Brain damage (CTE) in past eras

[AngryGoon38]

I remember Carl Froch saying after one of his fights he had a lengthy chat with someone and couldn't even remember it, basically his memory was so affected from the fight he had no recollection.

That is very, very scary.

As for me, the deepest involvement I had in boxing was very rare sparring sessions at the local Boys Club. Once every few years when I was a teen I ventured to the Boys Club, thinking that I wanted to get involved in the sport. The coaches would always throw the beginner boxing-aspirants in with each other for three, three minute rounds, using the big gloves and head gear. From the there, the beginners would bash each other's skulls in. That was enough to discourage most of the beginners from following through on their dreams of being boxers. It certainly had that effect on me.

I remember the sensation of feeling my skull slammed by (what I thought to be) a massive, hurtful force. I would blackout for a split second each time I took a big punch, and I would see a sudden flash in my field of vision, as if somebody clicked an old style camera (with flash bulb) in my face. Simultaneously, my body was lose its strength for a split second. Worse of all, by far, was the wave of utterly devastating pain waves that ricocheted through my brain, all the way to the core. It was brutal.

After the matches, I would feel as if I had been in a car crash. That's how it felt. Those sparring sessions always made me realize I didn't really want to get involved in the sport, given the brutality and the way it felt to be punched.

What I didn't realize back then, but realize now, is that the sensation of that incredibly painful, devastating wave of pain that permeated my brain, all the way to the core, meant something terrible. It basically meant that my brain was bouncing violently inside my skull bone, and even violently twisting on a horizontal axis to the left and the right. Each time that happened - I now realize - all the blood vessels in and on my brain were being stretched out like elastic bands, pulling and snapping in brutal fashion.

Today, I have that insight into what happens to a boxer's brain when he gets punched hard only because, from the 1980s onward, neurologist and doctors have carefully researched and documented the exact physiological phenomena that happens to a brain when it gets smacked by a straight right cross or brutal left-hook. Or even by a good, hard left-jab.

If I had known as a teenager that sparring in the Boys Club meant that one or several of my brain's blood vessels could get stretched to the point where it would break or snap like an abused rubber band, and that the result could be bleeding on the brain or a deadly neurological blood clot, I would never have gone back to the boxing gym.

Scary...horrifying. All it takes is a little bad luck, and even the most innocent, inexperienced boxing hobbyist could end up crippled or dead.

Zack Padilla,a very good Jr LW(130), back in the early 1990's, sparred with Sugar Shane Mosely, and wound up with a Profound brain injury. I assume that It must've been an extra high grade concussion..? Maybe caused brain bleeding..?
Anyway, it ended his boxing carear. It's Really something how things like this just up and happen to boxers. Gerald McClellum obviously being an ultimate example. I'd be curious to see how well Zack Padilla recovered, if he did, into being still mentally intact, well enough to have quality of life and not some extra-serious form of CTE.

[p4p1]

Fighters in UFC rarely spar hard to the head. It’s seen as detrimental. Which it is obviously long term.

Tony Jeffries Has a lot to say on this subject.

In my experience when you’re sparring in boxing compared to KB/MT/MMA you take a lot more head shots. Most guys have said the same thing to me when we compared sparring the different styles.

That’s not to say things don’t happen when sparring ie. when a couple of mates of mine were sparring, a head kick ended in a visit to the hospital and permanent damage. I haven’t seen a single shot do the damage that kick did in the boxing gym.

[Wee Tommy]

Fighters in UFC rarely spar hard to the head. It’s seen as detrimental. Which it is obviously long term.

Tony Jeffries Has a lot to say on this subject.

In my experience when you’re sparring in boxing compared to KB/MT/MMA you take a lot more head shots. Most guys have said the same thing to me when we compared sparring the different styles.

That’s not to say things don’t happen when sparring ie. when a couple of mates of mine were sparring, a head kick ended in a visit to the hospital and permanent damage. I haven’t seen a single shot do the damage that kick did in the boxing gym.

Head kicks in sparring is stupid imo. Unless heavily padded both shin and head.

[p4p1]

Fighters in UFC rarely spar hard to the head. It’s seen as detrimental. Which it is obviously long term.

Tony Jeffries Has a lot to say on this subject.

In my experience when you’re sparring in boxing compared to KB/MT/MMA you take a lot more head shots. Most guys have said the same thing to me when we compared sparring the different styles.

