Does amateur boxing cause brain damage?

Question

I was wondering if sparring 1-3 times a week would lead me to having brain damage in the future. I am barley 17 and No way am I willing to give up my health for anything. I spar with 16oz gloves and a very well padded headgear. I would say I get tagged in the head about 4-8 times a round, but not with anything hard enough to shock me or rock me back. At the end of every month I take 1 full week off of sparring to let my head recover and rest.

Am I headed towards brain damage in the future? Please share your thoughts on this topic.

Answer 1

Well my friend, it seems to me that you're already well aware of the affects of boxing in regards to the brain and just health in general.. The good news is that your youth is truly a big defense against brain damage.

Boxers who've suffered from brain damage usually don't become aware of it until it's too late and by then they're usually old yet still active professionals or retired and just plaine beat-up.

  I think you're rest-periods are a good idea. Hopefully you have somebody in your corner who is up-front with you and will let you know if you're taking too many punches in general.. That's a call that you or somebody who really cares about you, has to make.

                                       Stay healthy!!

  It's your greatest wealth!   Tyrone King,

former California Middle-weight Contender.

Answer 2

Small bumps to your kills brain cells. Small ones can be considered as holding a tennis ball above your head and letting go. Takin a few head shots is alright but by whta you said on a regular basis will cause permanent brain damage

Answer 3

Do strkes to the head kill brain cells? Yes they do. Is this a danger to your healt or can it cause a brain damage? No! Our brain cells are in permanent danger of life. But not only because of punches. A glass of beer kills more brain cells than a light punch. A cigarette has the effect of a rather brutal beating and even nodding your head heavily kills more brain cells than a single light punch. This is no harm to your health because brain cells reproduce and recover. In addition to that, we have more than plenty of them without even using them (we only use 20 % of our brain cells anyway).

But now to personal experiences: In our club (existing now over 100 years) no single person ever suffered from a brain disease and 100 years ago (even 30 years ago) the padding of the gloves wasn't that good (just horsehair) and you didn't have to wear a headgear.

I am boxing now for 5 years, got several quite firm blows to the head and don't use gloves with such a padding (sometimes 12 oz sometimes 10 oz). In this time I finished law school at the university and passed my bar exam. There are no signs of any damage to my brain at this time (not my opinion, but a neurologist's).  

So you don't have to worry about any brain damage caused by the training you described. But if you are still worried consult a neurologist. He will affirm this information.

Good luck.

Please excuse any grammar errors, but english is not my first language.

Answer 4

No it doesn't.

But if you intend to be a human punching bag in the amateur level, by the time you turn pro, you probably have one already.

Answer 5

when you get into the ring you are always taking a risk. this does not mean you will automatically get brain damage though.  Nor does it mean you necessarily will in the future. boxing is not just a sport it is also a martial art and there are always dangers that go along with that. if you aren't prepared to deal with the consequences that could happen from partaking then you shouldn't be fighting

Answer 6

Yes.  Even with that silly headgear, one solid hit to the head can cause irreversible or even fatal damage.

Answer 7

Using correct headgear will protect you don't worry enjoy your sport!

Answer 8

yes it dosnt matter if ur amateuer pro it dosnt matter even head gear wont help it will cause brain damage!!!!