Love the sport, sometimes hate the result ! (Is boxing worth the risk?)

Member Name: grayless

Product:	Is boxing worth the risk?
Date:	31/07/09 (338 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Greatest sport

Disadvantages: Greatest sacrifice

I love the sport and have followed it for about 25 years. I have been to many big fights, my first being Frank Bruno's first challenge for a world title against Tim Witherspoon in 1986 with my dad as a fourteen year old kid.

The atmosphere was incredible and I can remember imagining what it must feel like standing in front of all those people, about to go to battle with another man knowing you have to try and hurt him before he hurts you!. In the next few minutes you could become a hero to thousands if not millions or you could be humiliated and worse still injured or .......?.

As a young boy these were no normal men for me they are the bravest of the brave, kings amongst men, true warriors, imagine being in their boots!

It is still for me the greatest sport in the world but with that it brings some of the greatest risks. Those taking part know what can happen to themselves or to their opponent yet still they lace on their gloves, why? Some out of necessity to put food on the tables of their families, some to get a high from pushing themselves to the limits, others have seen famous fighters through the years and idolised them to the point of wanting to be like them.

But although they all know there is a chance of making that ultimate sacrifice of taking a life or losing their own or in some cases such as Gerald McClellan after his fight with Nigel Benn suffering horrific long term disabilities.
(He has recently recovered some ability to walk, being helped by a cane, but he has not recovered his eyesight. In addition to being blind and almost deaf, his short-term memory was also profoundly affected) they nearly all continue. Even the ones, who got into the fight game "just to make money," find the drug of boxing hard to give up.


We can all point to more dangerous activities and other sports where deaths and injuries are more frequent, but in Boxing the fighters are trying to hurt each other for just for long enough to have their arm raised at the end of the bout, and as long as they do things will go wrong.



Myself? I still love the sport, but when a fighter goes down after the initial excitement the first thing I want to see is him getting to his feet and shaking hands with his opponent. When this does not happen and tragedy strikes, it is hard for even the biggest fan not to question themselves as to why they still watch boxing.


As long as those involved know the risks and want to willingly compete, and we do all we can to make it as safe as possible, I for one will continue to watch as I think those involved are an amazing group of individuals taking part in the greatest sport of all.

Nothing is worth the risk when it all goes wrong but nothing can surley give a much greater feeling when it all comes good. ( the same as most things in life)

Summary: ?