I am an amateur boxer from holland and i can tell you that.. boxing Is a life saver for so many People it gives you confidence , strenght speed etc. It brought me so much !! On a personal level
@Moped Zachary I have done both . Everything in life comes with a price . Its important that people have the full knowledge of those costs , but the decisions theirs .
@Moped Zachary it's sad because i love boxing but I'm afraid, I want to box still, but some people say you can't even do light sparring, what's the point of training if you can't even do light/medium sparring?
And it will take much more away as you continue. You don't need boxing to develop any of things. The difficulty of life and the right attitude will help you gain all those things without subjecting yourself to brain damage
So incredibly sad. I grew up watching boxing with my Dad in the 80's-early 90's. I would see those blows, where the fighter throws a right, then a life and a right and be amazed. Our bodies can't handle that. We may not look fragile, but we're definitely not made of steel. Prayers for everyone in this film.
When you see those punches part of what you're seeing is evolution. Millions of years ago when our ancestors began to free up their hands by walking upright they pretty much immediately set about clobbering each other with their fists. This happened that the human head has actually evolved over time to take less damage from blows to the head. That being said I agree with you sentiment. The unique consciousness of humans means we can and do push ourselves further by doing things like taking part in boxing matches. Combine that with humanity's great endurance relative to other animals and you've got people willingly turning their brains to mush by engaging in grueling fights that are in no way natural.
The one person that I know for a fact that does more for retired boxers than anyone else is Gerry Cooney. He gets them union jobs so they can retire in dignity!! Three cheers for Gerry!!! A fellow Huntington man!! The best town on long Island!!
Even Larry Holmes says Jerry is a good guy, and he is. I think Larry Holmes is GOAT, so for Larry to say that, it says a lot. We must all pull together and look after these old war-horses.
Thanks for posting this documentary MoD. I am older than dirt, so I had the opportunity to view numerous fights by both Denny and Phil via television on both Wednesday and Friday night Fights . They were both skillful boxers, well-prepared and always conditioned. It was very sad and sobering to see them in a vegetable state after their careers had ended. Neither fighter was a power puncher, and consequently their fights often went the distance; and they accumulated an enormous amount of rounds along with head punches in their respective careers. They fought many opponents who could really bang, and although the Moyer boys won most of those bouts on points they took a huge number of damaging blows in the process. Those punches definitely took a huge toll on both of them.
People are critical of floyd Mayweather but after seeing this documentary you can see why he is determined to leave the game with his faculties and his money intact.
They call it the "Sweet Science" for a reason. The goal in boxing OS TO HIT & NOT GET HIT, Its not MMA ya wanna see 2 Mfs just pound on each other go watch that. They just hate on Mayweather & the funny thing is HE LAUGHS ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK, so many Floyd haters be paying for his fights just hoping to see him lose and he knows it & uses it lmfao
Leonard Holt this is true, but most of the brain damage that fighters get comes from the many rounds of sparring. If anything that would contribute to later brain damage especially since we don’t know how many hits he took in sparring. Add on 2 decades of boxing since he was a kid as well already taking hits before the brain has fully developed
Boxing needs better rules and people like Don King need to banned from it completely. One thing that bugs me about this is how they said amateur fighting is somehow better and the emphasis they put on money. Here's reality about amateur sports: *EVERYONE* but the athlete is making money. The schools make money, the networks make money, the trainers, the equipment manufacturers, everyone but the athlete.
You got a point..... But heres the thing. Some amateur sanctions are even more corrupt than pro division. In 2012 in my area or region there was an issue with betting and making profit from non profit gyms or locals/events. It got so out of hand it extended from the southern part of the state all the way up north of the state, at one point USA Boxing banned any amatures in the state from competing for over a year and a half. The gym i was working for (not at that time in particular) made about 7k from a tournament. The owner was suspended for 9 months from cornering any fights other gyms did the same and some were worse. Wont say where or when but it did happen.
