Cebuano fans demands boxing to be safer

**happytrip** · 08-01-2007 11:36 PM

Cebuano Boxing Fans Demand More Safety Measures in the Sport
By Ike B. Buensuceso
Cebu City
July 28, 2007

July 21, 2007 was the night of the undercards in the boxing card entitled “Coming to Fight”, featuring Champion Bernard Hopkins vs. Winky Wright for the WBO light heavyweight title. Mandalay bay in Las Vegas played host to the brutal battle between lightweights Australian champion Michael Katsidis and Filipino challenger Czar Amonsot. Preceding the lightweight bout was an equally tough fight between Mexican featherweight champion Oscar Larios against up and coming challenger Japan based Venezuelan Jorge Linares.

The undercard fights were so brutal and bloody ,that resulted in the hospitalization of Amonsot for blood clotting in his brain and likewise Larios for head injuries resulting from hard punches he received. Katsidis also suffered severe cuts around the areas of his two eyes resulting in reportedly 26 stitches to close the cut and stop the profuse bleedings. All these happened in one night right in the very eyes of the so called boxing experts.

Why all these boxing brutality happened, can be blamed perhaps to the competency of the ring physicians for allowing the fights to continue even though blood already splatters in all directions in the Katsidis vs Amonsot. Larios was obviously overmatched as can be seen in the later rounds, but nobody ever dared to stop the fight until he was knock out cold in the 10th round. The Cornermen were supposed to be throwing in the towel when they see their boxer already looking helpless. Take the case of Amonsot in his 10th round knockdown by Katsidis. At this moment the Filipino corner could have thrown in the towel. Blame it on the Promoters for not lifting a finger to stop the fights in obvious preference of entertaining the audience hungry for blood and excitement.

Do we allow all these boxing brutality to continue? Good thing Amonsot, Larios, and Katsidis are all fine and well now . The State of Nevada reportedly suspended the boxing licenses of the three boxers accordingly. Oscar Larios was quoted as saying he will retire, Amonsot to rest for a year and a half and there after get another crack to a world title not neccesarily in the state of Nevada. Katsidis for his part will be reinstated and allowed to fight after a rest period of one year, according to reliable sources.

Upon hearing Amonsots stable condition, boxing fans here in Cebu had a sigh of relief. Then another thunderbolt like news struck again. This time, Z Gorres is pulled out of the World Cup boxing tournament on August 11, due to an eye injury. This is indeed sad for Cebuano boxing fans. Think about losing two top and talented pugilist in a span of one week.

To this effect, I suppose it is just proper for boxing fans to demand a stop to all these unnecessary brutality in boxing. It is now requested that boxing authorities devise measures and implement rules that will prevent unnecessary injuries to our boxers worldwide. Some of us here even says that if it is nscessary to hold boxing events in the parking areas of hospitals…..please do it.

**DaxxKahn** · 08-02-2007 12:54 AM

Though I for one am all for boxing being safe...Both men were healthy going in to the fight....Both had been in wars before.....Both could have been just as injured from one punch let alone the entirity of the bout.....

If a fighter has not shown signs of depleating skills in a severe way in recent fights coming in to a bout...Has not had any questionable medical exams coming into the bout then everyone has done their job IMO....

I could see if each fighter was being beaten for rounds prior to the KO/TKO with little in return and the fight was allowed to continue but that is not the case here...These were just two unfortunate circumstances here freak occurances if you will...Two men in one night suffering the same type injury....

It is boxing and it is a violent sport where you take a risk everytime you step into the ring....

There are limits to both sides...Letting it go too far and stopping it too soon...This night neither happened...just a shame of events is all

**:::PSL:::** · 08-02-2007 01:20 AM

A total mismatch should'nt happen in the ring.

**sexydarin** · 08-02-2007 02:26 AM

Enough with the bleeding heart, nanny state bs. Every boxer knows that any fight could be his last, once he steps in the ring. Stop trying to neuter boxing. No sissies allowed. Go hide behind your mothers skirt.