Will boxing give me brain damage?

Question

Hi, im a 13 year old boxer hoping to make it big one day. Boxing is my dream and i train like h**l to be the best! However i heard it can give you serious brain damage in the later years. Is this true and how serious can it be? Even though i adore boxing i will consider giving it up as i dont want to do my body serious harm:(

Answer 1

yes boxing give you serious brain damage

Answer 2

You always run the risk of getting hurt when boxing but in the case you are describing you just have to get out of it at the right time. If you stay in it until 40 like Ali and still fight big fighters of course you will get it. But if you retire at a young age like early thirties and avoid big boxing wars you'll be fine. The percentage for boxers with brain damage is actually small and in all cases they fought big wars near forty. I'm related to a pro boxer that fought 200 fights as an amateur and 31 as a pro. He has no damage at all. Don't stop boxing because it will not only get you in shape but it is also your dream. Don't ever let something that 100 percent won't happen if you are smart about it discourage you from this. Last but not least boxers these days receive free check ups from doctors after all big fights to check for damage so even if you do become one in a million you will have it caught before anything serious and permanent happens. I saw this in the aftermath of the Gatti-Ward war. The nevada boxing commission had a doctor there to check them out after the fight and see if they were fine. They were.

Answer 3

I think that, in general, amateur boxing is pretty safe.  It is unlikely that you will suffer brain damage if you are wearing headgear and using padded gloves.  In amateur boxing, there is more of an emphasis on scoring points and less on knocking out your opponent.

However, in professional boxing, there is a risk of brain damage.  Professional boxers fight without headgear and with 8-oz. gloves which provide little padding.  Also, in professional boxing, often the fighters are going for a KO.  

I would say this:  enjoy your boxing!  You are too young to go pro yet, so you don't have to make this big decision now.  Go on training to be the best, and when you are about 18, you can make the decision whether to go pro at that time.  There is great satisfaction in being your best now, whether you end up going pro or not.

Answer 4

Injuries are a very real possibility in boxing.

Make no mistake about it, boxing is a hurt business, as Mike Tyson has said.  

That said, boxing officials, and the governing bodies (including the amatuer system in the US) do their best to protect the safety and well-being of the athletes.

Boxing is undoubtedly safer today than it was even 20 years ago, and despite risks, and likely injuries during a professional career, most boxers today retire in relatively good health.

I think you should be mindful of the risks, take the appropriate precautionary measures, and follow your dreams.  

You are more likely to get hurt in a freak accident at home than you are in a boxing ring.

Good Luck.

Answer 5

I deffinately wouldn't recommend you stop boxing.  I love it myself and was actually somewhat surprised by the percentage of boxers who do suffer brain damage.  But it's important to note that 90% of these cases are very minor.  And the way I see it, these cases are from actual professional fighting, when you more than likely aren't wearing headgear, so at 13 you will be training for many years, so be sure to always wear headgear and you'll be fine.  Every sport has incidents, if you love this don't give it up for anything.

Answer 6

What you think? Your head is just like mine. That`ll see if you`re lucky or not.

As a hobby that`s alright. If you think that you can be a superstar in the boxing ring, you can`t avoid that possibility.