Your passion for the sport and ring tragedies...

I hate violence, despise it in fact, so it makes little sense as to why I love the sport so much. I think it’s the mind over matter side factor and it doesn’t coming down to the biggest mofo winning, in fact it’s normally the exact opposite. The sweet science is why I love it so much and have no problem watching what casuals would consider a ‘snooze fest’

 

I find this sport, fascinating, exciting and at times awe inspiring. Seeing what these warriors can do, sometimes against the odds can be truly inspiring. But when things like this happen you do wonder, is it worth it. especially if they have kids, as a dad myself now I wonder what is more important. the finality of death really does bring it home. life changing injuries are bad enough but a young man dead, leaving his family behind when he had a potential 50 odd years to spend with them, all gone, pretty heart breaking and I can see why it can be the final nail with some fans. I try to see that there are risks in anything you do, its just the fact that in this case people are intentionally trying to damage each other, but its the choice they make, who is anyone to tell a fighter what to do. Doesn't make it easy to witness though when something goes wrong.

 

Now you have probably all noticed that I am something of a fan of the old timers, but if people suggested changing the rules back, I would be at the vanguard of the resistance to that!

I don't want there to be another Jack Dempsey, or god help us another Battling Nelson!

 

I think he point is that it's the attitude that quitting is bad that is the issue not the word.

If the word retire was used instead, it'd quickly have just as much dirtiness if the attitude doesn't change.

 

Though I do wonder if the tendancy to give fighters more time after a knock down just results in them taking more punishment, rather than being quickly stopped.

Though I certainly don't think they should allow such beatings to continue like in Dempsey Vs Willard.

I also wonder if smaller gloves would lead to more superficial damage for the internal damage.

Just speculation though, and overall I agree. It's dangerous enough as is and should be made safe as possible.

 

Yeah, I think that's an all-around terrible practice for a number of reasons. If a guy can't immediately comply with the ref's instructions and demonstrate that he is of sound mind, the ref should just stop the fight then and there instead of spending another 10-15 seconds questioning and coaxing the guy. Not fair to fighter being robbed of the stoppage, either.

 

Tragedies never affected my passion for the sport even though I had watched the Duk Koo Kim tragedy live and what was the name of the British fighter Lupe Pintor KO'd and he died that was kind of eerie....to be honest the response of broadcasters to it made it feel worse! like the way Cosell in the Holmes-Cobb fight the announcing turned my stomach though the fight was the mismatch he described but Cobb was never really hurt just slow as pondwater and Holmes was sharp as hell....but every fighter knows he is rolling the dice the allure to the action and all that comes with it outweighs the possibility of dying....not to say other fighter were not shaken by the deaths but I never was

 

Ch

Cheers yourself JC. You've been a great poster and will be missed by me and others you've shared threads with. A thread was always better for any contribution you made.

I don't know if it eases my conscience but I think of other sports, notably motor racing and motorbike racing, and I see men racing in the name of entertainment, taking on speeds that are just crazy. And, repeatedly, we see racers get killed. The numbers are even scarier than anything that can be levelled at boxing. While the intent is not to hurt in racing, which is where the arguments for boxing falter somewhat, there is a mortality level that would not be acceptable in the ring.

S**t happens in almost all walks of life but boxing's is just amplified. Sounds like you've been so close to it, for so long, you cant get away from the downside. With the benefit of the distance of being an armchair fan, I can live with it and accept that, for many boxers, the ring is just a different venue for the violence their lives will inevitably create. At least they have a channel away from the rest of society and. for some their lives are greatly enriched.

Anyway, all the best you whinging Aussie git. I hope you return soon (although I see few Jeff Fenechs on the horizon to inspire you to do so) but, if you don't, I hope you find something else that captures your interest in the same way.

 

Very well put

 

My solution is to view the sport through an historical lense. I continue to watch videos of past fights with avid interest, but, except for some local amateur shows, I do not pay money to attend present-day fights nor do I purchase any cable views. My knowledge of present-day fighters is consequently limited, but I do read about the more publicized matches and watch clips. I attended live professional shows up until about 1990. Since then I have not been comfortable supporting the pro sport.

I believe people should be allowed to pursue whatever lawful activity they choose, but it would not distress me unduly if professional boxing were not allowed in this country. It's a close question in my mind.

I might add that I have met and known quite a few professional fighters over the years, and almost without exception they have all been damaged to one extent or another. The perverse thing is that this makes me admire them all the more for what they have endured. But, it makes me sad, too.

 

I always check the results online to see that everyone is OK (without trying to find out the specifics of a fight) before watching a fight on replay (with a few exceptions when I've booked a fight with mates to watch live but I'm always edgy doing so).

I've been doing it for years, since I saw Vic Darchinyan stop Victor Burgos and seeing Burgos being taken from the ring on a stretcher in a neck brace and oxygen mask, clearly in a very bad way. It upset me a lot and I just don't want to watch a fighter leave a ring under those circumstances again.

I watch old fights that I already know the results of anyway and enjoy them all the same so what's the difference? I still love the sport and always will.

 

If it was banned, there would be a lot less people getting in it, as fighters or as fans.
A lot less money would be up for grabs.
Yes, boxing would continue to exist underground but it was be a far smaller mileu.

 

McClellan-Benn tested me, only because the ref had so much to do with that fight. Way, way too many rabbit punches. Took years to watch it and when I did...couldn't stand to hear Pacheco say Gman quit like a dog. Will never watch it again.

That Ref IMO should've have been stripped from refereeing matchbox car races,a game of cards, totally... let alone fights pro, amateur, club...

Another was PBF vs Judah.
Ref didn't need to be banned, but a suspension should have happened. Damn the stakes of the fight, when Roger stepped on the apron DQ!
He stepped into the ring...DQ!!!!
He went after the fighter, like Dirrell's corner did...and then a fight brakes out...and they allowed it to continue? IMO politics of the game is why.
Judah, shot to the nuts, another shot to the back of the head.
double DQ!
After it resumed, I thought...man, if this wasn't Floyd...they would've DQ'd everyone.

I mean...they DQ'd CHazz Witherspoon against Arreola for his corner stepping on the apron, not in the ring.