That’s not to say things don’t happen when sparring ie. when a couple of mates of mine were sparring, a head kick ended in a visit to the hospital and permanent damage. I haven’t seen a single shot do the damage that kick did in the boxing gym.

Head kicks in sparring is stupid imo. Unless heavily padded both shin and head.

I don't think shin guards are the best either. There isn't as much padding on them as there is on a 16+oz sparring glove, they can also slip down exposing someone's face to bare shin. Hard head kicks aren't needed IMO either. The gym I was at though had gym wars a couple of times a week where everyone went pretty hard. The coach wanted to create tough fighters and weed out the guys who weren't cutout for it I guess.

I'm not convinced that any kind of hard sparring is a good idea after a certain stage. I think it is important early on so fighters know what to expect when they are in the ring. But after a while I wonder if it is just not worth it. Joe Calzaghe stopped sparring due to his hands and I don't think it had a bad effect on him. Light stuff to prepare for a certain type of opponent and/or strategy as well as drilling I think could be good enough when weighing up the potential long term and medium term effects that semi-hard/hard sparring can do.
As I get older, I really can't see the purpose of gym wars being a regular or semi-regular thing.

[Wee Tommy]

In my experience when you’re sparring in boxing compared to KB/MT/MMA you take a lot more head shots. Most guys have said the same thing to me when we compared sparring the different styles.

That’s not to say things don’t happen when sparring ie. when a couple of mates of mine were sparring, a head kick ended in a visit to the hospital and permanent damage. I haven’t seen a single shot do the damage that kick did in the boxing gym.

Head kicks in sparring is stupid imo. Unless heavily padded both shin and head.

I don't think shin guards are the best either. There isn't as much padding on them as there is on a 16+oz sparring glove, they can also slip down exposing someone's face to bare shin. Hard head kicks aren't needed IMO either. The gym I was at though had gym wars a couple of times a week where everyone went pretty hard. The coach wanted to create tough fighters and weed out the guys who weren't cutout for it I guess.

I'm not convinced that any kind of hard sparring is a good idea after a certain stage. I think it is important early on so fighters know what to expect when they are in the ring. But after a while I wonder if it is just not worth it. Joe Calzaghe stopped sparring due to his hands and I don't think it had a bad effect on him. Light stuff to prepare for a certain type of opponent and/or strategy as well as drilling I think could be good enough when weighing up the potential long term and medium term effects that semi-hard/hard sparring can do.
As I get older, I really can't see the purpose of gym wars being a regular or semi-regular thing.

I think when you are young and just starting it can help but when it’s experienced fighters smashing the brains out each other it’s bad news mate

[Blueflash]

Benetiz, if anything, ended up the way that he did because of the dehydration and rehydration process that goes on in the lower weight classes. Guys lose a lot of weight, which is mostly water, and try to put it back on overnight.

Then you start taking blows to the head, and you may not have enough water in your system, since your brain is surrounded in basically water and that's causes a lot of damage to the brain.

Long ago I watched a documentary on Gerald McClellan and why he ended up the way that he did, and the medical professionals said it was because of the dehydration and rehydration process being ultimately the root cause because he didn't have enough fluid around his brain to protect his brain.

Benetiz was the kind of man who would take an excessive amount of laxatives in order to lose weight, etc--- so it's not surprising to me that he has ended up the way that he has.

Then again everybody is built different. Jake LaMotta took a lot of punishment and was mentally sharp as a tack until the day he died. George Chuvalo and Tex Cobb took tremendous beatings and they are still as quick-witted as they ever were. Yet somebody like Floyd Patterson ended up with Alzheimer's disease.

You would think somebody who seldom ever got hit, and could dance around for 10 or 12 or 15 rounds wouldn't end up that way--- but I reckon the longer fights go on, and you have any real lengthy career at all, it's the accumulation of punches you take over time that what gets you.

I've seen many journeymen who had hundreds of fights like Reggie Strickland but can talk normally, etc--- but then you look at somebody like Evander Holyfield or James Toney and they can't even talk right most of the time.

Benitez problems likely occurred as early as they did because his father had him boxing against much bigger boys right throughout his childhood. His fantastic defensive skills were developed the hard way at enormous cost.

