Would you watch professional boxing if the fighters wore headgear?

[SBleeder]

I put this in the History section as I thought I'd get more serious, more thought-out answers. Someone on SportsCenter this morning stated that if boxers wore headgear, people would lose interest in the sport. (This was used as an analogy to the shift in NFL rules to prevent helmet-to-helmet hits.)

Of course, it likely mean fewer knockouts, longer fights, more decisions. A few of us like that; most of you don't.

It would also mean that pro boxing would have more emphasis on skills other than punching power; it would be harder for a fighter who was getting out-boxed to end the fight with one well-placed punch or combination.

It would also mean fewer injuries, far fewer deaths, and likely fewer legendary fighters who slur their words and can't recognize their own children in their later years.

[katsidis]

Tough to say, I probably would, but only because I love boxing. Although im still a believer that you get hit more when you wear headgear. Good question.

[StarshipTrooper]

Probably not. Put headgear on the fighters and it becomes no different than amatuer boxing which I don't watch.

Poet

[Holtol]

I would start watching mma if boxing came to that.

[mrboxer]

i really dont care what they wear as long as the fight is entertaining

[SBleeder]

Probably not. Put headgear on the fighters and it becomes no different than amatuer boxing which I don't watch.

Poet

Still 4-12 rounds, still ten point must system scoring... would you watch if the only difference were the headgear?

I would start watching mma if boxing came to that.

LOL. I wouldn't watch mma if it were the only thing on television.

[StarshipTrooper]

Still 4-12 rounds, still ten point must system scoring... would you watch if the only difference were the headgear?

It takes away the whole point of proffesional boxing compared to the amatuers: Namely, to hurt one's opponent more than he hurts you. In the amatuers the point is to out land your opponent not do actual damage.

Poet

[Clegg]

Yes, but with a lot less enthusiasm. I don't want to see someone taking too much punishment, but some of the more brutal aspects of the sport are part of what made me a fan.

Also

It would also mean that pro boxing would have more emphasis on skills other than punching power; it would be harder for a fighter who was getting out-boxed to end the fight with one well-placed punch or combination.

It would also mean fewer injuries, far fewer deaths, and likely fewer legendary fighters who slur their words and can't recognize their own children in their later years.

while I appreciate skills, I enjoy a good toe-to-toe war. Skills are great and there have of course been many, many fantastic fights involving skillful fighters. But (and this is just a matter of personal taste, of course) I prefer to see a skillful guy against a stronger, tougher, less skillful guy. I think that's a great matchup. But two skillful guys can sometimes be a bit underwhelming.

I've read that headgear may actually increase the risk of long-term brain injury to boxers, because it provides an added 'shell' for the brain to move around inside, meaning that you get shaken up worse than you would do without headgear. I'm not sure if that has any weight to it, perhaps it's BS and perhaps not, but I do think that one problem is that it would allow boxers to take more punches, meaning more incidents of head trauma per fight. Sometimes a boxer is better off being knocked out.

[Scott9945]

It's easy to make threats, but I think boxing would fall behind MMA on my list if that happened. And I don't spend much time thinking about or watching MMA.

[blaze778]

I would still watch boxing, but I more than likely wouldn't be in to it as much.

If pro boxers wore headgears to begin with, that would be a different story.

People are so used to seeing fighters with their heads exposed.