BoxRec

Boxing is a sport with a fair amount of risk. We all know that, especially those who compete in the sport professionally. There have been strides in the safety precautions, of course. But it'll never be risk free. And we should never act like it isn't.

After incidents like what happened to Nick Blackwell on Saturday night, do you ever question yourself as a boxing fan?

There are positives to it. How many young lads have turned their lives around due to boxing? Loads. And it's safe to say none of us enjoyed watching Nick Blackwell get carried out on a stretcher that night, or take any satisfaction in his current state. Boxing fans are not the barbarians that some like to portray us as. Sat in the crowd, baying for blood.

But it's hard to watch something like that happen, and not feel a slight bit of sadness. Especially as I had been looking forward to that fight. Does anyone feel a tad of guilt, or remorse, watching boxing every time something like this happens?

the older I get yes.

Often, especially after nights like that one.

I definitely questioned it on Saturday night primarily because I don't think it was anyone's fault. If someone messed up then you can say well if that was done properly then Nick would be OK. Blackwell is ridiculously tough and paid the price unfortunately. Comes across a really nice lad too.

I do agree with the saying 'Boxing saves more lives then it takes' even though there's no way of proving it.

Nah never. People know the risks before they step in the ring and unless you love it you're never likely to dedicate yourself enough to step in a ring in a regulated fight. Nobody is forced or pressured to fight either explicitly or more subtly so no. If you want to avoid the possibility of ever getting hurt then boxing ain't for you.

Supremo wrote:Nah never. People know the risks before they step in the ring and unless you love it you're never likely to dedicate yourself enough to step in a ring in a regulated fight. Nobody is forced or pressured to fight either explicitly or more subtly so no. If you want to avoid the possibility of ever getting hurt then boxing ain't for you.

I've been asked how I can justify that boxing is better than something like fox hunting. I say it's because, a human being has a choice to step into the ring. A fox doesn't have a choice whether it participates in the "sport".

In a way, you could even argue that horse racing is worse. Every time a horse falls over, or hurts itself, it's put down. At least in boxing you don't have some little midget on your back with a whip 'encouraging' you to comply.

Doesn't make me feel any better as to what happened on Saturday night though.

ILikeBeer wrote:

Supremo wrote:Nah never. People know the risks before they step in the ring and unless you love it you're never likely to dedicate yourself enough to step in a ring in a regulated fight. Nobody is forced or pressured to fight either explicitly or more subtly so no. If you want to avoid the possibility of ever getting hurt then boxing ain't for you.

I've been asked how I can justify that boxing is better than something like fox hunting. I say it's because, a human being has a choice to step into the ring. A fox doesn't have a choice whether it participates in the "sport".

In a way, you could even argue that horse racing is worse. Every time a horse falls over, or hurts itself, it's put down. At least in boxing you don't have some little midget on your back with a whip 'encouraging' you to comply.

Doesn't make me feel any better as to what happened on Saturday night though.

True. Horrible to see Animals pay the ultimate price for human enjoyment.

I've never felt guilty watching the sport. I love everything about it apart from when things like this happen. There are a lot more success stories than there are tradgedies in our sport, a hell of a lot more. I think most of us feel uncomfortable watching fights like Saturday it's human nature.

My dad and my uncles all boxed at a decent level and me and my younger brother were sent to the gym at an early age. I have three boys of my own and I'll be encouraging them to attend (one of them already has a few times and enjoys it). Most of the people who criticise the sport know nothing about it.

I sometimes question why I like it, why do I like watching men punch each other? But end of the day it's a sport, it's a dangerous sport yes, but it's a sport. Everyone who takes part generally does it because they love it, because they have a talent at it and a desire to succeed in their life. I enjoy the skill of the sport, the excitement and yes the knockouts.

It's brutal, it's sometimes primal, but we are men, we have fight built into us and you can't just unprogram that - much as it horrifies some people, they have to understand that we watch because we enjoy it and fighters are the same. The money isn't great except at the top level so it's about much more than money - the test, the thrill, the desire to achieve something.