[Blueflash]

Anyone read Tris Dixon's book? Damaged. I have read only 3 chapters so can't comment yet but so far it's been very interesting

Just reading it now, there are some errors in it, and I don’t think they come from his sources. Author refers to Ted Lowry as a welterweight, classes Joe Louis as definitely having CTE (there was a history of serious mental illness in his family). And mentions Jock McAvoy’s suicide… which was far more likely down to being left seriously disabled after surviving polio. I’m not saying McAvoy didn’t have CTE, but I don’t think it’s suicide is particularly strong evidence. McAvoy isn’t the only instance where credibility is stretched.

Weirdly the book holds up Archie Moore as an example of a boxer who didn’t get CTE. Now while it’s fair to say that Archie didn’t get very ill until he was quite old, he was clearly showing some minor symptoms long before that.

BUT… aside from those minor quibbles, it’s a very good read. It *might * be painting the picture a little too dark, I’m left with the impression that virtually every boxer will develop CTE, but that might not be too far from the truth.

Having personally l received between 10,000-20,000 blows to the head, and 18 concussions (most only lasted 24 hours, a few lasted a week or so, and one that lasted 6 weeks), I’m more than a little concerned about what the future holds for me… and I wasn’t ever a pro. Makes me wonder how many casualties there are out there that only fought amateur or white collar, or sparred backyard and recreational (like me)?

[Blueflash]

One of the cases I find more alarming is that of Paul Pender, who was a fantastic silky boxer almost impossible to hit. He didn’t have the longest of careers (relative to his era and weight class), and was only properly down for the count once. Very intelligent man by all accounts. Tragic case of CTE with middle age onset. However I’ve since read that he may have played football quite extensively in his teens, so that may have been a contributing factor.

[Blueflash]

Just finished Damage. Read it half of last night and most of today. Conclusion: this is a very important book. Can’t say I enjoyed reading it, or that I’m glad I read it, but I am glad it was written, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Never made more than a bowl of soup from boxing, but nevertheless it benefitted me enormously. I still miss doing it and feel lost without it. But… I read this book because I’ve noticed some issues creeping in. Struggle to remember the name of my neighbours (lived here 5 years), crippling attacks of paranoia (not like me at all), mood swings, constant depression, keep falling asleep, can’t handle loud repetitive noises, been having some weird dizzy spells and headaches lately, balance seems a bit off, mental fog, and trouble sleeping. Can hide most of it, but having to constantly monitor myself. Do I have it or is this just the creep of old age?

Always assumed I was ‘safe’ because I wasn’t competing. It was like the sparring didn’t count somehow. But those punches mounted up round after round as the years flew by. It’s like slowly stretching out an elastic band in the naive belief that it’ll never snap back.

[Cap]

Taking multiple blows to the head and having your brain slosh around is definitely contributing to dementia, but old age and genetics are also contributing factors. George Chuvalo was plenty sharp until he hit his 80s. We all lose something as we grow old, even shlubs like Trump who never took a punch in his life, shows signs of losing his marbles. Boxing is a brutal pursuit managed and promoted by ghouls to make money off the poor. It's the reason most media outlets don't carry it anymore, even the ones that show MMA. If you ban it, it'll just go underground. Best to try to regulate it for the safety of the boxers. Limit the number of rounds again. Medical checks on all fighters. Competent ringside doctors monitoring the fighters. None of this will happen until there is a single governing body like MLB or the NHL. So it won't ever happen.

[Controversial]

I didn't realise former Mike Tyson opponent Peter McNeeley isn't in a great way, has been suffering for a few years with CTE related issues, he's only 55

[Controversial]

Just finished Damage. Read it half of last night and most of today. Conclusion: this is a very important book. Can’t say I enjoyed reading it, or that I’m glad I read it, but I am glad it was written, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Never made more than a bowl of soup from boxing, but nevertheless it benefitted me enormously. I still miss doing it and feel lost without it. But… I read this book because I’ve noticed some issues creeping in. Struggle to remember the name of my neighbours (lived here 5 years), crippling attacks of paranoia (not like me at all), mood swings, constant depression, keep falling asleep, can’t handle loud repetitive noises, been having some weird dizzy spells and headaches lately, balance seems a bit off, mental fog, and trouble sleeping. Can hide most of it, but having to constantly monitor myself. Do I have it or is this just the creep of old age?

Always assumed I was ‘safe’ because I wasn’t competing. It was like the sparring didn’t count somehow. But those punches mounted up round after round as the years flew by. It’s like slowly stretching out an elastic band in the naive belief that it’ll never snap back.

