Respect
The video below offers one more reason why ALL fighters (regardless of style) deserve respect. Whether you are a boxing fan, MMA fan, or a fan of all combat sports, the fighters deserve respect for laying it all on the line to entertain the fans.
Check the video below to see what some fighters go through for their love of combat.
Enjoy,
Ross Enamait
10 Comments so far
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Great find, Ross. I did amateur kickboxing and boxing smokers, but still can’t comprehend that kind of punishment. I think posting this is a worthy tribute to fighters of all stripes, as you say.
Best to you and your readers.
Nathan
From a fitness point of view, boxing and the MMA are phenomenal ways of getting in shape and developing one’s mental focus. I believe they do wonders for the personality of the practicioner, too.
I often wonder, though, as to why the professional world does not require boxers to wear protective head gear (the same goes for other martial arts). IMHO, wearing head gear should be a no brainer (no pun intended), specially in the pro fields where the practicioners are bigger, badder, and hit harder. Wearing head gear makes these already tough men (and women) no less tough than they are already. But would prevent many long-term disability injuries.
And believe me: I hard punch or kick to the head WILL still hurt, even when the recipient of that blow wears head gear.
I sense that the no-head-gear tradition has more to do with ego than with the boxers/MMA health in mind.
Just my humble opinion.
And you are right, Ross: One does gain respect for the MMA and boxer after watching this video.
Regards,
vigeoro
That was a very thought-provoking video. It’s a shame that promoters were trying to get him to fight again.
As for head gear? That’s never gonna happen. I agree that it would be nice and much safer though. But knock-outs have nothing to do with getting in shape. The sport of boxing and the use of it’s methods for the purpose of cross-training are completely different animals. All athletes take risks with their bodies. The popularity of the sport as a whole would go completely to shit if fighters were suddenly required to wear head gear. It’s been the way it is for way too long.
damn
Great question/comment on the headgear. Ross, I wrote a post at TDA Training on it: Does headgear protect your noggin? - http://tdatraining.blogspot.com/2007/11/does-headgear-protect-your-noggin.html.
I thought it was deserving of it’s own post. Please delete my comment if this isn’t OK to link outside.
Nathan
I certainly don’t think headgear does much of anything to protect your head. Some old time fighters actually believed that headgear was a detriment, because you might form a habit where you just tuck your chin in an take the punches on the forehead once you get tired. Bad habit.
For myself, I never really use headgear anymore. Maybe once in a while. My defense is much better when I don’t use it, due to not having to deal with the bulk and lack of peripheral vision. Keeping your chin down and moving your head is still the best protection from punches.
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1728164&cr=
Does anybody know how Mickey is doing now?
Has he made a full recovery.
True Warrior!!
I respectfully have to disagree with Ross here. Why should we have to respect a boxer or mma fighter for simply doing their job anymore than we should respect anybody else for doing theirs? Now don’t get me wrong, I respect the hell out of Gatti (one of my all time favorites) and Ward. Those two go above and beyond to please the fans. Their Styles are all about pleasing the fans.
Now, contrast that to someone like Floyd Mayweather. He is in it strictly for the money. Why should I respect that? He is not in it for the fans. He is in it to get paid and does not care if I get my monies worth.
Now granted, boxing is dangerous but it is still a sport. The only men and women that DESERVE my respect are the ones who’s lives are on the line day in and day out (ie. law enforcement, firefighters & military).
If you are competing in a sport, you more or less need to earn my respect.
Corey - Don’t take every written word so literally. It was pretty obvious what I was trying to say.
Those who have been inside the ring know exactly what I am talking about. You respect those who have the balls to put it all on the line.
Sure, if someone is over the top such as Mayweather, you don’t need to respect his actions or attitude, but even most of his critics will respect his work ethic and talent.
So in summary, don’t take this blog entry out of context. The point that I was making was clear without the assistance of Captain Obvious.
It takes balls to fight inside the ring. Those who give 100 percent of their body and mind to the fight game deserve respect.
Ross