Boxing has been declared dead for, what, 30 years now? Not only is it still here, but it has morphed into the much more brutal UFC...
Actually, MMA is considerably safer than boxing, at least when repeated concussive injuries are concerned. Boxers wearing 10-12 oz. gloves take repeated headshots that, if not for the gloves, would KO them and end the fight. Kid Akeem, Sergei Artemiev and many others lasted far too long in fights and were either killed or permanently removed from boxing because of this.