At any point people can opt to leave the sport if they aren't enjoying it and everyone knows the risks involved. For this reason I think I am fine with my own enjoyment of the sport. Sometimes I do get wound up when someone really needs pulling out or there is a ridiculous mismatch, but the fight on Saturday wasn't really either of them, even though there has been an eruption of 'casuals' outraged at the ref/corner for not pulling Blackwell out.

The odd time things go bad, it's terrible to see, but to me that's why it's probably best that boxing isn't shown too much on terrestrial TV as you just get casuals who don't understand the sport at all, or even like it, and things like Saturday just give them all an excuse to condemn the sport.

ILikeBeer wrote:

Supremo wrote:Nah never. People know the risks before they step in the ring and unless you love it you're never likely to dedicate yourself enough to step in a ring in a regulated fight. Nobody is forced or pressured to fight either explicitly or more subtly so no. If you want to avoid the possibility of ever getting hurt then boxing ain't for you.

I've been asked how I can justify that boxing is better than something like fox hunting. I say it's because, a human being has a choice to step into the ring. A fox doesn't have a choice whether it participates in the "sport".

In a way, you could even argue that horse racing is worse. Every time a horse falls over, or hurts itself, it's put down. At least in boxing you don't have some little midget on your back with a whip 'encouraging' you to comply.

Doesn't make me feel any better as to what happened on Saturday night though.

Unless you were managed by Frank/Kellie Maloney

In many ways it's the same with any dangerous sport, motorbike racing e.g. Isle of Man TT, there are deaths each year but the people who do it absolutely love it, they don't want it taken away from them by people who don't even understand the sport. Same with car racing, etc etc etc.

I question my support of the sport more for other things that were shown on Sat night like Kell Brook being matched against someone clearly not up to the task. These types of fights (Khan v Salita being another) i'd say do more damage as they treat the opponent (and fans) with contempt.

Tragedies like saturday night obviously make me feel sad and a bit worried but like others have said, it is a known risk and thankfully, it is a rare occurrence.

No.

Never! There are far more dangerous sports than boxing.

Not personally.

Tragic events happen in most sports. I'm also a fan of road cycling, where two Belgian cyclists have just died in the past two days. One hit by a motorbike and one of a heart attack. I'll still be following Le Tour this year....

Its awful but its life.

Someone will probably die later on this afternoon driving home from work, but it won't make me reconsider getting in my own car and switching on the engine.

Boxers do indeed understand the risks and choose to participate. Everything must be done to minimise tragedies from happening, but sadly they always will on occasion.

Yes. But primarily because I wish they were better paid (below elite class) for what they suffer for our entertainment.

No.

ILikeBeer wrote:

Supremo wrote:Nah never. People know the risks before they step in the ring and unless you love it you're never likely to dedicate yourself enough to step in a ring in a regulated fight. Nobody is forced or pressured to fight either explicitly or more subtly so no. If you want to avoid the possibility of ever getting hurt then boxing ain't for you.

I've been asked how I can justify that boxing is better than something like fox hunting. I say it's because, a human being has a choice to step into the ring. A fox doesn't have a choice whether it participates in the "sport".

In a way, you could even argue that horse racing is worse. Every time a horse falls over, or hurts itself, it's put down. At least in boxing you don't have some little midget on your back with a whip 'encouraging' you to comply.

Doesn't make me feel any better as to what happened on Saturday night though.

I agree with you about fox hunting, but that point about horse racing is utter nonsense.

No, but I do hope for a time as technology advances to see who might be more susceptible to significant trauma in a 36 minute fight.

How can Jeff Lacy take a beating for 12 rounds like he did vs Joe and not have anything like the injuries that Blackwell is facing.

Whilst boxers know the risk, I think there can be a degree of "yeah, but it won't happen to me" - because it doesn't happen to all.

