Comments Thread For: Investigation: Is sparring boxing?s secret killer?

[BoxingUpdates]

Any well-trained boxer will tell you that, come fight night, the hard work has already been done. The contest, for however long it lasts, should be easy by comparison to the weeks and months of grind in the gym...
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[sullymin]

Absolutely! Success in the ring comes from the countless hours of training behind the scenes—fight night is just the final test SoFlo Wheelie Life

[shadowleeks]

Sparring isn’t a “secret killer,” but it can be the biggest source of long-term damage in a boxer’s career. Fighters accumulate far more repeated head impacts in the gym than in actual fights, especially during hard, frequent sparring sessions. Most experts agree that poorly controlled sparring, too much intensity, and too many rounds increase the risk of chronic brain injuries.

When sparring is properly supervised, limited in volume, and focused on technique rather than wars in the gym, the risks drop significantly. The issue isn’t sparring itself—it's how it’s done.

Doodle Baseball

[steeve steel]

So i guess all contact sports should stop practising before the game... Ridiculous. You either ban boxing because it is a brutal sport that leaves serious medical after-effects, or you let the boxers do their training.

[TyrantT316]

I wonder how many non boxers will respond by saying "this is utterly rediculous!"

Anyway, I agree with what was mentioned above that it may be more about HOW it's done. I can only assume that sparring is arguably the best way for fighters to prepare for an opponent that hits back, moves, slips, muscles, feints, clinches, etc. Heavy bags and pads don't prepare you for that.

HOWEVER, I think the problem is more about whether sparring sessions are gym wars vs. skill prep. JUst because it's the way it has always been done, that may not mean it should always stay the same. I just wonder how many careers are shortened because of head punishment in sparring.