Boxing and brain damage.

[Taeth]

I agree that fighter/trainers should be informed no doubt, I think a lot of fighter do experience symptoms like slurred speech or memory loss and know it themselves, but still continue to fight. It a personal choice imo. I do think that heavy on a regular basis over the course of many years can take a toll, infrequent sparring shouldnt have any long term effect.

Getting hit has long term effects, thats what I am saying if you spar once every 3 months you might not do any long term damage, but who spars only once every 3 months? Also slurred speech isn't one of the strongest signs of brain damage. Its one of the most mistaken attributes to brain damage in boxing. People like Evander HOlyfield will be slurring in one interview, but talk fine in another, its because sometimes they are tired(best example is Chuck Liddell), sometimes they are being medicated for their injuries, or they have had a long day.