Does brain damage impact strategy in the ring?

Yes, and it is commonly overlooked mainly because it’s the harsh reality of the sport most people choose to avoid discussing

 

for agibg boxers, I don't think the lack of ability would come into play as much as his ability to avoid punches and get his own punches off due to his reduced ability to react to what is unfolding in the fight.many boxers in thier prime can't stragagise on thier own, they must be told by thier corner as to what to do in some situations

 

meant aging boxers

 

I would think so. Benny Paret wasn't smart enough to figure out a new style to win his fights in his last couple yrs. and ended up paying the price. When a fighter knows he can absorb a lot of punishment, and has proved it time and again, he confidently goes into that shell, covering up, and thinking he can take it. Of course, your brain will quit on u eventually.

 

Head trauma does not affect intelligence I heard that somewhere, look at boxers, fighters always become technically better later on in their careers, head trauma only affects balance and concentration and energy levels, look at James Toney, he was a brilliant technical boxer later on in his career and he did 12 rounds of sparring every day and he is punch drunk, but only 15 years ago he was doing bits in the heavyweight division because of his boxing ability, Muhammad Ali took lots of punches throughout his career, he was still a great boxer late on, in fact he was better technically later on, more athletic early on, his athleticism went with age so he had to show his boxing ability, he got hit more and took a hell of a lot of punches in the frazier 3 fight, but his strategy and technical ability appeared to be the same even in fights after that, he showed technical ability in the Spinks 2 fight
Archie Moore as well, he became better technically with age and he took punishment throughout his career

 

True, I always wondered whose more prone to brain damage, the fighters with weak chins or the fighters with strong ones?

 

I see what ur saying, it does make sense. But, if you have a weak chin, u can get taken out by one clean shot. It'll be bad for you at the time, and may even end ur career as it did 4 Walcott, but he was in pretty good health afterwards. But for tough guys like Paret, Saad, Chacon, etc., they were capable of taking prolonged and merciless beatings, and it caught up with them, and of course Paret died, and Saad and Chacon had health problems the rest of their lives.

 

i believe that brain damage does affect one's ability to strategize a plan in the ring. Most fighters with brain damage usually fight off of instinct, as their motor skills have been impacted due to severe damage from the trauma of the numerous blows that were received from their opponents throughout a career in the ring.

 

I would think that it could have an effect yes. Depending on the type of brain damage and the severity of it, an athlete’s faculties can certainly be compromised.

 

Although catchers are my absolute favorites, I think the Holmes/ Robinson/ Ali/ Monzon type and the Foreman type had the idea down. All had amazing chins, but the boxer types played it safe and kept distance btwn them and their opponent to keep from getting hurt a lot and Foreman "got the other guy before he got him". You know any one of them would have made great catchers though, they just had better plans.

 

In all honesty it is not a very intelligent thing to allow someone to beat you upside the head for let's say 15 rounds, there is no glory there, but potential brain damage later on, just mumbling your words, drooling to satisfy a few fans.

 

There's plenty of glory to it imo. There's not a more impressive way to win a fight that get nearly beat to death and come back late. They're the famous guys and the money-makers. It's just that the time frame these guys are big in won't even last ten good years.

 

But you see you are only a very young fan my friend, you do not have a family yet. Why don't you enter a ring, let them beat on you for the glory. I see a fighter doing that, he is less than great. then those fighters in their later years, cannot even dress themselves, an example being the great heavyweight of the 1960's and 1970's, Jerry Quarry. He had to be dressed by his family. look at Muhammad Ali with his famous Rope A Dope, look how he ended up. glory from fans is not worth it. Think of what I tell you, i have seen many fighters end up in Skid Row.

 

Viewing it from a anatomy/physiological standpoint, the frontal lobe which is brain area where boxers take most of the repeated subconcussive punches, has various functions one of which is problem solving, a handy asset i think we can agree when there is another person in opposite corner who presents you with problems, one in each glove.

Repeated blows to the head won't necessarily make you punch drunk, but it sure as hell raises the risk of becoming so, especially if you were likely to get brain health issue later in life anyway, it brings those forward by many years, adding in other health issues or excess alcohol intake and you are creating the perfect storm.

At least boxing medics now will to certain degree stop you engaging in another bout until your brain has recovered after a trauma eg stoppage.

Common sense says if you put any body part through more trauma before it has healed, then you either hinder/slow that healing or indeed exacerbate the damage, bad news if it a limb, possibly life changing or even ending if it your brain.