Death and Tragedy: Boxing is a Very Dangerous Sport

I'm not preaching, I love brawls and carnage but I also try to remain cognizant of how dangerous to the fighters this sport can be.

This is for newbies to the sport and for anyone who are unaware, and for all of the macho tough guy fans who think fighters are cowards for quitting on their stools, and for all of the fans who think refs stop matches too soon.
These guys get hit in the head for a living, the sport is incredibly dangerous and we fans tend to lose sight of that occasionally, so watch at your own risk, it may scar you, but these are a few lessons among many, far more happen but are less well known, that we should be reminded of from time to time.

These videos are very traumatic, sensitive fans may not want to watch.

Sergey Kovalev Vs. Roman Simakov Simakov died after Fight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wki4DeJe82s
Nigel Benn Vs. Gerald McClellan Collapses at the end of Fight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKoC7RRfd6s
Ray Mancini Vs Duk Koo-Kim, Duk Koo-Kim died after the Match.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jJRwoJdLa4


All Taken from Wikipedia
Simakov Aftermath:
In his 2011 fight against Roman Simakov, Kovalev knocked down his opponent in the sixth round and the fight was stopped one round later and Kovalev was awarded a TKO victory. Tragically, Simakov was taken to the hospital, where he lapsed into a coma and died three days later.Kovalev went to church with his wife Natalia to pray for Simakov while he was in a coma. He bought airline tickets for Simakov's parents to get from Kemerovo to Ekaterinburg where the fight was held. After Simakov died, Kovalev apologized to Simakov's parents and promised them the prize money from his next fight.

McClellan Aftermath:
McClellan had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He spent eleven days in a coma and after which, he was found to have suffered extensive brain damage. He lost his eyesight, the ability to walk unassisted and became 80 percent deaf. Sports Illustrated ran an article about the fight and its outcome one week after the fight. McClellan's family flew to be by his side, and later he was flown back to his home country. He has recently recovered some ability to walk, being helped by a cane, but he has not recovered his eyesight. In addition to being blind and almost deaf, his short-term memory was also profoundly affected. His three sisters, particularly Lisa McClellan, are responsible for his care.

Kim Aftermath:
Mancini's first defense, against former world champion Ernesto España, went smoothly with a Mancini knockout win in the 6th round.
His next defense would change both his life and the face of boxing: On November 13, 1982, a 21-year-old Mancini met 23-year-old South Korean challenger Duk Koo Kim. Kim had to go through the process of losing several pounds immediately before the fight to make the weight. The title bout, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, was televised live at 1pm PST on CBS Sports. It was, according to many observers, a fight filled with action, but Mancini had an easy time hitting Kim during the 14 rounds the fight lasted. Kim suffered brain injuries that led to his death four days later. The week after his death, the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine showed Mancini and Kim battling, under the title "Tragedy in the Ring."
Mancini went to the funeral in South Korea and he fell into a deep depression afterwards. He has said that the hardest moments came when people approached him and asked if he was the boxer who "killed" Duk Koo Kim. Mancini went through a period of reflection, as he blamed himself for Kim's death. In addition, Kim's mother committed suicide four months after the fight, and the bout's referee, Richard Green, killed himself in July 1983.
As a result of this bout, the WBC took steps to shorten its title bouts to a maximum of 12 rounds. The WBA and WBO followed in 1988, and the IBF in 1989.

 

I mentioned that by saying the "less well known" comment. I stuck with the well known cases because as well known as they are they get swept under the carpet far too often as well.

 

:good

 

Raul Hirales Vs. Francisco Leal Leal died 3 days later from Brain injuries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jAVLLgM5-s