I boxed two years for the University of Nevada about 20 years ago. I believe Nevada has since dropped the program to "club" status, as have many university boxing programs. I was driven out of the sport due to a few injuries (bad concussion, retinal damage, ripped pectoral muscle--the last one finally forced me to hang up the gloves). Always hits me in the gut (no pun intended) when I read a story like this. Really sad--it's a rough, painful sport, but nobody who participates expects this. Here's a depressing list with a name soon to be added: http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_c_0700.htm
I know nothing about boxing technique , but I saw an interview about a year ago with a boxing physician (I know that's almost an oxymoron) who argued that women should be banned from boxing. He claimed that women can THROW much better punches than they can DODGE or SLIP them. As a result, women take a much greater beating in the ring than their male counterparts. He said the incidence of degenerative brain diseases among women boxers will be epidemic.
I know. It's horrible. But the fact that people I've known, however slightly, are killed cycling doesn't keep me from cycling. (I do wear a helmet, though.) Rock climbers and mountaineers will tell you that the danger inherent in their sports is part of what makes it worthwhile; not the "rush" of fear but rather the intense focus that comes from knowing that what you are about to do is deadly serious and will allow no mistakes. There just AREN'T that many activities in modern life that really require our complete, undivided attention and enforce such a level of personal responsibility. We don't let nature claim her forfeit. We become sloppy. I would hate to see a young person avoid an activity MERELY because of the possibility of death or serious bodily injury. Death is inevitable, folks. We should never risk our lives foolishly but a calculated risk that's part of a passionate drive for accomplishment strikes me as more noble than foolish.
I am not sure women's boxing has been around long enough to draw such conclusions especially in light of boxers like Laila Ali, Lucia Rijker, and Belinda Laracuente who can dodge and slip with the best of them.
I concur, counselor, and I would've continued boxing for years more had not fate--and mediocre skills which led to injuries--decided that for me.
Boxer! I must agree with Nosborne! As a 29 year disciple of martial arts, I must concur life is very precarious! At the top levels of a martial art, one studies Dim Mak (Death touch) and realizes how fragile life can be! I can only wish peace and tranquility to this fallen boxer, may her God bless her! Best wishes, Abner
Re: Boxer! I haven't seen the words Dim Mak since I was in the eighth grade! I ordered a book on it out of a comic book, ha! I even got a card saying I was a student. Then year's later, I read that one of the American teachers of Dim Mak and his students went to another maritial arts studio and attacked the instructors and students. By the way, isn't Dim Mak an extremely dangerous martial art?
Re: Re: Boxer! Hi Jimmy: Yes, Dim Mak is known as one of the "Dark Arts". Extremely dangerous, One of the foremost books in this subject is The Encyclopedia of Dim-Mak, The Main Meridians, written by Erle Montaigue. Usually, Dim Mak is something we practice behind closed doors, most modern day store front Martials Arts studios do not teach these things anymore. Unfortunately, modern day martial arts have become extremely watered down. It is not uncommon for school children to be awarded Black Belts, something that I do not agree with. I guess I am part of a dying breed. Oh well! guess. Take care jimmy, Good luck in your locksmith studies, that's a good field to be in, you will never run of work! Abner
Re: Re: Re: Boxer! I looked in the Franklin, IN and Shelbyville, IN phonebooks. I live about equidistant between these two towns. Neither has a locksmith. I think I may do very well once I receive my diploma.
