LETHAL PUNCH: Three Reasons Why Boxing Should Be Banned

Boxing, that world-famous fighting sport that many people are going crazy for, have allowed many to argue and discuss its pros and cons throughout the ages. Since its first recorded match in 688 B.C. in ancient Greece, boxing has acquired quite a large number of enthusiasts and followers as time passes.

The growing fascination of spectators watching boxing matches may seem so confounding to those who believe boxing to be a blatant example of violence. Even when there are rules protecting combatants from permanent injuries during a match, there are still those that see every lethal punch delivered to be an act of aggression and therefore doesn’t set a good example to society, especially to young children.

Although boxing has a set of rules to live by and every amateur or professional match is monitored and regulated by a ruling organization or body, there are still many people who are advocating banning boxing mainly because of these three reasons.

First: There’s a high risk of sustaining brain damage and other long term health/body damages. Every time a boxer faces an opponent in the ring and was delivered a knockout punch resulting to unconsciousness and subsequently a concussion, there is the likelihood of brain hemorrhage. Even wearing the protective headgear doesn’t help in keeping the head safe from the head punches.

Second: There’s a possibility of imminent death. There have been a reported number of boxers dying because of injuries sustained from boxing matches. Because of concussions from head punches, there are over two hundred amateur boxers that have died of head injuries since 1980.

Third: The strong intent to inflict pain and injury should not be condoned by civilized society. Young children watching matches are exposed to the violence happening inside the boxing ring. Like a form of brainwashing, those who watch the match will subconsciously think that the violence they see is natural. Because of this exposure, children are conditioned to commit the same movements when unattended by an adult, adding up on the chain of violence.

Many view boxing as barbaric and people pushing to have professional boxing banned have succeeded in several countries like in North Korea, Iceland, Norway, Iran and Cuba. Through it all, boxing should be used as a fighting sport and not as a means to maim or to kill. With proper training and discipline, the principles governing any sport should always be prioritized in every match, keeping in mind the safety of all those involved.