Pugilistic dementia...

Do you think so? I've listened to Rios for a few years now and haven't really noticed a change is his speech. Maybe I will notice it now it's been mentioned but it hasn't really jumped out to me like it has with people like Toney.

 

He's at a higher risk than most, he's only 26, but with his style its doubtful his career will last even a few more years, but it won't matter the damage will be done by then. To me there is no question he will have some sort of long term repercussions for the style he fights in, and the ballooning in weight. Could be anything from slurred speech on up to kidney, liver and or heart problems.

 

Mayweather does spar quite a bit but not like the Kronk fighters used to. These guys would have daily wars for bragging rights...not sparring sessions.

 

Terry Norris, Jermaine Taylor & Meldrick Taylor have is BAD???
Weren't they considered Slick???
(Slick compared to Brandon's style)

It depends on the fighter.

 

Peps dementia was due to age, not boxing. I saw him a few years before his death and spoke with him for about 15 minutes and he was articulate and witty.

There is no formula for pugilistic dementia or guys like George Chuvalo would have it and guys like Wilfred Benitez wouldn't.

 

For the people mentioning Benitez, I think more of that came from him being hit a lot while he was still young. i mean hell he was a world champion when he was 17. His dad used to put him in the streets with older kids and bet on it. I think if you take a lot of punishment before your brain fully develops then it greatly increases the risk of dementia later on down the road. Same with some of these guys who had 200+ amateur fights and do a lot of sparring in their teens.
Then there are the fighters who just stay in the game too long and the last 3,4 fights really mess them up. That extra sparring and getting hit solidly those extra 2-3 years really makes a big difference. How much different would Ali have been if he would have retired in '76 instead of fighting those last to years when he was washed up. Another one pointed out the gym wars...and two that really come to mind are Meldrick Taylor and Terry Norris. Both of these guys became very slurred during their careers. Taylor was a product of the Philly gym wars and Norris reportedly would spar 12 rounds 2-3 a week in preparation for a fight! I mean that is a **** ton of sparring leading up to a bout. I know a lot of the old timers would only spar 3 weeks before the fight in to stay sharp and get their reflexes and timing down. But like somebody pointed out, it all depends in the person.

 

Glad you posted this. I saw an interview of him on an Angelo Dundee documentary and he was the wisest and wittiest out of all the people there. He must have been in his late 60s or early 70s. My granfather got dementia in his mid to upper 70s and never boxed. It happens to old people.

 

He already is, I saw it on 24/7. He and Margarito both have been showing sign already.

 

His fighting style is not conducive to long term mental health. However, like many have pointed out, some guys can handle punishment more than others.

The thing with Rios is that he seems hard wired to fight. If it wasn't in the ring in front of fans, it might be in a bar or alley somewhere. He is actually doing what he loves to do. He loves testing and proving himself.