Brain trauma and boxing - Your thoughts?

[Frostieballs]

I have always had a moral quandary with boxing.

Even during my ten years working in the sport.

I used to believe that if a conditioned fighter was well hydrated, the brain would be sufficiently protected by fluid to sufficiently minimise severe injury risks.

Research seems to suggest that maybe that isn’t the case.

As others have alluded to, age plays a factor as well. As I get older I’m less certain in my opinions. There is just more grey!

[high tower 1]

It’s a tough one for me too. I love watching it but if I had a son who wanted to go pro I’d be massively against it.

[high tower 1]

Coaches have a big part to play even at amateur level. Allowing full pelt sparring all year round.

[Jimmy2020]

Money is the problem. Professional sport is awful. I have been guilty of supporting it but much less so nowadays.

[Controversial]

I used to believe that if a conditioned fighter was well hydrated, the brain would be sufficiently protected by fluid to sufficiently minimise severe injury risks.

Fighters draining to make weight is definitely a danger. It does seem to be less common for bigger fighters to be involved in boxing tragedies, which considering they punch harder is odd but maybe because they aren’t struggling at the weight so much?

[Frostieballs]

I used to believe that if a conditioned fighter was well hydrated, the brain would be sufficiently protected by fluid to sufficiently minimise severe injury risks.

Fighters draining to make weight is definitely a danger. It does seem to be less common for bigger fighters to be involved in boxing tragedies, which considering they punch harder is odd but maybe because they aren’t struggling at the weight so much?

Yes. It’s a massive factor. With heavyweights you see deterioration over time, but not really those immediate post fight tragedies (that I can recall).

[Tarquin Tarpaulin IV]

I used to believe that if a conditioned fighter was well hydrated, the brain would be sufficiently protected by fluid to sufficiently minimise severe injury risks.

Fighters draining to make weight is definitely a danger. It does seem to be less common for bigger fighters to be involved in boxing tragedies, which considering they punch harder is odd but maybe because they aren’t struggling at the weight so much?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)are reducing the men's boxing weight categories in order to accommodate more women's. Paris 2024 will see just 7 men's and an increase to 6 women's weights. These changes will inevitably require boxers to boil down or take the more unlikely step of adding 6kg in order to compete.

AIBA the international governing body for boxing made somewhat weak attempts to prevent these changes but the bottom line is that the most powerful amateur sport organisation in the world fails to recognise the problem.

[Frostieballs]

This will seem a strange thing to say on a boxing forum, about a sport I love, but I can see a day when I will no longer be able to advocate boxing as a sport.

[Controversial]

This will seem a strange thing to say on a boxing forum, about a sport I love, but I can see a day when I will no longer be able to advocate boxing as a sport.

I hear you, my love for the sport has certainly diminished over the years. I think as the years go by less and less people will be seriously considering it as their main profession.

So it’s a quandary as on one hand I don’t blame some guys for earning as much as they can, as quick as they can and for the less risk as possible. Why risk getting hurt, once they retire they could have another 50+ years to live and you don’t want a life plagued with health issues and no money. But the trouble with this is it creates careers with little depth or interest. So the more that happens the less interest it holds.

[PredatorHayds]

The biggest test for the Sport is when we have a ring tragedy and the other fighter then fails a post-fight drug test.

The legal ramifications and public outcry would be hard for the sport to get over.

I hope it never happens but it so easily could.

[Trent]

Does a bear shite in the woods. Is the pope catholic?

Of course boxing is dangerous. These men are warriors, end of the day controlled violence is entertaining.

Big problem is when you have a sport like this that is not controlled by one gov body, and you have unregulated guys fighting with 10 losses and past their best. Guys like hearns, james toney, Roy jones etc shouldn't had the mean to hold a boxing licence late in career when it was obvious their time was up.

[coghaugen11]

6m to 7m

[Coco]

Getting punched in the head ain't good for you, trust me

[Controversial]

Getting punched in the head ain't good for you, trust me

Did you worry about it when you boxed Coco?

[Coco]

Getting punched in the head ain't good for you, trust me

Did you worry about it when you boxed Coco?

To be honest no, young and stupid! Always more worried about being embarrased than beat up.

However when you are young and fit the knocks don't have much impact, but then the more you fight and the older you get you do begin to notice it.

It's when you begin to notice it that you realise that you aren't invincible and you know that you can't continue forever.

[Controversial]

Getting punched in the head ain't good for you, trust me

Did you worry about it when you boxed Coco?

To be honest no, young and stupid! Always more worried about being embarrased than beat up.

However when you are young and fit the knocks don't have much impact, but then the more you fight and the older you get you do begin to notice it.

It's when you begin to notice it that you realise that you aren't invincible and you know that you can't continue forever.

Youth certainly gives you confidence and an attitude where you don’t care or think about the dangers of things. So if you could implement changes would you? No head sparring? Age limits?

[Coco]

Did you worry about it when you boxed Coco?

To be honest no, young and stupid! Always more worried about being embarrased than beat up.

However when you are young and fit the knocks don't have much impact, but then the more you fight and the older you get you do begin to notice it.

It's when you begin to notice it that you realise that you aren't invincible and you know that you can't continue forever.