Everything you said, is 100 percent true. I was one of the top strength athletes in the U. S. and the world. I started with steel rods from the railroad. I found a old shot put at a dump. I used those to exercise with at 12 yrs old. At 14 my grandmother bought me a concrete set of weights. I put them in our old basement. At this time I weighed about 86 lbs. Over the next months, I put abench together out of concrete blocks and a 4x4. I was reading Strength and Health magazine trying to learn Olympic lifting. Slowly I made some more equipment. A heavy bag made out of an old green army bag of my uncle's. I filled it with dirt an old clothes. I started weightlifting useing the concrete set. I moved tthe collars out so I could snatch. It was hard because of no rotation with the bar. By know I had a couple friends with me. We had to squat by a person on each side of the bar 'and lifting it for the person to squat. We trained everyday. Lifted weights for 2 hours, then boxed for an hour. I lifted in my 1st meet at 14yrs old. I placed 2nd to the national champion. I weighed 98lbs. I went ont to compete in over 300 competitions in 4 differtant sports. I had a very crazy life. I won the Olympic trails, silver medal in the Pan Ams. World championships. Much more. I won the natls in 2 sports over 50.I have started writing a book,but I've been getting sicker. I currently live in a small mobile home. I was in the hospital over 90 days last year. I still had plans to compete again at 60. Then I was told 3 months ago I had 6 months or less to live. I don't even know for sure what is killing me. I've been told I would be lucky to get a surgeon. I've been put in Hospise. I am still staying at home. All hospice keeps telling me is just go with it, its a new journey. It happens to everone. I'm by myself now. I still workout. I can't get any information so I can try to live. I'm not ready to die. But all I'm told is just go with it. Well I know I'm getting worse. I believe the hospital did something wrong and just want me to go away. And of course weightlifting doesn't do anything for the athletes. Sorry for writing so much. I wish you all well.
Not always the case. As a former amateur fighter I can attest that our boxing club was ran entirely as a non profit. Our coach and trainers were all volunteers and often used their own money to transport us to events. We were fortunate enough to have the old high school gymnasium for our training facility and amateur bouts were held several times a year usually in the fall and winter. All profits went to buy equipment for our club or were donated to charity.
This documentary really opened up my eyes and made me think more about the damage caused in boxing, while i was well aware of it already this sorta just cements it in me.
I read Tris Dixon's book "Damaged: the untold story of brain damage in Boxing"; it along with this documentary changed my ENTIRE boxing routine, philosophy, and sparring frequency and personal protocols.
The worst of it all is that the journeymen of boxing suffer more neurological damage than the contenders and champions. You just dont hear about them after they retire.
I thought about that too. A lot of these journeymen fighters have huge amount of fights but they could never quite crack the big leagues. Took a lot of punishment doing something they love.
This is a misconception (I thought the same thing to at one point, so I don't mean any offense). The boxers who typically have the most damage are the elite ones. See "Damage" by Tris Dixon. It's a very thoroughgoing book that examines everything from anecdotal evidence to the latest cognitive and neurological studies.
this doc actually opened my eyes to the damage that sparring can cause. a straight right hand is just that. headgear won't stop one coming right down the middle. so a fighter's record does not tell the story(not even close)of damage to the head. I'll never understand how George Chuvalo took so many shots and remains lucid. but God bless him. bless them all.
Caught myself crying like a wimp a couple of times. This was like watching a documentary on veterans. Seeing Tony on the bus with that Bible, or the fact that those 2 brothers walked hand in hand and still recoqnized their wives kinda gave me hope and confirmation about the good in human life tho. They are warriors, I wish them all the best! God Bless
When they started talking about concussions and brain damage in football, the first thing I wondered was why aren't they doing studies on these boxers who can hardly even speak after their careers? How many concussions do they have per fight? It's very good to see a documentary about this. Chivalo and Foreman are two of the few big name fighters who are still just as quick and articulate as they always were. Quite a few of them need translators to understand now.
Facing Ali is awesome because of his former opponents and getting to learn their stories. That is one of my favorite documentaries and it's very unique.
