James Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Should Boxing be a legalized sport?From Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciani, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman....it's a sport with great history...it's "Americana"..it's one man against another and tests every ounce of will a man has which is what sport is about. When the sport is right, a boxing match is electric. I love watching film of Max Schmelling beating Joe Lewis and then Lewis coming back and crushing him in the re-match.But it's a sport whose primary objective is to punch the opponent in the head, damage his brain as much as possible so as to knock him out and thus win the fight. I can't reconcile this and thus think the sport should be shut down.Any opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougjack Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Good question, James. You summed it up for me, too. I'll never forget that I just happened to be watching live the night Buster Douglas beat Tyson, and how cool it felt to see Tyson finally get beaten, but my rational side says it's a stupid violent sport left over from a more primitive time in our history, and should probably not be around. Add to that the corruption of guys like Don King, and I think you can make a very strong case for ending it.What about Olympic style, where they use headgear, more padded gloves, shorter fights, etc., to try and prevent injuries? Is that any better, or is the principle still the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiesjc Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Whether or not it should be legal is a tough question, but in my mind, there isn't a much more brutal, gruesome "sport" than boxing. Furthermore, I have always been a horse racing fan, but over the years, seeing the damage it does to the horses, and knowing the lives they're forced to lead, I've even had to rethink my position on that "sport." I still love the horses that are bred for it - there's nothing more beautiful, I think - but it's far from their natural state, puts them at great physical risk, and it's not their choice. At least with boxing, humans have a choice. Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougjack Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Good point, Jennifer. Animal sports of any kind are cruel, unless they came up with the games themselves. My cats have a few they've invented, but I don't know how to keep score. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Cockfighting is still a big and legal sport in many other countries. When I was in the Philippines, they had a cable channel that showed match after sickening match. At least humans have a choice whether to pummel each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiesjc Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 All of those animal vs. animal fight spectacles are disgusting. It's not limited to roosters, and every society should outlaw it, and root out the backstreet perpetrators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 "a stupid violent sport left over from a more primitive time in our history"..well articulated and the same thought that runs through my mind. I don't think better equipment etc. changes my mind but I'm open to arguments.Jennifer, your post/question is a good one. RE: the whole animal rights issue, I'm still a mushy brain trying to figure out where he stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 The only cockfighting I want to see is Jessica Alba and Jennifer Garner fighting over mine! "Girls, Girls, Girls! Can't you just learn to share?..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popdude Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Tony, if that one's on pay-per-view, I ain't payin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 It will have all the class of a Howard Stern Production...But with no silicone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 Carmen, pleeease come back so we can get this board on a higher level......And Note: My above post is an invitation to a hot , militant , anarchist PETA chick to take me on as a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popdude Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 The I ain't payin' AND I ain't viewin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 James--You got me on this one. This issue is hard to rationalize. I'm a sensitive kind of guy, but I love UFC! I think at the heart of most guys is this warrior dude, and some of these extreme sports are just a way of blowing off steam instead of starting a war. When someone really gets hurt I consider not watching anymore, but when the bell rings for the next match I'm still there. Go figure--Kirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveh Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 James, Look at it this way: these days, you hear of so many acts of violence using WEAPONS...boxing is a relatively tame activity! At least with boxing, there are rules and the referee can stop the fight. I agree with you, Kirk, that its a good way to blow off steam - a very direct way of expressing your anger. Of course if you lose.... I just love those ESPN classic boxing matches from decades ago!Steveh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 1. There are 10,000 ways to blow off steam....none of which requires beating a guy's brain in....or being entertained by it.2. The fact there is illegal weopons-related violence in the world doesn't justify society sanctioned "lesser violence" for the entertainment of its citizens.Having said that, I too have ambivalence on this issue.... but when it gets down to the nut...I think it's wrong and probably shouldn't be legal.In relation to what Dougjack said, if we continue to move forward as a civilization and Boxing is banned, people 100 years from now will look back at Boxing in our day in a similar vein as we look at some of the "sporting activities" that went on at the Roman Coliseum back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveh Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 James, I agree with points #1&2, but before eliminating boxing, why not invite the terrorists to put down their weapons and put on some gloves and try to beat up people they hate? That seems just a bit more civilized than strapping a bomb to your body and taking out dozens of innocent people. James, I agree with your position of having a less violent society - but we cannot the deny that humans have aggressive tendencies which I'd prefer to be directed in a way that doesn't harm innocent people. The beauty of sports is that people can sublimate this aggression on a level playing field. I imagine that there have been many thousands of young men who have chosen sports who might otherwise have chosen to be part of a gang, or engaged in other various violent, illegal behaviors. And what do the studies show of the correlation between watching boxing matches and subsequent violent behavior?By the way, I think we all seem to agree that at least in human competition, we have a choice whether or not to participate. With animals, they have no choice - I am totally against any activity which benfits from the sufferring of animals.Steveh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 No, no, a thousand times, no! And while it's true that in boxing people have a choice, I'm sure that Ray ("Boom Boom") Mancini will never live down accidentally beating someone to death. Humans are supposed to be genteel, because we have a brain. The word "humanitarian" is self-explanatory.I'm with Jennifer on the animal issue. It's such a beautiful world, and there *are* many ways to get thrills and "live on the edge" without seeing someone or something beaten to death. I abhor all violence. It's disgusting and horrible.And yes, Carmen, come in and save Cartmill from himself! --D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted July 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 As they would say in Texas: Darlene is definately "good people".RE: Tony Cartmill's 7/29, 7:55p post: another in a series of "coffee up the nose" laughing jolts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted July 30, 2005 Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 James, you're so sincere and adorable! I don't know what they would call that in Texas, but you are. James Taylor called it "Sweet Baby James." --D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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