Comments Thread For: Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Damage in Boxing

[BodyBagz]

What is with this agenda? Every month or so there is one of these "poignant" pieces to try to get into peoples heads.

100% trashy Guardian/NYT style rhetoric with 0% statistics.

Who is behind it? What are they trying to push? Obviously the purpose is not to inform, otherwise there would be, you know, actual statistics and analysis.

Why do journalists even exist? Most worthless class of person any culture has ever produced.

Runway/super model gets my vote

I mean, what is their skill again ?

As for sob stories like this one, their headaches have been well compensated.

[Rockin']

Good article, very truthful.............Rockin'

[removed]

I was impressed with Froch's commentary last weekend. I wouldn't mind hearing him doing that more often, though it was probably a one-off, or only when a known British fighter is in the main event at least.

Froch loves himself but he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to boxing and he isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade.

More Froch commentary please!!

[Dr Rumack]

I got a riddle for Thomas Hauser, check it out.

The greatest fighter of all time, Roberto Duran, also fought on too long just like others but he didn't end up in poor health. In fact the guy's completely fine, totally normal - no slurred speech, no signs of traumatic brain injury or pugilist dementia.

How is it possible that Duran is still in excellent health despite fighting way past his prime? Is it a testament to Duran's awesome, unparalleled fighting abilities? It's beyond me.

Same is true of George Chuvalo. And Carmen Basilio was perfectly coherent up until the end of his life.

On the other hand, defensive wizards like Willie Pep and Wilfred 'El Radar' Benitez suffered terrible brain damage from their careers.

Most likely genetics play a role and some guys are luckier than others.

[Monty Fisto]

I got a riddle for Thomas Hauser, check it out.

The greatest fighter of all time, Roberto Duran, also fought on too long just like others but he didn't end up in poor health. In fact the guy's completely fine, totally normal - no slurred speech, no signs of traumatic brain injury or pugilist dementia.

How is it possible that Duran is still in excellent health despite fighting way past his prime? Is it a testament to Duran's awesome, unparalleled fighting abilities? It's beyond me.

There are a number of possible explanations. One is that not everyone gets it. You just don't know who will develop it, but the number is substantial. Another is that Duran presumably sparred like he fought and he was a genius at putting his head where it wasn't going to get hit. He would bury it in the crook of his opponent's neck, hold them with one hand and wallop them with the free one. Then switch his head to the other side of the neck and wallop them with the other hand.

[New England]

Most retired boxers nowadays don't sound like they've been punched in head for a living you'd never know.
Paul malignaggi, David haye, Tony bellew. Carl Froch was interviewed other day and he was well spoken. Even posh sounding, the voice he used whilst fighting was more thugish like an act.

your ******ity really is astounding. those are the guys who can talk well enough to be on TV, you ****ing bellend. of course they can still talk. nice sample, chief.

[M111]

What is with this agenda? Every month or so there is one of these "poignant" pieces to try to get into peoples heads.

100% trashy Guardian/NYT style rhetoric with 0% statistics.

Who is behind it? What are they trying to push? Obviously the purpose is not to inform, otherwise there would be, you know, actual statistics and analysis.

Why do journalists even exist? Most worthless class of person any culture has ever produced.

Really?? Thomas Hauser. You seriously have never heard of him and you call yourself a boxing fan. Says it all really. One of the most respected boxing journalists in the business, been around for years and years. All you’re doing is showing your own utter ignorance. A bit pointless spouting facts and figures. Brain injury in sport is extremely well researched and there’s tonnes of data on it. I guess Trump won the election too huh?

[Rapscallion]

Also, when it comes to Muhammad Ali; By all accounts he was a very light trainer. He even admitted that he hated to train. He took it easy in training camps. He hardly ever sparred or got hit in camp. The most he would do is work on staying in shape through physical fitness for a fight with roadwork, skipping rope, punching the heavy bag and hitting the speed bag.

Believe it or not, I read the exact opposite about Ali. Following his return to boxing and loss to Joe Frazier, he'd specifically train to prepare for sustained blows -- standing with his back to the ring post and taking blow after blow as if to be better prepared to absorb punches by any opponent, and that in doing so he learned that he could be out on his feet, but as long as he had his back to the ropes he would not fall. Add that to the beatings he took later in his career, and it is not difficult to see why he suffered brain damage. In my opinion, Ali should not have fought after 1975 (he was still capable of championship caliber boxing at this time) ending his career with a victory over Joe Frazier in Manila, although Ali would have been much better off had he not taken that fight as it was so damaging both to him (even in victory) and as everybody knows, Frazier.

[War Room]

Contact sports should be banned

You should be banned.

I got a riddle for Thomas Hauser, check it out.

The greatest fighter of all time, Roberto Duran, also fought on too long just like others but he didn't end up in poor health. In fact the guy's completely fine, totally normal - no slurred speech, no signs of traumatic brain injury or pugilist dementia.

How is it possible that Duran is still in excellent health despite fighting way past his prime? Is it a testament to Duran's awesome, unparalleled fighting abilities? It's beyond me.

There are anomalies to the rule. Based on my research, I believe cranial symmetry has an impact on brain health in boxing. Not all skulls share the same symmetry,

The article is pretty good, but says a lot about the poor framework of how science works with boxing ---> the data is outdated. The scientific studies on boxing health related to punch impact are old, very old. The data says it's punches acummulated, in my experience, it's how many times you get your bell rung. After you spar for a while, the non-ringers, you don't feel them and I never felt any post impact from them.

Once I started sparring on a high level and got my bell rung more regularly, when you get déja vù from a punch (and I have), those are the ones that leave a lasting print.

All the fighters being mentioned came from a different era. Health was poor, information was poor, science was poor, training methods were dangerously archaic.

A lot of those guys thought you had to take a few to give a few and for some, that is all they could do. But today, that's not the rule anymore. Mayweather is a testament to that and to be honest, a lot of fighters are a testament to it. You got to know when to hold them and you got to know when to fold them. Don't take so much damage, that can happen in fights and sparring.

[steeve steel]

You don't need a PhD in neurology to know concussions are bad for you... This said, boxing is risky, and the fighters know it. Hockey, football, too. Race car driving also. So is mountain climbing. People take risks for a reason : money and/or adrenaline. And boys will be boys.