Mir attributes win to hard sparring

Perhaps 15% to 20% of professional boxers eventually suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The condition can manifest as declining mental ability, problems with memory, tremors and lack of coordination, speech problems and an unsteady gait, as well as inappropriate or explosive behavior, and pathological jealousy or paranoia.

The disease is progressive; there is no cure.

The condition typically manifests itself 12 to 16 years after the start of a career in boxing; sometimes it does not begin until long after retirement. MMA is just 22 years old, so it is hard to say definitively, but the level of CTE appears to be far less. The most prominent case in our sport is Gary Goodridge, who believes the most significant damage came from kickboxing bouts.

CTE is found in individuals with a history of repetitive brain trauma. It is believed to result from both trauma that results in obvious symptomatic concussions, and from lesser sub-concussive hits to the head that do not cause symptoms. As such, the frequency of hard sparring has become an issue in our sport.

Sparring in the gym that results in KOs is now recognized as both dangerous and unnecessary. However, the proper frequency of sparring that is hard but does not cause a concussion is contentious. MMA is a hurting game. Some hard sparring is necessary. The question is how much?

Frank Mir’s submission game is terrifying, but on Wednesday the 36-year-old engaged Todd Duffee in a HOLY F@$%ING $#!^ slugfest, and won. He attributes the win to hard sparring in a boxing-centric camp.

Even when he did hit me, one thing I’ve learned now sparring hard with boxing, wearing headgear and smashing, having partners, they don’t just land one and go, ‘Oh are you OK?’ They land two, three, four shots,” said Mir as transcribed by Tristen Critchfield for Sherdog. “I’ve avoided that kind of sparring [in MMA]. Once I spar [now], from bell to bell it’s to the death. We’re trying to hurt each other and that gives me that training.

If I get caught with a shot like Todd [landed], I can roll and move around and keep my eyes on it knowing what more is coming after it. Where in the past I might’ve taken one shot and taken a third fourth and fifth and heck man, heavyweights hit hard.

I always felt that Todd….[is] a plus 10 in power, plus 10 in speed, he’s all offense. I’ve always questioned his defense and his movement. I think a lot of guys see that overwhelming power and they step back and give him room. He’s such an explosive athlete. The guy has one heck of a vertical, can deadlift incredible amount of weight. So if you sit there and take a right hand and you step back it allows him to hit you that much harder. I took a key out of boxing, which is to constantly slip punches and move forward.

Every camp is struggling with how much hard sparring to do, with just once a week during camp now quite common. Many trainers are borrowing from Muay Thai, where the low purses necessitate fighting frequently, which means the body is always banged up, which means sparring has to be light with a premium on technique. But in the end, some hard sparring cannot be avoided before you dance under those lights.