Kevin W. Mattingly My favorite part of Facing Ali is when Chuvalo sez "After the fight Ali went to the hospital with bleeding kidneys and I went dancing with my wife".. As he starts dancing around the room.Chuvalo lost 3 maybe 4 sons to heroin and his wife I believe killed herself over it,great doc on him.
I can honestly say I never thought I would say I thought a pick up game of basketball would be a beautiful thing. Much love and respect and Godspeed my friends
Most of these punch drunk guys just kept fighting when they should have retired. Ali should have hung up the gloves after he beat Foreman, and he still would have been a legend. What he did after that was just mindblowing. It's just unfortunate he did a lot of damage to his brain when he could have avoided it by getting out of the sport in the mid or early 70's. But being Muhammad Ali must have been an amazing thing, and very difficult to walk away from.
@@mickbowe4252 Don king didn't force Ali to fight, he only promoted a few of his fights. Who should take the blame for running Ali into the ground is the NOI, they took alot of money from him so he had to continue way beyond he needed.
This documentary has strapped me to my chair to see the entire video and has opened my eyes to see the other side of BOXING'S GLORY. I feel right now... SO BLESSED and look forward to charish all the moments and love my son more than ever. I always loved contact sports like Martial Arts and Boxing so at a young age i showed my son self defense at home (he was 4). So at the age of 7 i put him in Karate where his teacher was one of the instructors of the 1984 Olimpics for the US. He said my son was much more advanced than all his students, he said as if my son had already gone to a fighting program of a kind. But after a several weeks my son didn't want to go anymore because his teacher had not put him to fight, it was more time in disapline and preparation and workout excerises than fighting. He wanted boxing lessons but the boxing gym would not take him in till he had 8 years. So once he turned 8 i quickly took him to Oscar Dela Hoya's gym in East Los Angeles and his coach was quickly surprised with his skills. Infact very shortly he told me he wanted to put my son to spare with his best fighter ( i was kind of scared for a moment). Because they have you sign papers where you basically agree that if he gets hurt due to the risk of the sport they were not resposible. But i went ahead and signed, in a very short time my son was at the top of his weight division in the gym. He never lossed a fight at the gym or at touraments many times we could not get fights for him because he was very thin and once the other team coaches would find out their sons or fighters were matched against my son they would not showup. This stratagy is done because they know the other fighter is much better and don't want their fighter to loose and later has their self confidence damaged and possibly not fight the same again. I would get dissappointed for not getting fights in several tournaments so i had my son fight all the times with heavier kids and still win the fights. I even told my son he had to hit his oppenents in a way to make them bleed to frighten them so they would get discouraged. Until 1 day my Pastor from Church told me not to take my son to boxing anymore because one day eventually he would start getting hit on the head. I said but no one has ever beaten him, he replied " I know that's why i telling you!! But the words that i'll never forget is when he said " BUT JUST AS ALL CHAMPIONS DON'T KNOW WHEN TO STOP THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GET BRAIN DAMAGE OF TOO MANY HEAD SHOTS" He also asked me do you want your son to be brain damaged eventually because he will not know when to stop because the majority of fighters don't know when to stop. HE WAS RIGHT ALL THE TIME!!!!! I thank GOD for me stopping him on time from boxing IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!and now watching this video JUST MAKES ME KNOW THAT WE DID THE RIGHT DECISION ON REMOVING HIM FROM THE SPORT. We've seen several fighters go pro that he fought when they were kids that he won against, but today after seeing this video i feel JOYFULL i pulled him out from BOXING. Now we always see the boxing and UFC matches together on TV and BELIEVE ME I'N GOING TO HAVE HIM WATCH THIS VIDEO THIS WEEKEND. I advise everyone to show this VIDEO to all your friends and loved ones so everyone can see the DAMAGE CAUSED BY OTHER SIDE OF BOXING'S GLORY. GOD BLESS ALL THE FAMALIES FROM THE VIDEO AND ALL OF YOU.
I'm a boxing fan for about 50 years and have seen this documentary a few times. It gives a picture of boxing that no one likes but should be shown as well.