Youth certainly gives you confidence and an attitude where you don’t care or think about the dangers of things. So if you could implement changes would you? No head sparring? Age limits?

Being realistic you can't make boxing safe. I do think a lot of damage is done in the gym so it's a good idea not to spar too hard and too often.
The Kronk for example was famous for its gym wars, whereas Nigel Benn never sparred much.
You need to listen to your body and not to have brave trainers

[Steveh583]

Did you worry about it when you boxed Coco?

To be honest no, young and stupid! Always more worried about being embarrased than beat up.

However when you are young and fit the knocks don't have much impact, but then the more you fight and the older you get you do begin to notice it.

It's when you begin to notice it that you realise that you aren't invincible and you know that you can't continue forever.

Youth certainly gives you confidence and an attitude where you don’t care or think about the dangers of things. So if you could implement changes would you? No head sparring? Age limits?

Lead arm sparring, body sparring, defensive drills. Limit hard spars to the absolute bare minimum perhaps?

[brilo33]

theres no getting away from in it fighting aint no good for your brain, ive been ko before and punched in the head more times than i can remember and my brain is mush , now in my 30s i really try to adviod any head injiures even heading a football. my mate was boxing amutureish in his 20s he give it up as he is a smart lad didnt want to be taking so many head shots i agreed with him,the worse thing is we change so much in are thinking in age in your teens and 20s you dont care your he man you get in ur 30s you start thinking nah that aint good.i would of loved to been a fighter but i wouldnt want my son or daughter boxing so dangerous, why i have such respect for every fighter

[littlepug]

On the one hand I’ve always felt hard sparring is necessary for a fighter but there’s no getting away from the fact it’s basically fighting for free and it’s even worse when your not fit and can’t get out the way of the shots, people say “but it’s only sparring” but your pride kicks in if it’s a gym mate you have a bit of rivalry with or it’s a guy from another gym or someone with a reputation, I’ve had spars that were every bit as hard as actual fights and your going home afterwards thinking “what the fcuk am I doing this for” , I suppose it’s a necessary evil in an incredibly tough but flawed sport.

[revporl]

It's interesting to see a concensus here among boxing fans, its something I've always struggled with since watching my childhood hero Ali decline so badly and quickly in the last few years of his career and afterwards.

There's the long term damage that only manifests in later life, boxers who sound ok at the point they retire who are noticeably unwell within a decade or so, that makes it hard to make the call as to when fighters should quit.

No headshots in sparring should be common practice, apart from elite fighters maybe.

Various friends/girlfriends have really gone in hard on me being a boxing fan over the years and like a lot of you I've found it harder to justify as time goes on. But I still think an exciting boxing match is the greatest spectacle in sport though, and I'm still hooked.

Maybe a relatively low compulsory age limit might be the answer too, as people are more robust earlier in life. Only license boxers up to 30?

[Frostieballs]

Various friends/girlfriends have really gone in hard on me being a boxing fan over the years and like a lot of you I've found it harder to justify as time goes on. But I still think an exciting boxing match is the greatest spectacle in sport though, and I'm still hooked.

I have had this as well.....

I’m quite a soft/gentle/wimpy person, so some people have been incredulous when they’ve found out about my love for the sport.

That has often led to me wondering why I like it so much, because I agree there is no spectacle like a big fight.

It’s definitely something primitive and gladiatorial.

[brilo33]

i know all this no hard sparing which i can understand but it only takes one big shot and ur done

[tonyevs]

I think we have all met the guys with the slurry speech in the gym. Some of them with reputations of having boxed pro, but also some you hear were a 'top school boy'.
I work with clients who have had various types of brain injuries. Stroke; alcohol, and some from trauma of having their brain rattled inside their skull. The frontal lobes are easily damaged, and because of the nature of their functioning (problem solving & decision making for example) damage is typically not noticed by the person.

I boxed/fought amateur for 4-5yrs, but was in the gym on & off sparring for maybe 15-20 years; it does concern me if there is damage there that will only show itself as my cognitive ability diminishes with senescence.

You can put your phone in a case to protect it if it gets dropped, and often it will survive on those occasions it does get dropped .. but you know if you dropping it often enough you are going to be buying a new one sooner rather than later.

[Controversial]

I think we have all met the guys with the slurry speech in the gym. Some of them with reputations of having boxed pro, but also some you hear were a 'top school boy'.
I work with clients who have had various types of brain injuries. Stroke; alcohol, and some from trauma of having their brain rattled inside their skull. The frontal lobes are easily damaged, and because of the nature of their functioning (problem solving & decision making for example) damage is typically not noticed by the person.

I boxed/fought amateur for 4-5yrs, but was in the gym on & off sparring for maybe 15-20 years; it does concern me if there is damage there that will only show itself as my cognitive ability diminishes with senescence.

You can put your phone in a case to protect it if it gets dropped, and often it will survive on those occasions it does get dropped .. but you know if you dropping it often enough you are going to be buying a new one sooner rather than later.

Exactly, it’s funny how many boxing fans admit they have concerns about brain trauma, either to themselves or others but we all quite happily sit a watch guys being hit and knocked out. It’s a difficult one to reason in your head I think and again it seems to be a concerns from older guys, not youngster so much. Wisdom is wasted on the old as the saying goes.