One of the main arguments for boxing being banned is that serious medical injury can result from boxing due to continuous blows to the head. “In boxing when the head is knocked sideways, the brain swirls in the skull, its layers shearing and sliding off one another, tearing vital nerve fibres”. Statistics show that 15-20% of boxers ending a professional career develop the 'punch-drunk syndrome'. This syndrome consists of the brain weakening, loss of memory, slowed speech and difficulty in walking. Also boxing can effect the time of death. A professional boxer dies around 10-15 years earlier than the average life expectancy. People argue that a sport, which can result in players suffering from brain damage and “cerebral ischemia” (“a disruption of blood supply to an area of the brain”) should be banned straight away because of the life threatening risks involved
However, Dr Nigel Warburton, a lecturer in philosophy for the Open University, claims that the number of deaths from boxing in England and Wales between 1986 and 1992 was just three. This is quite interesting as in the same time period there were seventy seven deaths in motor sports, sixty nine in air sports and fifty four in mountaineering. From these statistics it can clearly be seen that boxing is a far less dangerous sport than many others and by no means the worst sport. However more recent facts show that last year three men died as a result of injuries during a boxing match, whereas in show jumping, the fatality list was almost double that of boxing. This also shows that the outcry from some parties for a complete ban on boxing is outrageous. Dr Warburton said, “If you wanted to minimize the number of actual injuries in sport you would be far better coming up with better rules for motor sports or rock climbing”. Banning the sport completely would be a bad idea as this will just lead to the sport going underground which would certainly be far more dangerous and cause more injuries. However the sport could be made safer and new regulations could be introduced to reduce the risk to boxers. “If a sport which wraps a man in a tonne of metal at 200+mph can be made safer, surely boxing can as well”. Ex- sports minister Tony Banks has recently clashed with doctors over their call for a ban on boxing after another boxer was left needing brain surgery. Mr. Banks said that a ban on boxing was not the answer but that the boxing board of control should consider more pre-fight medicals and shorter rounds. A government spokesman stated that “The government is not going to ban boxing but it will bring pressure on the boxing authorities to provide proper facilities for people who are fighting including increased safety measures”.
Some would argue that boxing teaches people, children in particular, that aggressive behaviour is acceptable. One factor that shapes a child’s behaviour is imitation of other people especially role models. Children have a strong tendency to imitate others. This imitation extends to virtually every kind of behaviour, including aggression. A child observes other people being aggressive and copies them. As a result, the child’s own aggressive behaviour is shaped and determined by what he or she observes others doing. Children observe aggressive behaviour in the boxing ring and feel that it is acceptable to imitate this aggressive behaviour in their everyday lives. Other evidence would suggest that excessive aggression could lead to criminal behaviour. Mike Tyson, for example, is a role model for many children, but is he a very good role model? Do you think that it is right for children to hear or see about the things that Mike Tyson has done? Are rape, assault or biting someone’s ear off the kind of things you want your children to see? However, it could be argued that many other idols from the world of sport and pop might not be ideal role models for children.
Boxing has been banned in Sweden for the past thirty years. However, the Swedish government is now planning to lift this ban, as they believe it is illogical, especially given the increasing popularity of other fighting sports that are not prohibited.
There are many justified arguments in favour of banning boxing however there are also numerous arguments in favour of boxing. If boxing is to be banned I believe much more research is required. However in my opinion boxing should not be banned but more safety measures should be taken. Safety helmets could be used in professional fights as well as amateur fights and rounds could be shortened. Also I believe that the boxers know what they are getting themselves into, so surely it’s for them to weigh up the pros and cons.