The issue of violence in sports seems to be surfacing again. This seems to happen about once every couple of years. As always, boxing is at the top of the list of "violent sports". Oh, goody.
Here are a few questions:
What determines a "violent" sport?
What separates boxing from every other martial art, and hockey, and football, and rugby?
MMA was illegal in the province of Ontario until just this year for that very reason.
Let's first look at the object of boxing. The object of boxing is to score points by striking your opponent in designated target areas while wearing appropriate protective gear, after months of specialized training, while avoiding getting hit yourself.
Hmmmm, OK.
What is the object of MMA? Do whatever you can to disable your opponent, using whatever means possible, while wearing little or no protective gear.
Hmmmm, OK.
What is the object of hockey? Put the puck in the net, right? Where in the rules does it say anything about fighting, and hard body-checking?
Hmmmm...
What about football and rugby? Guys smash the crap out of each other in order to take control of a ball.
Hmmmm...
Right, so boxing is violent.
I have been involved with boxing in many different forms. I have been in the ring, I have taught it, photographed it, I have seen it all. In all the years I have been involved with the sport, I have never experienced a serious injury.
As a matter-of-fact, statistics show boxing to be the safest of all contact sports.
I wish these people who complained about these sports would actually come out to see what it is all about, instead of standing on the sidelines shooting off the mouth.
Do you have any idea what boxing coaches do to protect their athletes? Why do you think boxers are in such good shape? Every part of a boxer's training is to protect him from injury. Not just from getting hit, but because boxing involves such a lot of physical activity in such a short amount of time, other injuries can occur also.
It is just a sport. Boxers don't go around and punch everything that walks. Of course, we will defend ourselves if needed, like anyone else. However, we are not mean, tough guys. OK, maybe you have to be tough to withstand this sport, but that is all part of it. That is what makes this great sport so unique. You have to be a special person to want to be a boxer.
Enough of this talk about violence in sports. Sports are a way to relieve stress, and anyone involved in such sports are well aware of what is going on, and are properly trained to handle it.
Now shut the *F* up before I knock you out!
My two cents.
Paul "The Brick" Brec
Boxer, Stockyards Boxing Club
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