I don't think headgear makes it any safer if the new studies on concussions are correct.

I don't think you can make it safer. It's a relatively primitive sport and you're always going to have that kind of stuff happen now and again. I really don't think the push to ban boxing is going to have enough support, to be honest, unless it were to happen in a huge fight like Pac/Mayweather. People rally in big numbers when they have self interest in mind (i.e. is the activity a threat to them, is it corrupting their children, ect). Boxing violence just really isn't a hot topic.