Should Sparring Be Regulated?

[YoungManRumble]

Does sound like it would be a nightmare to police. I mean what is sparring, moving around, bodywork only, technical sparring, when does light become full. Is it for pros & ams, when does someone become an amateur covered by it.

The literal definition of it: "make the motions of boxing without landing heavy blows, as a form of training."

Though obviously that's not always how everyone views it, especially at high levels since pulling your punches would probably create some horrible habits. I also found a curious definition on the Merrium-Webster site: 1a : box entry 3 especially : to gesture without landing a blow to draw one's opponent or create an opening

Isn't that the definition of a feint haha?

[Citizen Koba]

I hear it is more regulated in the UK and NY but should sparring be regulated in more areas and result in fines, suspension and even result in gyms being shut down that violate whatever rules were came up with?

Obviously it wouldn't be easy to police this, but it seems like you could stop some of the extreme sparring situations that go on among licensed boxing people and potentially insure guys go into fights in healthier shape as some of the recent deaths and severe injuries have been rumored or speculated to be connected to sparring habits leading into their fight.

Policing would probably be the most difficult issue but I'd say the first step would be making gym owners legally responsible for ensuring fighter safety within their gyms , or at least ensuring that reasonable safety measures are in place (making sure gyms are staffed round the clock by trained first aiders and all sparring sessions monitored for instance). In the UK professional trainers need to be licensed by the BBBoC so I'm guessing egregiously grueling training methods could result in - at the very least - a revocation, but I don't know if similar procedures are in place in the US.

Ain't got time to look into it properly right now, but it's an interesting question so I'll maybe come back to it this eve and do a little research.

[puro dinamita]

i think it should be law have a ring or arena in the center of the city and who ever has a problem they should fight it out because people will be too tired to hate each other after a good scrap but then again you got the gun toading hip gangster wannabes

[A.K]

For an easy example they are doing 8+ minute rounds and wacky sh^t like that at Floyd's gym.

And I'm not saying no one is being mindful or just using common sense with sparring limits. I specifically mentioned the UK and NY have rules on the books and I'm sure plenty of gyms got limitations that are unofficial. I think plenty of gyms don't doe and I think with the seriousness and ability to suffer lifelong damage from this game due to sparring.

For another ez example plenty of people think Muhammad Ali's health post-boxing was more the result of his sparring habits than his actual fights.

Nothing else is gonna prepare you for 8 rounds but 8 rounds.. if you really want to do this you gotta atleast go 8 rounds..

[R-Hand Southpaw]

If you're in a ring and the other guy is just throwing bombs looking to hurt you and not work on his own skill then it's your choice to walk out.

At least that's how I see it.

If you have such a weak chin or inability to take a hit then spar with only people you trust. Me and my brother spar all the time and our "sparring style" is completely different. He just wants pit pats at less than 50% speed which imo works on nothing. I spar enough where it begins to feel competitive. Its boxing. Your put on the gloves you will get hit. Theres no way around it.

[Eff Pandas]

Nothing else is gonna prepare you for 8 rounds but 8 rounds.. if you really want to do this you gotta atleast go 8 rounds..

Whos saying you can't do 8 rounds?

I'm saying doing 8min or longer rounds might be a lil too much. I'm saying doing 8 rounds multiple days in a row or too many rounds in a week or month might be a lil too much.

[Eff Pandas]

If you're in a ring and the other guy is just throwing bombs looking to hurt you and not work on his own skill then it's your choice to walk out.

At least that's how I see it.

If you have such a weak chin or inability to take a hit then spar with only people you trust. Me and my brother spar all the time and our "sparring style" is completely different. He just wants pit pats at less than 50% speed which imo works on nothing. I spar enough where it begins to feel competitive. Its boxing. Your put on the gloves you will get hit. Theres no way around it.

No clue what your saying gots anything to do with what I'm saying.

I agree there are levels to sparring, but what I'm talking about is gyms that have guys spar too many rounds or for extreme periods of time without a break and sh^t like that.

Obviously you are gonna take shots of varying power during sparring and that isn't changing anytime soon.

[R-Hand Southpaw]

No clue what your saying gots anything to do with what I'm saying.

I agree there are levels to sparring, but what I'm talking about is gyms that have guys spar too many rounds or for extreme periods of time without a break and sh^t like that.

Obviously you are gonna take shots of varying power during sparring and that isn't changing anytime soon.

Oh I get you.

When I went to highschool they used to allow "two a days" for us American football players. I remember waking up a 8 and going to practice till 12. Taking a 3 hour break and then going back to practice from like 4-7.

Now it's been eliminated because parents were concerned it was too tough on the kids. I ain't gonna lie, it was brutal but it was what we knew. I think that some of those guys have the same kind of mentality. Maybe they think it builds mental strength or character. That's why we did it. It also helped us get in more reps too.

It's tough being in the ring when you have nothing left and you still need to give more. Maybe they do it so people push their limits? Maybe it's the gyms ideology.

I've wanted to go to a boxing/mma gym myself but I dont think that's for me. If I'm gonna put my body on the line and open myself up for instruction I must trust the person teaching me.

Most of those guys might know even less than you. Being an adult looking back st highschool, especially my highschool football career, you realize that your "coaches" probably knew less than you and chose to coach because they either needed the extra money or likes the sport.

Kinda what you were talking about?

[Eff Pandas]

Oh I get you.

When I went to highschool they used to allow "two a days" for us American football players. I remember waking up a 8 and going to practice till 12. Taking a 3 hour break and then going back to practice from like 4-7.

Now it's been eliminated because parents were concerned it was too tough on the kids. I ain't gonna lie, it was brutal but it was what we knew. I think that some of those guys have the same kind of mentality. Maybe they think it builds mental strength or character. That's why we did it. It also helped us get in more reps too.

It's tough being in the ring when you have nothing left and you still need to give more. Maybe they do it so people push their limits? Maybe it's the gyms ideology.

I've wanted to go to a boxing/mma gym myself but I dont think that's for me. If I'm gonna put my body on the line and open myself up for instruction I must trust the person teaching me.

Most of those guys might know even less than you. Being an adult looking back st highschool, especially my highschool football career, you realize that your "coaches" probably knew less than you and chose to coach because they either needed the extra money or likes the sport.

Kinda what you were talking about?

Yea exactly. How football practices used to go is a good comparison to how some gyms do sparring.

I see the argument it builds character and toughness that people will make but the other side of the coin is it worth it overall for the damage some guys take via the risk they are taking for long term health problems or the potential to enter a fight with a lingering brain injury that results in a death or severe injury in a fight.