I missed this post. How old are you, have you been to the docs?

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

I didn't realise former Mike Tyson opponent Peter McNeeley isn't in a great way, has been suffering for a few years with CTE related issues, he's only 55

Wasnt he a massive drug addict too?

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

One of the cases I find more alarming is that of Paul Pender, who was a fantastic silky boxer almost impossible to hit. He didn’t have the longest of careers (relative to his era and weight class), and was only properly down for the count once. Very intelligent man by all accounts. Tragic case of CTE with middle age onset. However I’ve since read that he may have played football quite extensively in his teens, so that may have been a contributing factor.

Its genetic in addition to damage. How can carmen Basilio not have cte but pender does?

[Controversial]

One of the cases I find more alarming is that of Paul Pender, who was a fantastic silky boxer almost impossible to hit. He didn’t have the longest of careers (relative to his era and weight class), and was only properly down for the count once. Very intelligent man by all accounts. Tragic case of CTE with middle age onset. However I’ve since read that he may have played football quite extensively in his teens, so that may have been a contributing factor.

Its genetic in addition to damage. How can carmen Basilio not have cte but pender does?

You can say this about lots of things, some people smoke or drink all their lives with no obvious issues, someone else could smoke/drink less but end up with lung cancer or liver disease.

[Controversial]

Apparently Smokin’ Bert Cooper was diagnosed with early onset dementia a few years before he died, he was only 53 when he passed.

[Expug]

Check out this documentary, called After the Last Round. It was produced about ten or 12 years ago. It investigates brain damage in boxers, and focuses on the Moyer brothers in particular. There are many interviews with boxing pundits, fighters, their families, with physicians and neurologists.

Thanks for sharing this.I have posted many times my experiences palling around with Denny Moyer and his stablemate Ronnie Wilson when both were fighting mainly in San Diego.This was in the 70's. Denny was managed by Sid Flaherty as was Ronnie.Ronnie was at that time beginning to lose his focus on boxing.That is the training end of it. He was acquiring a fondness for alcohol which was leading to other problems,social and physical. Sid thought that Denny would be a stabling influence if he sent for him to come down from Portland to keep an eye on Wilson.Just the other way around.Denny was beginning to slip badly and was fighting just to pay the bills and also was imbibing..Denny and Ronnie would go out drinking together and sometimes they'd let me tag along.I thought it was cool to hang out with these guys.I was in my 20's and was about as dumb as they come. I'd watch them fight at the San Diego Coliseum. They were both taking a lot of shots by that time.They'd cut easily and Flaherty would have them back in the ring before those cuts would heal properly. But that is the way they wanted things.They wanted to fight as often as they could to earn a few bucks.They didn't seem to care about anything even though it was evident that their careers were in the tank.The ring commission docs would give them the Ok to get back in the ring when any physician with a moral code would have prohibited them from fighting anymore. They'd be fighting with a hangover.They'd mask the pain with drugs.I sometimes think that most of these guys who wind up with the dementia don't even feel the punches because they're senses are numbed by some drug.But then half the time the commissions don't even check to see what these guys have ingested into their systems before a fight of after.

The object of the game is to punch a guy in the head as hard as you can.There is no glove or headgear that will prevent brain damage. I told Chris Smith at the West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame banquet that the next book he should write should be about these fighters' wives and families.Promoters are pimps.Who in their right mind would want to make money off of two guys who want to punch each other in the head?It's a sick sport that should be banned.Most fight fans live their dreams like a Walter Mitty watching these fighters punch each other in the head and wishing wish they had the fortitude to do that.

Now you're wondering why I post every day on a boxing forum. In the beginning I was still as dumb as they come.I'd shoot off my mouth making wisecracks and using fighters as verbal punching bags. The years have changed me. I post trying to convey that boxing is the most bittersweet of sports.But at first bite the sugar is on the tongue,but then leaves a taste at the end that you want to spit out of your mouth.

Thanks again Joe Kelly for leaving that taste in my mouth.

Great post from a great guy who I think about quite a bit. Roger. One of those guys that if you meet him, you never forget him.

[Flump]

Check out this documentary, called After the Last Round. It was produced about ten or 12 years ago. It investigates brain damage in boxers, and focuses on the Moyer brothers in particular. There are many interviews with boxing pundits, fighters, their families, with physicians and neurologists.