This "Documentary" has inspired me to start a 'Boxers Health Insurance' every fighter no matter their age must undergo extensive examinations, scans, aptitude, reflex testing, etc., quarterly. They must also learn a trade, possibly in the "Boxing Field", Trainer, Cornerman, Promotion, one of the countless positions available and which can be created to assist and respect these mighty warriors…
I shook Denny Moyers hand after a victory in the San Francisco Civic Center in 1972 when I was 15 years old. This is the most incredibly sad thing I've ever watched, and I have to accept that I was one of many that contributed to his demise.
I've never seen boxing as a means to thill people through violence. I love watching two great fighters displaying skills which most people could never master. For me, it is a contest between two men where skill, physical conditioning and courage are the attraction.
For all the people that cry oh Floyd Mayweather B Hop or any other defensive fighters are boring just remember that these guys have families and want to leave the boxing game without compromising their health and their genius in defence should be commended rather than scrutinized. Its sad to see people end up the way they did in this doc );
don't be a pro boxer if you are a coward. you know what it takes to be a pro boxer, not to run, hug, use foul acts not to get hit! BOXING IS ONLY FOR THE COURAGEOUS, not for the like of a floyd mayweather!!!
Always loved boxing and always will. Started Jiujitsu a year ago, and before I knew it found myself rarely lacing up the gloves - probably for the best. I'd like to see the industry take better care of guys like Daniel Franco - glad he is recovering.
I’m a former US Army Explosives expert (combat MOS 12b). In Iraq I was charged with finding roadside bombs and getting rid of them, in Afghanistan I was part of a counterterrorism team tasked with gaining intel on people planting IEDs. At one point in time I was being subjected to close proximity blasts every week, multiple times a week. I have 2 Purple Hearts from surviving blasts that should have killed me. I’ve been diagnosed with Organic Brain Disease due to trauma (cte can only be diagnosed after death). My first symptoms were walking somewhere and forgetting where I was going. My speech was a mess, I’d stutter, put sentences together backwards, and sometimes I can not get the words in my head to come out my mouth. I’m watching documentaries now on cte wondering “will that happen to me?” I know that I’ll progress and I know nothing can be done to stop it. So, I just try and keep myself as healthy as possible, for now.
Thanks Andy for your service. I’ve only considered two things in my life the infantry or boxing. I’ve learned in the past few years it doesn’t matter what you do in life death is coming. You did the right thing if it was someone else maybe he would of been killed. Reading your comment makes me just a little less petrified to be a fighter.
My problems started when I survived a parking garage collapse same symptoms as your it's real scary losing your memory , thanks for your service and hope you are well.
The NFL just wakes up to it because they don't want to use all that money there racking in. You think they care about humans no just money. Fuck the NFL and they should die in a fucking ditch
Fantastic Documentary, first and foremost! I'm a very good friend of one of Denny Moyer's Granddaughter's, and I had the great fortune to meet Denny, at our Kenpo Martial Arts Studio in Portland, Oregon in the early 1970's, and he had obvious signs of head trauma from a recent bout, but his faculties were still intact, However, seeing both Denny and Phil in the care center was devastating, Pugilistic Dementia, can be a result of many sports, such as Boxing, MMA, Martial Arts Full Contact Sparring.
Just imagine how many brain cells Tyson destroyed during his prime. This documentary was an eye opener for me. I had no idea this much damage was being done to fighters. The brain is by far the most important part of a human body.
That doesn't really make sense, he only hit people once and it was over because he was fighting nobody's, when he fought champions and brawled he got badly beaten
If anything I'd be more worried about Mike simply because of the chronic effect of not just taking punches (over a long boxing career, also his insane sparring where he's told to go 100% and no headgear as well) but also his drug and alcohol abuse
Very powerful, deep, emotional, and touching wake-up call. Knowledgeable research by many who care for them. Scenes that leave a mark on your conscience now that you've seen what goes on behind closed doors. ... and those quotes by William Lloyd Garrison ... Thank you for bringing to light the Retired Boxers Foundation's existence.