Oh Please... Oh please... give me a break... Dim Mak is a joke just like someone trying to use pressure points in actual combat with a moving opponent. Pressure points and TMA were tried and failed in the early UFC's. Now with modern Martial arts mixing freestyle wreasling, Greco Roman wreasling, Judo, brazilian Juijitsu, Boxing, Kickboxing, etc. traditional martial arts are falling behind. Try using pressure points, etc with someone in the clinch head butting, elbowing, kneeing, and throwing you down on concrete. Mixed martial arts "sport" competition, which is what it is, even allows you to stomp, kick, and jump stomp onto downed opponents faces and heads. So you cannot go around calling it not real fighting either. I am sorry if this seems aggressive, but after practicing traditional martial arts such as Kajekenbo, kempo, and Wah Lum Praying Mantis Kung fu for 15 years, then switching to kickboxing, philipino Martial arts, and Brazilian juijitsu over the last 6 years, i can really see the deficiencies between the two. I guess I am just getting sick of people backing up fake magic fighting that cannot hold up under real fighting conditions which have shown they fail.
Re: Oh Please... I do not disagree with mixed martial arts at all. A martial artist must evolve with modern times. For example, a modern day boxer fights very differently than a boxer from a hundred years. Many of the Traditional martial arts stances, blocks and kicks do not work in most street fight situations, so one must evolve accordingly by studying many different styles of application. Furthermore, most Dim Mak books do not show how to apply the strikes while an opponent is moving. An opponent must be "tenderized" first, then a pressure point strike can be applied. Is is easy?, of course not! If it was, everybody would know how to do it. It takes many years of practice and dedication. There is actually no "magic" involved in martial arts, only practice and dedication. I wish you well, Respectfully, Abner
I recall reading an article about a recent study (I can't remember who conducted the research) which showed that women's bodies are not designed to withstand the kind of beating they take in the ring. I'll try to find the article, but the gist of it was women should not be involved in boxing at all. It wasn't written from the standpoint of "here is something men can do and women can't". It just pointed out that because men and woman are designed differently, men can withstand the punches and blows better than women.
Of course, when you refer to "men" and "women" you are referring to some abstract composite of men and women. There is no such thing as "men" or "women." I've known (know) women who are smarter than me, faster than me, stronger than me, better runners, better swimmers, better SAT scores, better GPAs, (on and on and on). In this regard there are only individuals. A particular woman may not be able to take a punch. I can guarantee that I can produce several men who can not take a punch. As far as I'm concerned, it's all individualistic. If you're going to stereotype, at least provide a reference. This stuff about, "I can't recall who did the research..." is crap. Wake up. Jack
Whoa, whoa, WHOA! SATs? GPAs? What the hell are you talking about? I didn't make any comment about the intelligence of women or their abilities or lack thereof. I was recalling an article I had read. Thanks for essentially calling me a liar in a public forum. Considering I don't know who the hell you are, I will choose not to let it mean thing to me. I'm not making up the fact that I had read this particular article. I just can't recall where I saw it. Considering I literally read dozens of online newspapers each day, this isn't out of the realm of possibility. I tried Googling it...couldn't find it. Regardless, as I recall it, there was a mention of how women may suffer more long-term neurological damage than men because during a typical female boxing match, more punches are usually thrown, and women take more blows to the head. Another reason was that since women don't punch as hard as men (their words, not mine) there isn't the quick "knock out punch" that usually ends the fight. So women continue to take repeated punches to the head, leaving them open to the long-term effects of head injuries. Because their bones and muscle mass differ from that of men, they are not physically able to endure the punishment as much as men. This isn't my personal belief. I personally know some damn tough women. And if you think women can't endure pain, YOU try going through 32 hours worth of child labor pains (which my wife did with our first child...no thanks!) There have already been studies which show that things such as smoking and drinking affect women much faster than men in terms of negative health effects. Is is outiside the realm of possibility that may also be the case in a sport as physically punishing as boxing? It is interesting to note that the British Medical Association has been lobbying for years to enact a total ban on boxing for women AND men, or at least make the head off-limits during boxing matches. Also, women's boxing isn't really anything new. It has been around for hundreds of years, and there even used to be BARE KNUCKLE female boxing matches here in the U.S. I personally am not sure if women are more prone than men to suffer serious boxing injuries, but I leave open the possibility that it may indeed be the case. If you choose not to be open to new ideas...that's YOUR problem, Jack.
