Boxer Patrick Day’s death begs the question on how boxing can be safer

Boxer Patrick Day died last Wednesday aged 27, four days after suffering a brain injury in a fight against Charles Conwell.

Day is one of four boxers to have died from injuries sustained in the ring from July of this year. Boxing deaths are becoming more regular and has again re-ignited discussions on just how safe boxing is and what can be done to protect the fighters.

Editor and head of boxing at Prost International Jacob Tanswell had some thoughts on how to further protect boxers.

” It’s about cleaning up on things. You must make sure each commission whether it’s in America or in Britain has got the correct doctors and that their skill level and experience are are up to scratch.

“You should ensure that all the ring-side doctors or assistant has the oxygen, but in some states there isn’t oxygen.”

There are several boxing bodies in the USA and with that comes different rules and regulations within boxing that could issues. Jacob Tanswell thinks that America should improve and learn from the way England operates in the boxing world.

“America have to address that there’s not one fixed rule for all, therefore the protocols and the way to treat people different from state to state has to change and that is a real issue.”

The call for more brain scans for boxers intensified after the death of Mike Towell three years ago and Jacob Tanswell recognises the importance of it.

“That is a huge issue because a guy who fights in January may fight in April and he may not have a brain scan in the interim.

“He could have picked up something in January that hasn’t been scanned and if there’s a spot on the brain, there’s a bigger chance of it being exposed in the next fight.”

It’s a tough ask to make a brutal sport like boxing safer but it’s a question that must be asked.

Be the first to comment on "Boxer Patrick Day’s death begs the question on how boxing can be safer"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*