Its a bit like smoking, yes we all know the risks - but it doesn't stop people and it doesn't stop people from saying it won't happen to them..... like going to Alton Towers, there is a risk that you could have a taumatic accident, but it might not happen to you.

Will always be a fan, but it would be great if we had the technology to say "more likely" to happen to you.

I never question myself as a boxing fan. However, if I was one these numbskulls shouting "kill him" from ringside then obviously I would.

The same would be true if I was the type of fan who was quick to crucify a fighter for a performance. I'm always deeply respectful of fighters and what they put themselves through. From losing journeyman, to undisputed champions, from smallhall scrappers to reluctant warriors - I appreciate every single one of them. It's why I get angry when fans get hyper critical of fighters and come to ill-informed judgements about a boxers desire, heart etc.

No, it's a risky sport but so are lots of others.

I would like to see less of an attitude towards fighters quitting though from fans. Bit of a stigma attached to a boxer pulling out with fans calling them pussies, quitters, lacking heart etc which I think puts pressure on guys like Blackwell to keep getting up and fighting even when hurt.

stujones wrote:No, but I do hope for a time as technology advances to see who might be more susceptible to significant trauma in a 36 minute fight.

How can Jeff Lacy take a beating for 12 rounds like he did vs Joe and not have anything like the injuries that Blackwell is facing.

Whilst boxers know the risk, I think there can be a degree of "yeah, but it won't happen to me" - because it doesn't happen to all.

Its a bit like smoking, yes we all know the risks - but it doesn't stop people and it doesn't stop people from saying it won't happen to them..... like going to Alton Towers, there is a risk that you could have a taumatic accident, but it might not happen to you.

Will always be a fan, but it would be great if we had the technology to say "more likely" to happen to you.

Yes clearly some are more susceptible than others. There's so many factors, some neurological, some mechanical (thickness of skull and jawbones, next musculature) it's a very complicated business.

I do wonder if the number of uppercuts was a factor here - uppercuts put a lot of torsion on the cranium spinning it on the axis, which must generate considerable g-forces, and therefore trauma to the brain due to the force with which it hits the cranium. Straight shots won't carry as much force in that axis.

tigermoth87 wrote:No, it's a risky sport but so are lots of others.

I would like to see less of an attitude towards fighters quitting though from fans. Bit of a stigma attached to a boxer pulling out with fans calling them pussies, quitters, lacking heart etc which I think puts pressure on guys like Blackwell to keep getting up and fighting even when hurt.

Agreed. Any fighter has the right to say 'enough is enough' - it's their health on the line, and for me, there's no real honour in taking a merciless pasting round after round.

Blackwell went on far beyond the point where he needed to prove something, - I feel he knew himself that barring a miracle, or Eubank suddenly running out of gas, there was no way he could win the fight. Pride can be a terrible thing.

I felt a bit bad after watching Perez beat Mago as I was willing Perez on throughout and enjoyed seeing him bash up the Russian. Afterwards after reading more about Mago, what he was like as a person and what happened to him after the fight, I did (briefly) question whether I wanted to support a sport in which two young children lost their father. There also seems to be a big problem with medical insurance and insurance to provide for a boxer and his family in the event of a career ending injury - this should really be part of the promotional costs, whether it is taken from the fighters purse is a separate matter but it should definitely be compulsory.

I think you just have to look at these things as tragedies, which can happen in any sport. I'm also a big horse racing fan, another sport where both the jockies and horses are exposed to severe dangers. Ultimately boxers know the risks involved. They are not forced to do it. The bigger problem is what to do in fights where a fighter is taking a sustained beating and the referee and his corner allow a guy to finish the fight on his feet to save pride when all it is doing is putting his life at risk.

I did question myself on Saturday but it was just a tragic accident.
It's the sport I follow and love and still one of the few sports that has the potential to grab the worlds attention.
We know the risks and the medical plans put in place in this country are fantastic.
It's not like the 50's were this kind of thing was happening high profile on a regular basis.

The thing that annoys me more than anything is the Ban Boxing Brigade who have no idea the courage taken to get into a ring.