I swear some boxing coaches are a lot more selfish than most people, they would actually prefer their boxer to continue fighting even after having surgery, with the possibility of brain bleeding occurring again SMH!
kid_ from_nyc man I love fighting honestly an they won't let me fight again due to something that may happen. Anything can happen in boxing why can't I fight if the risk is actually less.
How strange that in life that it's the one doing the sport in the ring that wishes to not see a blood bath but rather appreciating the subtle nuances of the sport. But, those that wish to see a blood bath are those who have never stepped into the ring ever in their lives.
@Marten Dekker Yes, thankfully. But the mentality of, maybe, the majority of fans is the same as those going to see Roman gladiator matches, with decapitations, etc. People love their blood and violence, especially if it is served up in a way that doesn't disturb conscience or empathy, a setting in which compassion doesn't apply. People act as though a boxing match is sort-of a movie. People will take an actual beatdown and mentally regard it like a show or video game; just as people can watch WWE and react as though it were a real contest (oh, its real, alright...no disrespect to the incredible gymnastics and pain-tolerance of the wrestlers). It lets people enjoy their brutality safely. One reason why fighters from local club fighters to Muhammed Ali and Roy Jones Jr. can always find someone, in some town in some country, willing to promote a match and make money, and give them a taste of the thrill of being in the ring - its one of the most addictive feelings, once you are just good enough to feel like you have some control over what happens in there. But an ATG quarterback, now 45 with bad knees and a weak arm, won't be of any use to a team - won't help their record. NO economic value, no pleasure for the fans. A fighter with a name, or a fighter willing to pad the record of a fighter with a name, can always make money because the name sells long after the skills and the brain cells are gone. People get to watch a beating one way or another. And, too many fans salivate at seeing violent knockouts with no empathy, no recognition that the loser is a human being. A person has a right to take this risk. I'm a 56 year old psychologist - with experience designing licensure neuro exams with the IBF, an amateur boxing career in the past, and now still training after spinal fusion surgery, soon to be cleared to spar and prepare for a charity exhibition match. I always had good defense and power. If I got hit solidly, much, I'd just stop the sparring and any contest.. But we're talking about fighters who may be legally, borderline-competent, but who are lost in denial or an actual slow-suicide wish...or just believe that it is honorable, or necessary, or manly, to take your punishment, especially if it puts food on the table for your family. Its one thing for a free market society to let a person make their own choice about the dangers to face, or adults to agree to participate, with a real meeting of the minds, in a violent contest. Its another for there to be a system in which an opportunist can make money off the destruction of human beings who aren't capable of acting in their own best interests.
Yes, the mentality of, maybe, the majority of fans is the same as those going to see Roman gladiator matches, with decapitations, etc. You're partly right, I think. Many fighters either simply accept the violence, love it, see it as what makes their efforts special - executing their nuanced skills in the face of pain and violence. Some take seriously the "hit and not get hit" aspect. Some just love the adrenaline and dopamine rush and realize that boxing doesn't usually hurt that much while you're in there....although a well-played body shot can make you wish for a quick death. Many fans love their blood and violence, especially if it is served up in a way that doesn't disturb conscience or empathy, a setting in which compassion doesn't apply. People act as though a boxing match is sort-of a movie. People will take an actual beatdown and mentally regard it like a show or video game; just as people can watch WWE and react as though it were a real contest (oh, its real, alright...no disrespect to the incredible gymnastics and pain-tolerance of the wrestlers). It lets people enjoy their brutality safely. One reason why fighters from local club fighters to Muhammed Ali and Roy Jones Jr. can always find someone, in some town in some country, willing to promote a match and make money, and give them a taste of the thrill of being in the ring - its one of the most addictive feelings, once you are just good enough to feel like you have some control over what happens in there. But an ATG quarterback, now 45 with bad knees and a weak arm, won't be of any use to a team - won't help their record. NO economic value, no pleasure for the fans. A fighter with a name, or a fighter willing to pad the record of a fighter with a name, can always make money because the name sells long after the skills and the brain cells are gone. People get to watch a beating one way or another. And, too many fans salivate at seeing violent knockouts with no empathy, no recognition that the loser is a human being. A person has a right to take this risk. I'm a 56 year old psychologist - with experience designing licensure neuro exams with the IBF, an amateur boxing career in the past, and now still training after spinal fusion surgery, soon to be cleared to spar and prepare for a charity exhibition match. I always had good defense and power. If I got hit solidly, much, I'd just stop the sparring and any contest.. But we're talking about fighters who may be legally, borderline-competent, but who are lost in denial or an actual slow-suicide wish...or just believe that it is honorable, or necessary, or manly, to take your punishment, especially if it puts food on the table for your family. Its one thing for a free market society to let a person make their own choice about the dangers to face, or adults to agree to participate, with a real meeting of the minds, in a violent contest. Its another for there to be a system in which an opportunist can make money off the destruction of human beings who aren't capable of acting in their own best interests.