Thanks for sharing this.I have posted many times my experiences palling around with Denny Moyer and his stablemate Ronnie Wilson when both were fighting mainly in San Diego.This was in the 70's. Denny was managed by Sid Flaherty as was Ronnie.Ronnie was at that time beginning to lose his focus on boxing.That is the training end of it. He was acquiring a fondness for alcohol which was leading to other problems,social and physical. Sid thought that Denny would be a stabling influence if he sent for him to come down from Portland to keep an eye on Wilson.Just the other way around.Denny was beginning to slip badly and was fighting just to pay the bills and also was imbibing..Denny and Ronnie would go out drinking together and sometimes they'd let me tag along.I thought it was cool to hang out with these guys.I was in my 20's and was about as dumb as they come. I'd watch them fight at the San Diego Coliseum. They were both taking a lot of shots by that time.They'd cut easily and Flaherty would have them back in the ring before those cuts would heal properly. But that is the way they wanted things.They wanted to fight as often as they could to earn a few bucks.They didn't seem to care about anything even though it was evident that their careers were in the tank.The ring commission docs would give them the Ok to get back in the ring when any physician with a moral code would have prohibited them from fighting anymore. They'd be fighting with a hangover.They'd mask the pain with drugs.I sometimes think that most of these guys who wind up with the dementia don't even feel the punches because they're senses are numbed by some drug.But then half the time the commissions don't even check to see what these guys have ingested into their systems before a fight of after.

The object of the game is to punch a guy in the head as hard as you can.There is no glove or headgear that will prevent brain damage. I told Chris Smith at the West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame banquet that the next book he should write should be about these fighters' wives and families.Promoters are pimps.Who in their right mind would want to make money off of two guys who want to punch each other in the head?It's a sick sport that should be banned.Most fight fans live their dreams like a Walter Mitty watching these fighters punch each other in the head and wishing wish they had the fortitude to do that.

Now you're wondering why I post every day on a boxing forum. In the beginning I was still as dumb as they come.I'd shoot off my mouth making wisecracks and using fighters as verbal punching bags. The years have changed me. I post trying to convey that boxing is the most bittersweet of sports.But at first bite the sugar is on the tongue,but then leaves a taste at the end that you want to spit out of your mouth.

Thanks again Joe Kelly for leaving that taste in my mouth.

Great post from a great guy who I think about quite a bit. Roger. One of those guys that if you meet him, you never forget him.

Never had the pleasure, but I enjoyed his posts immensely, very intelligent guy

[margaret thatcher]

unless you are a total freak (and maybe there are some), no way you can take that many head blows in fights and sparring without a lasting impact. humans arent built like that

[hhaehre]

Check out this documentary, called After the Last Round. It was produced about ten or 12 years ago. It investigates brain damage in boxers, and focuses on the Moyer brothers in particular. There are many interviews with boxing pundits, fighters, their families, with physicians and neurologists.

Thanks for sharing this.I have posted many times my experiences palling around with Denny Moyer and his stablemate Ronnie Wilson when both were fighting mainly in San Diego.This was in the 70's. Denny was managed by Sid Flaherty as was Ronnie.Ronnie was at that time beginning to lose his focus on boxing.That is the training end of it. He was acquiring a fondness for alcohol which was leading to other problems,social and physical. Sid thought that Denny would be a stabling influence if he sent for him to come down from Portland to keep an eye on Wilson.Just the other way around.Denny was beginning to slip badly and was fighting just to pay the bills and also was imbibing..Denny and Ronnie would go out drinking together and sometimes they'd let me tag along.I thought it was cool to hang out with these guys.I was in my 20's and was about as dumb as they come. I'd watch them fight at the San Diego Coliseum. They were both taking a lot of shots by that time.They'd cut easily and Flaherty would have them back in the ring before those cuts would heal properly. But that is the way they wanted things.They wanted to fight as often as they could to earn a few bucks.They didn't seem to care about anything even though it was evident that their careers were in the tank.The ring commission docs would give them the Ok to get back in the ring when any physician with a moral code would have prohibited them from fighting anymore. They'd be fighting with a hangover.They'd mask the pain with drugs.I sometimes think that most of these guys who wind up with the dementia don't even feel the punches because they're senses are numbed by some drug.But then half the time the commissions don't even check to see what these guys have ingested into their systems before a fight of after.

