Will boxers "age" prematurely with the new amateur rules of no headgear?

[F!x]

I guess it's all in the title but we're in an age at the moment where a lot of the best boxers are mid 30s or, in some cases, older. I'm wondering with the no headgear amateur rule, will boxers take punishment earlier on in their careers and will that mean that, once they transition to the pro game, will they need to retire earlier due to accumulated punishment?

It's a strange situation because the removal of headgear is apparently an attempt to reduce the number of head injuries in the amateurs.

Poll coming up

[ElGuero408]

I don't believe having head gear reduced any amount of trauma , does it ?

[F!x]

I don't believe having head gear reduced any amount of trauma , does it ?

Apparently not, they are banning the headgear because they say it actually causes more head injuries in the amateurs.

[New England]

as crtazy as it sounds, if the amateur system starts getting these guys attention they'll be more likely to turn pro early.

the better amateur boxing is, the more sought after these young fighters will be as professionals. show me the money.

[F!x]

Interesting article:

Amateur boxers are to be banned from wearing headgear in a bid to reduce the number of head injuries.

While the move sounds counterintuitive, the theory is that opponents don't apply so much force if the head is unprotected.

The new rules, from the International Boxing Association (AIBA), state that from June 1st, amateur, elite male boxers who compete internationally will be banned from wearing headgear, like their professional counterparts.

Another reason for the move is that headgear can obscure peripheral vision, making it harder to see when a blow is being aimed at the side of the head. Indeed, research has shown that a lack of headgear actually reduces the risk of concussion.

Full version:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-injuries.html

[ИATAS]

I'm sure the AIBA.has their own motives for their "research" but the brain is still being rattled when hit wearing headgear.

Anyways, prior to 1980 something there wasn't headgear and plenty of guys fought well into their 40s.

[F!x]

as crtazy as it sounds, if the amateur system starts getting these guys attention they'll be more likely to turn pro early.

the better amateur boxing is, the more sought after these young fighters will be as professionals. show me the money.

I guess that's a possibility, but a lot of amateurs have Olympic Gold ambitions. I wonder if the Olympic Gold will actually become more sought after with this change?

[PureBoxingCEO]

I like the headgear. But I dont mind watching amateur fights like the good old Teofilo Stevenson days.

[RVABoxer]

I think its just at the international level right now and some fighters in national tournaments I've seen fighting with no headgear on Instagram but I've seen other pics where they still wear them in the same tournament. I know the recent golden gloves here still had headgear although I'd kinda prefer not to wear it

[NearHypnos]

The only thing to look out for is accumulating scar tissue but the better amateurs are usually so much better than their peers it shouldnt be an issue.