This is the equivalent of saying “how strange is it that the one getting paid to do the job doesn’t want to do anything but the guy who pays the money wants the job to be done” 🤷🏻🤦🏻♂️
I don't watch boxing to see blood, I watch boxing for the technical prowess, human drama (heart) and athletic conditioning. The violence is just a consequence to that for me, but by no means do I want to see a bloodbath
Matthew Chan the difference between ballet and boxing is that ballet is more about choreography and muscle memory/athleticism while boxing is a direct competition; so that's a bad comparison. That competition is what I want to see -- who wants it more, who has more heart, who is smarter, who can adapt, etc. The sweet science. Boxing, combat sports, aren't just about seeing who is stronger and who can knock out who. That's like saying Ali is boring to watch because he doesn't have as many knockouts as Tyson. Definitely not the case -- Ali is one of my favorite fighters, and I prefer to watch him, Sugar Ray Robinson/Leonard, Louis, Whitaker, etc -- than say a normal street brawl, or two chumps with gloves showcasing no technique for the sake of bloodshed.
Quote of the millennium: "I don't care if we live in a cardboard box, I would rather have my husband more than anything in the world; more than any amount of money in the world."
I have known women who were just that serious about their man. Even maybe have been involved with a couple such women that I did not stay with. And I know there are many other women - e.g. in Thailand and Viet Nam - who would NEVER leave for money of anything.
I agree thank god tyson knew what to do and just kept it an exhibition fight and didnt hit him in the head it was a very gentlemen type exhibition they both made. A bunch of money on and no one got hurt thank god i believe roy may end up with brain damage later on
Boxing will always be a huge part of me. I never went pro even though i really wanted to but it wasnt Gods plan, but i fought amateur and i was pretty damn good. Yes i do have some small issues like remembering directions when driving, forgetting stuff, things like that. But ive loved boxing from 9 years old till today at almost 44 years old and i always will. I knew when i stepped through those ropes that me or the other guy could die, all of us who have fought amateur or pro know that. But thats the risk, boxing is a sport and in my opinion its the most beautiful sport because its pure and simple, brutality and poetry in motion at the same time. But you dont "play" boxing like you play other sports. Ill always love it and ill always love the memories from my time in the ring, and ill always wonder how good of a pro i might have been. But only those of us who have laced em on and stepped through the ropes know where im coming from. Boxing lives in us long after we hang up the gloves.
and people keep saying that Mayweather fights like a chicken..when they dont put themselves on this kind of danger this videos shows you why Floyd fights so smart..so he wont end up like this
Makoto Shishio This video doesnt encourage brawl but at least give the fans an exciting fight, not nececessarily a brawl. Floyd's boxing is a boxing of the cowards and greed for money; he is a pseudo-boxer!!!
leonardo espiritu Found a "Hater", If having the best defensive boxing in History is "pseudo-boxing" then the fuck does that mean for the entire shitty sport of boxing.
it twudnt matter,the damage was done in the 60s bcos his doc said he seen signs in 71, so if there were signs in 71 the damage was done 2 or 3 years before that
The 2 brothers were heartbreaking to see and said the same sort of things my mother said after she had a debilitating stroke and deteriorated rapidly day by day ,it's sad to think a sport I love caused that .Gridiron football effects more as does rugby so ive read though.
