Time for "Burning Spirit" culture in Japanese boxing to subside?

At some point it's acceptable (it's an arbitrary and subjective line) where it's appropriate to quit without shame. I remember the beatdown Gvozdyk took at the hands of Beterbiev. It was obvious that Gvozdyk still had all his faculties, but he'd had enough.

Make no mistake though, fighters who go on and persevere through the exhaustion and physical abuse deserve credit for their bravery.

Some fighters are willing to endure more than others and it's a part of the sport that you cant get rid of without watering it down. British stoppages are not inspiring.

 

R.I.P. Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa.

Boxing isn't safe. It's never been safe. It's never going to not be life threatening which is why some of the tragedies (and politics, corruption, favoritism) made me abandon it. I very rarely watch it, Japanese fights are some of the exceptions.

There needs to be a change indeed and that starts on the referring level. The ref MUST protect the fighters first and foremost, more than the trainers and the fighters themselves who are emotionally invested therefore could be blind for danger lurking. They shouldn't be, but reality is they all want a dramatic turnaround.

So it's the ref's and the supervisor's job to make it 100% sure health is top priority. I'm also hearing some of the local emergency responses weren't up to speed, a strange thing in Japan. Fighters must have ER access within 20 minutes of any potential health incident or shows should not be staged.

 

Without minimizing what has happened at all, I do wonder if this heat wave is having an impact. People are dropping like flies out here.

 

It's a culture of death before dishonor.

 

I wouldn't encourage it. And if I was a trainer I'd have stopped numerous fights that ultimately went to the cards. But if a fighter is willing to endure more than most then they are rightfully going to receive credit for that. The first Gatti Ward fight could have been stopped multiple times in round 9. Gatti did not yield though. And for that he has become a legend.

 

comfort to those fighters' families. what you are asking would almost be impossible. this is the same spirit and culture that infused hundreds of men to fly their planes into allied ships during WW2. i applaud their courage, but i am with you. this issue is a very hard one to take on. the ref and the corner sometimes need to look out for the fighters health while balancing the need of the fighter's desire to fight on. on one hand, we have these two tragedies and on the other, we had the incredible come back in corrales vs castillo in the 11th round.

 

If boxing was banned and made illegal I would be upset, but I would have no moral objections to it. In fact, it's probably the right thing to do.

But as long as it's legal I will continue watching it.

 

It shouldn't matter any more so than a Japanese, French, Cambodian or Chinese virologist sticking to the same safety standards in deadly virus labs irregardless of their respective cultures.

No matter the nationality of the ref or the venue, the official should protect the fighters just the same and if one suffers brain bleed following a sustained, prolonged beating, that's him failing and should be criminally investigated for not doing his sole job which is protecting health.

After the ref and supervisor who can and should interfere in beatdowns, trainers not pulling out their fighters and promoters pressuring officials should be also investigated. But the ref first and foremost, you enter the bout trusting him he's going to referee a boxing event and not a beatdown to death.

 

Someone should protect these child sized men from themselves

 

This is on the refs and corners. It’s their job to protect these men against themselves. A true warrior doesn’t stop. That’s why he needs a corner and a ref to save him from himself.

I remember Wilder flipping out at his corner for saving him. But they actually were doing the right thing.