Boxing bodies urged to do more about mental health issues
Posted: 14 Oct 2016, 11:17
This is a opinion related about the article - https://www.boxingnewsonline.net/boxing ... th-issues/
It's always when the sh.it is done that somebody decide to say that something must be done when the problem was always there. I think that after 200 years of boxing and in last 100 in the 21st century with all advanced in science and in the sport, it's too late to "start" thinking about the fighters' mental health when it should already have to be done in the first of the boxing tragedies of past decades. It's a "Start" that will result in nothing for boxers' mental health, since money is involved in paying psychologists and psychiatrists the high boxing authorities don't want it because if a a boxer gets fu.cked, he simply will lose his throne and there are many hundred more to give them money and take the throne.
As a cognitive behavioral psychologist, I suggest that the first thing before the fighter turning into a pro is a psychological evaluation to see if the future professional boxer is mentally fit and stable for the job and the most important and correct are evaluation sessions and brain scans before and after the fight. It is not just getting an angry good punching guy and put to fight like a dog brawler. Boxing is a contact sport, but behind him there is a person.
You see 2 great boxers fighting 12 rounds and conecting an average of 250 punches (out of ~700) and even imagine how his brain is after the fight. Studies show that boxing raises something like 100% to ~200% the chance of developing Parkinson than a normal person (and live ~30% years less than normal average if with Parkinson) and almost the same % when the case is CTE. Other studies bring that boxing is more dangerous than MMA since more head blows are taken than MMA (counting that may gloves strikes ~10% more energy impact than boxing gloves).
Once I was talking with a golden glove champion and US Olympian boxing athlete and he told me he was afraid of turning to pro because of CTE and Parkinson chance of developing and lose his life after a life spent in the sport. I told that there are certain types of food that help brain and cell protection and to lower the chance of a normal average person Parkinson in 50%+ but it is impossible to tell how would it work with a pro boxer (probably not too much or just a very few).
As some young and poor boys see boxing as an escape from their life to another one and better, their education (all ascending boxers and in all levels) is the first thing they must to be taught. Before turning pro they also have to be taught how boxing industry works and about their health too before choosing to take this huge step or not. Unfortunately, that is not what happens, most boxers are hoodwinked by profiteers because of lack of education and general instruction, then the guy fight his entire ~20 year career boxing fight to spend the money on his health issues after it, thus when there is nothing left because he "gave" most part of it to managers and promoters (to not say in useless or few useful things). Did you realize why most pro and recognized boxers have tragic money failures or life's failures... Revolting.
To be very realistic these supposed "changes" in issues about mental health will lead into nothing unless happens to somebody close to them (and in the sport) and .
* If nobody watched I suggest "Concussion" (2015 film) it brings a notion about how CTE implicates in life of athlete and etc. And Champs (2015) documentary about boxing dirty industry business.
Thanks for the attention
Best regards'
iMaioral
It's always when the sh.it is done that somebody decide to say that something must be done when the problem was always there. I think that after 200 years of boxing and in last 100 in the 21st century with all advanced in science and in the sport, it's too late to "start" thinking about the fighters' mental health when it should already have to be done in the first of the boxing tragedies of past decades. It's a "Start" that will result in nothing for boxers' mental health, since money is involved in paying psychologists and psychiatrists the high boxing authorities don't want it because if a a boxer gets fu.cked, he simply will lose his throne and there are many hundred more to give them money and take the throne.
As a cognitive behavioral psychologist, I suggest that the first thing before the fighter turning into a pro is a psychological evaluation to see if the future professional boxer is mentally fit and stable for the job and the most important and correct are evaluation sessions and brain scans before and after the fight. It is not just getting an angry good punching guy and put to fight like a dog brawler. Boxing is a contact sport, but behind him there is a person.
You see 2 great boxers fighting 12 rounds and conecting an average of 250 punches (out of ~700) and even imagine how his brain is after the fight. Studies show that boxing raises something like 100% to ~200% the chance of developing Parkinson than a normal person (and live ~30% years less than normal average if with Parkinson) and almost the same % when the case is CTE. Other studies bring that boxing is more dangerous than MMA since more head blows are taken than MMA (counting that may gloves strikes ~10% more energy impact than boxing gloves).
Once I was talking with a golden glove champion and US Olympian boxing athlete and he told me he was afraid of turning to pro because of CTE and Parkinson chance of developing and lose his life after a life spent in the sport. I told that there are certain types of food that help brain and cell protection and to lower the chance of a normal average person Parkinson in 50%+ but it is impossible to tell how would it work with a pro boxer (probably not too much or just a very few).
As some young and poor boys see boxing as an escape from their life to another one and better, their education (all ascending boxers and in all levels) is the first thing they must to be taught. Before turning pro they also have to be taught how boxing industry works and about their health too before choosing to take this huge step or not. Unfortunately, that is not what happens, most boxers are hoodwinked by profiteers because of lack of education and general instruction, then the guy fight his entire ~20 year career boxing fight to spend the money on his health issues after it, thus when there is nothing left because he "gave" most part of it to managers and promoters (to not say in useless or few useful things). Did you realize why most pro and recognized boxers have tragic money failures or life's failures... Revolting.
To be very realistic these supposed "changes" in issues about mental health will lead into nothing unless happens to somebody close to them (and in the sport) and .
* If nobody watched I suggest "Concussion" (2015 film) it brings a notion about how CTE implicates in life of athlete and etc. And Champs (2015) documentary about boxing dirty industry business.
Thanks for the attention
Best regards'
iMaioral