Let's Stop Boxing in the Olympics and the United States Military

Abstract

Many improvements in the safety of boxers have occurred in the United States since JAMA said, Boxing Should Be Banned in Civilized Countries in January 1983, 1 and the American Medical Association House of Delegates concurred in December 1984. 2 Shorter and fewer rounds, more medical supervision, and earlier technical knockouts have helped. But we have not achieved the goal of abolishing boxing internationally in order to prevent the chronic brain damage that no one denies is frequent. 3 Professional boxing is a tough nut to crack. There is so much money for some people and such a motley bunch of characters predominates with little apparent caring about the welfare of the boxers. Amateur boxing is different. A brain receiving a blow cannot distinguish between a fist attached to a fighter who is paid and one who is not. Yet, the people involved in amateur boxing do seem to care