Angelo Dundee was a piece of shit for allowing Ali to continue fighting in the late 70's. He didn't care about Ali. He cared about being the trainer of the heavyweight champion. I feel his is partially responsible for what happened to Ali, because Ali would have listened to Angelo if Angelo told him that he really was worried about his brain and wanted him to retire.
Not true Ali would only listen to the black Muslims. The black Muslims were in charge of throwing in the towel. Dundee was desperate for him to retire so was Ali’s doctor who quit but Dundee stayed coz he didn’t want to leave him solely in the black Muslims hands.
Absolutely fascinating watch. This video came on after I was watching a random match I ended up watching the whole hr and 20 mins. So well put together completely opened my eye's. Everyone knows it's a dangerous sport, I used to amateur box myself just thought it was a bit of fun as you always hugged your opponent after the fight. This video was hard to watch as you see just how much damage it can cause in the long term. Even now it can never be made safe but it's the fighters choice as their is too much money nowadays 🥊😎
Every aspect of life has risk. These guys who accepted the risk of boxing are no different than the +300 lost souls on the bottom of the Indian Ocean. They didn't board that plane with the INTENT of dying, but they KNEW it was possible. A fighter doesn't enter the ring with the INTENT of getting brain damage, but they KNEW it was possible. The people who want to criticize boxing for its brutality need to focus their attention on making life-after-boxing better instead of trying to take away the right of an individual to earn a living however they choose to.
I think the fighters should take more responsibility as well it's the same in the NBA & NFL. These young men get this money & just spend spend spend. We're all responsible for our actions but, when you have a gimme crew around you whether family or friends you have to know when to say no & put something up for when this gravy train stops runnuing. Peace&Love
lwwarren9485 Keep in mind that most of these young athletes aren't thinking about the end of the road. Most are in their early to mid 20's and they simply haven't developed psychologically. They aren't men yet and they have all these people around them barking in their ear about how great they are and that they should live like it. That's why they buy the jewels and cars and McMansions with 20 bathrooms and they never think about what's going to happen when their 40 and the gravy dries up and the hanger's on have moved on. Then they find themselves all alone and in most cases broke and directionless. I don't know if this is the case, but I would propose that professional athletes be REQUIRED to pay into an insurance pool or some kind of savings account that will be there for them when and if they need it. The different sports entities can't expect young men who have been pampered/or deprived all their lives to be responsible enough to plan beyond their earning years or for catastrophic health problems...
Really... ? I have been training boxing, and know some fighters. Non of us knew HOW much and HOW severe the risk involved in the sport is. Yes it`s almost like that plane, but the different is the risk % involved. My uncle is the best neurospesialist doctor here in Norway and boxing is popular over here, the message is clear. You will not come out of a boxing career were you get hit and not get some brain damage. How much is the only question. Boxing is really fun, but when you know how much you are really putting at risk, i think it`s only for those few who thinks that is ok for them to take. The rest of us can still do boxing, but limit the sparing to light training mode where hitting hard is not an option. People are too much blinded by the glory produced by the media and audience only for the $$$, witch has nothing to do with being happy from within no matter what you do in life.
I am a amateur boxer right now and iam training to go pro I knew the risk before I entered the sport . Thats why u always have to surround urself with good people if ur trainer knows u had enough.
@@JaneDoe-ci3gj and it would be worth it to risk that brain than to try to live forever with perfect health and never manifest your passion. Shoot me first
Give it a good thought...I think this documentary shows how bad things can get, and how difficult it is to actually stay safe. Humans are fragile and by no means made of steel. Sad thing is that you can be a pro for a very short time, think about your health in the long-run even if its difficult to imagine now, and measure the actual pro and cons from that point of view. It's a tough call and a difficult perspective when you are young and feel invincible but just try to imagine. When I was 18 I didn't value life at 40 or 50 it just looked so lame and far anyway, now in my late 30s I start to appreciate all its possibilities, and value it a bit more than I actually did before. Hope this doesn't sound too paternalistic but be happy and healthy anyway you choose to live.