The object of the game is to punch a guy in the head as hard as you can.There is no glove or headgear that will prevent brain damage. I told Chris Smith at the West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame banquet that the next book he should write should be about these fighters' wives and families.Promoters are pimps.Who in their right mind would want to make money off of two guys who want to punch each other in the head?It's a sick sport that should be banned.Most fight fans live their dreams like a Walter Mitty watching these fighters punch each other in the head and wishing wish they had the fortitude to do that.

Now you're wondering why I post every day on a boxing forum. In the beginning I was still as dumb as they come.I'd shoot off my mouth making wisecracks and using fighters as verbal punching bags. The years have changed me. I post trying to convey that boxing is the most bittersweet of sports.But at first bite the sugar is on the tongue,but then leaves a taste at the end that you want to spit out of your mouth.

Thanks again Joe Kelly for leaving that taste in my mouth.

That part with Harry Moyer visiting his two sons at the nursing home is truly devastating. Make you think twice about cheering on professional boxing.

[Expug]

Fighters need to know the truths that Roger talks about in his post there. And from that standpoint, you pursue your career. A couple of these truths are, the object of the game is to hurt someone. No getting around that fact. The other guy is out to hurt you too. Maybe seriously. It’s an absolutely viscous game. Another truth is, nobody gives a damn about you. You’re a way to make money. You’re a way to entertain. You may have a great team that does care about your well being, but that’s the exception not the rule. If you can come to grips with those things, by all means, turn pro. But, you need to be honest with yourself about what you’re getting into.
Years ago, after I had a couple pro fights, I wound up in a conversation with some academic intellectual, he said to me, you know, boxing is the only sport where the idea is to hurt someone.
My reply was “ ya I know, what’s your point”?

[p4p1]

Head kicks in sparring is stupid imo. Unless heavily padded both shin and head.

I don't think shin guards are the best either. There isn't as much padding on them as there is on a 16+oz sparring glove, they can also slip down exposing someone's face to bare shin. Hard head kicks aren't needed IMO either. The gym I was at though had gym wars a couple of times a week where everyone went pretty hard. The coach wanted to create tough fighters and weed out the guys who weren't cutout for it I guess.

I'm not convinced that any kind of hard sparring is a good idea after a certain stage. I think it is important early on so fighters know what to expect when they are in the ring. But after a while I wonder if it is just not worth it. Joe Calzaghe stopped sparring due to his hands and I don't think it had a bad effect on him. Light stuff to prepare for a certain type of opponent and/or strategy as well as drilling I think could be good enough when weighing up the potential long term and medium term effects that semi-hard/hard sparring can do.
As I get older, I really can't see the purpose of gym wars being a regular or semi-regular thing.

I think when you are young and just starting it can help but when it’s experienced fighters smashing the brains out each other it’s bad news mate

I do agree that it is helpful when you are shall we say less experienced rather than young. Kids just starting at 10-13 don't need to be having gym wars either.

Even though I am seeing the positives of it as a fighter, at the same time, that ability to dig in, not give up etc. is something you either have or you don't have. But then experience is so important as well, and being in a position previously so you know what to do or what not to do. There is no safe way to be a fighter, I think we all know that. We try to minimise the risks as much as we can but there are still significant risks.

Commissions now give fighters more time to rehydrate for their health, fighters now try to extract a small advantage by cutting more weight. It completely cancels out the point of having those rules in place. I know the IBF is making some good strides against excessive weight cutting, which is great, but I am sure teams have found ways to get around it. In any elite sport it all comes down to small percentages and being a fraction bigger than your opponent could mean big money. The governing bodies and commissions are stuck between a rock and a hard place because whatever concessions they give for rehydration in the name of safety, fighters will exploit. Ideally you would have to jump on the scale just before the fight to make the weight class, but fighters absolutely would go into the fight drained to make weight and end up more damaged or potentially dead.

I don't like the idea of reducing the rounds, even if I support the idea behind it. I know people would have said the same when they went from 15-12 rounds. I like that they go 12 rounds, it separates the wheat from the chaff so to speak. Maybe the answer is to have longer rounds but less breaks similar to MMA. Less breaks mean less recovery time, which could mean absorbing less head shots, both because the pace may slow down a bit (bad for the spectacle) and longer rounds means there is more chance to get hurt and finished in a particular round (probably good for the spectacle). I don't think boxing can break from the traditional 3 minute rounds either. There is over 100 years of history behind it.