Implications for boxing post Blackwell tragedy...

What - if anything - will/should change to reduce the likelihood of future tragedies?

 

I suspect in domestic fights that the referee will be ultra cautious now and jump in early.

The amount of people (me included) that say the ref and Lockett should have pulled him out early will put pressure on. To be fair to both, hindsight is a wonderful thing and both are good professionals and at the time it seemed justifiable to let him see the final bell out.

 

Nothing will change and rightly so.

Next.

 

It is a difficult one as the trainers and refs get criticism regardless of what they do.

I do feel Lockett should have pulled him out earlier but am speaking with hindsight. Do I think most other trainers would have let it continue until it did? Yes, I do and that's due to the pressure we as fans put on them to fight until they literally can't fight anymore.

 

Is it time for a "Nicks Law" to be brought in? A rule - or at the very least a 'strong guideline' to be brought in directing fights to be stopped automatically where one guy is clearly not competitive?

 

No.

Next.

 

Yeah, think of the Spike fight.
At the time thought he should have carried on for a conclusive finish but in retrospect a good withdrawal.

 

Fingers crossed Blackwell makes a full recovery.

Post Watson in this country Boxing has come on in leaps and bounds with regards ring safety.The nature of the sport sadly it will happen again it is what it is a contact sport.

Rugby union also a contact sport and many have had life changing injuries from scrums.No call for non-contact scrums ever,working class sport against establishment sport don't know?Not knocking RU as I enjoy watching it but boxing is an easy target....and always has been.

Boxing is a sport you go into with your eyes open the threat of serious injury is always out there sadly,the fighters aware and go into the pro ranks with their eyes open.It doesn't answer your question Len but trust me you will see in the coming months more refs likely to jump in early to stop contests at all levels is the most likely outcome.

 

Was NB badly hurt? No.

Was he down? No.

Was he wobbled? No.

Was he throwing back? Yes.


Nothing should change. It's one of those rare occupancies that you don't like to see, but it happens.

edit: this is by no means meant to be disrespectful to Nick given the circumstances, I hope to god he makes a full recovery. By all accounts a cracking boy.

 

The worst thing about threads like these are the morons talking with hindsight. I'd wager less than 1% of people watching honestly thought Blackwell should have been pulled out and now suddenly everyone is an expert who saw it and are therefore demanding changes etc.

What a load of rubbish. In terms of a one-sided beating this doesn't come close to fights we've seen in the past that have been turned around.

Stop being reactionary tarts.

 

fighters will just start unloading like crazy hitting gloves etc on the ropes and the reffs will have to jump in

 

Ok but heres an alternative list of questionS:

Had the injured boxer hardly won a round? .....No
Had he landed - or even got a chance to throw - much more than his (admitedly excellent) jab? ....No

Was he coming on strong in the fight?...No
Was Eubank fading?.....No

Were there encouraging signs that Nick could win the fight? .....No
Are boxing fans entitled to see serious harm, even death?....No



etv etc etc...

 

Nothing should change but unfortunately we will see refs jump in to early now.

As fury once said " this is the hurt game". These fellas know what they are getting into and the risks they are taking.

Out of all the fights that take place this one freak accident shouldn't mean change. Its boxing ffs you are punching each other in the head for 36 minutes.

Wish blackwell all the best in recovery. Warrior!!

 

would be a good start for the doctor to be in the ring in between rounds so that he/she can properly monitor responses to instructions, looking directly into eyes etc.

 

Nothing should change, there's danger in all sports. Two professional cyclists have died in races in Belgium over the weekend, no mention of that in the news.