A few years back some dude kept throwing ice at a friend and myself and after telling him several times to stop throwing the ice (He threw the ice 4 times (hit me twice!)and I told him to stop in between each one with an increasingly threatening message). I told him to "come stand here" with his back against a fence(this guy was an idiot) and I asked him "Are you ready?" He said "For what?" I said "For this" and hit him square in the face next to his nose(with a right jab/straight) with the intention of just getting him to fuck off but I never understood that when he collapsed to the ground I actually knocked him out…
Lowkey I felt bad but I only hit him once, he was only out for maybe a second(Idek) and helped him up immediately afterwards sooo
Sparring is necessary to be proficient in any striking combat sport. A guy who has been doing pad/bag work for 5 years will lose to the guy who has been doing pad/bag work AND sparring for half the time. It’s for sure rolling the dice, but I personally don’t believe it’s as dangerous as they make it seem. I saw a stat that said about 25% of pro high level boxers will have some brain issues later in life. I thought the number would be much higher. These guys have been sparring & fighting their entire lives. Thousands and thousands of rounds, for a 75% chance they’ll be coherent as an old man. Now take a guy who picks up boxing or another form a striking in their early twenties, takes it relatively serious, spars here & there, maybe a few amateurs fights, his chances of brain damage are a lot lower that the pro who’s whole life has revolves around boxing. This is me. Been boxing for a good 6 years now. Don’t spar as often as I did in the early years but will still thrown down from time to time. Again, rolling the dice… but I think the juice is worth the squeeze. Don’t let the whole CTE conversation steer you away from picking up some form of combat. Learn how to fight gentlemen, you’ll be fine
A few years back some dude kept throwing ice at a friend and myself and after telling him several times to stop throwing the ice (He threw the ice 4 times (hit me twice!)and I told him to stop in between each one with an increasingly threatening message). I told him to "come stand here" with his back against a fence(this guy was an idiot) and I asked him "Are you ready?" He said "For what?" I said "For this" and hit him square in the face next to his nose(with a right jab/straight) with the intention of just getting him to fuck off but I never understood that when he collapsed to the ground I actually knocked him out…
Lowkey I felt bad but I only hit him once, he was only out for maybe a second(Idek) and helped him up immediately afterwards sooo
Sitting here with a concussion knowing i won't be sparring tomorrow.
Sparring is necessary to be proficient in any striking combat sport. A guy who has been doing pad/bag work for 5 years will lose to the guy who has been doing pad/bag work AND sparring for half the time. It’s for sure rolling the dice, but I personally don’t believe it’s as dangerous as they make it seem. I saw a stat that said about 25% of pro high level boxers will have some brain issues later in life. I thought the number would be much higher. These guys have been sparring & fighting their entire lives. Thousands and thousands of rounds, for a 75% chance they’ll be coherent as an old man. Now take a guy who picks up boxing or another form a striking in their early twenties, takes it relatively serious, spars here & there, maybe a few amateurs fights, his chances of brain damage are a lot lower that the pro who’s whole life has revolves around boxing. This is me. Been boxing for a good 6 years now. Don’t spar as often as I did in the early years but will still thrown down from time to time. Again, rolling the dice… but I think the juice is worth the squeeze. Don’t let the whole CTE conversation steer you away from picking up some form of combat. Learn how to fight gentlemen, you’ll be fine
Man!!! This was my brother!! He passed away at 33. but it was the trauma from years of boxing that changed him ❤RIP Danny
Boom, boom, blang!!