Beginning To Read Damage-The Untold Story of Brain Damage In Boxing

Jerry Quarry’s wife said “As long as there are men there will be boxing”

 

Great one, John. Cheers!

 

Another great one, Pugguy. Cheers too!

 

I agree with your percentage estimate, at least as it applies to professional boxing. Amateur boxers who have competed at local amateur boxing clubs with a few fights might be okay. I've been to a few GG tourneys in Tacoma where they stop bouts very early, and that's fine by me.

 

It could be the alcohol, if you ever tried that.

 

I agree, boxers get brain damaged as a matter of course. Today they spar a lot less, fight a lot less, but the accumulation effect still results in impairment for most.

 

Clara Benitez, mother of Wilfred Benitez, was clearly anti-sparring but no one heard her voice.

RIP my dear, dear friend Clara.

 

Didn't Benitez Father put him in very very hard sparring starting at a very young age?

 

All jokes aside, I quit alcohol altogether back in February and haven't even touched the hard stuff in over a decade (even then my limit was one). I did enjoy a beer or glass of wine but I hated drinking to excess, and with age, even a couple becomes excess.

I do not think it was the wisest move to resume sparring in my late 30's, again a few times into my late 40's.

 

I know Duran, was with him for a weekend two weeks ago and he’s doing well. His mind, memory, speech, mobility etc; all very good.

 

I remember trying to watch the documentary "After the last round" couldn't do it

The premise of the movie "Concussion" and the research on CTE point to the damage being the sub concussive hits. It's not the guy getting knocked cold once that does the damage. It is the lineman colliding every play every week for multiple seasons on end. In boxing that would be all the contact to the head from sparring and matches accumulating even if a fighter never goes down, gets stopped or gets rocked they still get hit over and over

 

I haven’t had a hangover in years. They used to be par for the course and you’d cope. Now? A hangover would be absolutely unbearable, not least for the time lost the following day.

 

There are also the cases where some fighters appeared to have dodged the bullet, but then the damage suddenly kicks in and it’s like they fell off a cliff.

Poor Joe Bugner might be one ideal example.

Chuvalo definitely declined suddenly and quickly but was already up there in years.

Btw, George will be turning 88 yo on 12 September. Hope he is as well as he can be.

 

Also, one fact people sometimes forget are the drugs. Usage of alcohol, drugs and sparring sessions may form the (im)perfect storm!

 

That’s fantastic to hear. Thanks for the update Chris.