. Well, the joke was on us then and it's still on some of us today. Just as Foreman needed the perfect foil (Michael Moorer) to achieve his "impossible" dream, so too does boxing's own Donald Trump need Hillary Clinton for his. He was born to beat her like Big George was born to beat Moorer. On November 8, Donald Trump will prove all his naysayers wrong (again) when he wins the popular vote, receives 270+ electoral college votes, and KO's Clinton to become POTUS.

It Happened (As Predicted)

The Donald Trumps Clinton & Big George — As predicted, Donald J. Trump was elected 45th President of these United States last night. It was the greatest upset in American Presidential politics and a stunning repudiation of the rogue Obama-Clinton regime that had run roughshod over the world for the past 8 years creating terror and chaos in their wake. With 270+ Electoral Votes and many more popular votes, Trump is (and the new) President-Elect. We The People's President. Help is on the way in the dawn of a new day. As a near landslide, it was the greatest comeback since George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer 22 years ago last week in 1994 to regain the World Heavyweight Championship in a shocking reversal of fortune. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Foreman, like Trump, was laughed at, ridiculed, and his supporters turned into the butt of jokes. The best part about boxing and politics is that both give ample opportunity to get the last laugh. Congratulations America. You have saved our Nation and again shown why we are still the land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE. Congratulations President Trump.

~Today in Boxing History~

JUNE 10, 2016: Exactly 70 years ago today in 1946, Jack Johnson (who some call the original Muhammad Ali) dies in a car accident in North Carolina. America's first black heavyweight champion of the boxing world, Johnson faced overt racism and daily discrimination throughout his troubled life and times, ultimately resulting in exile from his own country. You see, unlike Ali, Johnson went with white women and this infuriated white men. An international boxing hall of famer and an American original, Johnson still stands convicted of race crimes. His family still awaits a Presidential pardon. President Barack Obama gave an excellent speech commemorating the life of Muhammad Ali this week. Pardoning Jack Johnson would be an ideal way to honor both revolutionary black lives before leaving the White House. Rest in Peace great champions. Ali is being buried today in Louisville, Kentucky on the 70th annversary of Johnson's death, a heavyweight championship coincidence.