Excellent documentary. Boxing is wrong on so many levels, especially here in the 21st Century. It's also the greatest, truest, most honest sport in the world. Thanks poster for the up.
if boxing is wrong on so many levels, so is football, golf and car racing. its a sport..., a contact sport. there are consequences. real boxers dont box to hurt people, they box to win, just like a a linebacker sacking a qb. there are stats of pro football retirees getting lou gherigs disease from the repeated concussions. you cant say one is worse than the other. in golf, racism is ever so present today. how is just boxing so wrong on many levels?
38:25 It blows my mind that people involved in boxing dont understand that THE GLOVE IS MADE TO PROTECT THE FIGHTERS HAND NOT TO PROTECT THE OPPONENT FROM BEING PUNCHED!!!!
The people who think gloves protect fighters heads have either never punched something with a bare fist, or they've literally never spend 2 seconds thinking if that's true or not. Take your fist and slam your knuckles into a table. Hurts like a motherfucker. Then do it again 5 times. Hurts a lot more now. Now wrap your hand and put a good 10 ounce glove on it and hit the table again. Your fist has basically been turned into a hammer that you can absolutely fucking clobber things with no problem. Now imagine instead of a flat table it's a bowling ball swinging around. How hard you think you can try to load up on that thing without hitting it awkwardly breaking your shit when you have no gloves?
Truly a very touching documentary. So Glad to see that the sport I advancing these days and that archaic methods are slowly dying out. Fighters in those times had it very rough! Way to much fights and way to much sparring. In today's era many coaches are now studying the body way more and know so much more. Periodzation is a great thing these days things are well planned out to not put so much wear and tear on the fighters bodies. Not to say that this sport is deemed safe because of these advancements but it does help in a way. Fighters of old were training up to 4 Times a day at times, sparring daily and at times fighting weekly or every other week. This was DISASTROUS to the brain and body. Now trainers are seeing the right way. Sparring guys once a week or every other week is great these days. Focusing more on strengthening the body more etc... Boxing today is much safer in my opinion that Boxing of yesteryear. And to me This is a good thing.
Floyd Mayweather was the best thing to happen to boxing! Most people who don't understand boxing say idiotic shit like Floyd's a "coward", "point-scorer" etc.... these people simply don't understand what it's like to be in the ring with a pro boxer trying to knock your head off! Floyd's unmatched ring IQ and jaw dropping defensive ability has proven to be the most successful in CompuBox history as his stats show he is the least hit boxer in history, and the most accurate fighter of all time (truly defining the art of boxing, Hit & Not Get Hit)! Starting out as a super featherweight, he managed to move up 5 weight classes in boxing whilst dominating! People don't realize that Floyd's beaten the most World Champions in history and been on the P4P list since the 90's.... it's 2015 now and he's 38yrs old! His success in and out of the ring has inspired & influenced the young fighters of today to take a defense-first approach and take less punishment over their careers. Floyd's relentless and constant demand for every fighter to take random blood and urine tests before stepping into pro fights has changed the game for all modern day boxers. Floyd's now become the richest athlete of all sports. But more importantly he's the first ever fighter to realize $elf-worth and have the balls to become his OWN BOSS and self-promote his own fights.... in effect eliminating shady and sleazy promoters who have robbed and taken advantage of so many fighters in the past! This empowers the young fighters coming up, making them believe that one day they can do it too as Floyd puts the power back into the hands of the fighters, not the promoters! In addition to this, Floyd's a true student of the game... preaching a clean lifestyle (no drugs, no alcohol), extreme dedication to the sport, hard work, no days off mentality and should be used as an example for any fighter who truly cares about mastering their craft! Floyd bought all the attention and interest to the smaller guys in boxing, this was the first time ever in history that Heavyweights were no longer the main attraction in boxing! Floyd carried the sport for the past 15years in it's darkest time when people said boxing's a dying sport and he still broke every ppv sports record! So say what you will about Floyd, but how many of the other all time greats rightfully managed to safely retire from the sport on their own basis?? How many of the all time greats retired without shortly going broke?? How many of the all time greats weren't forced to keep fighting past their primes for money? How many of them are fully functional?? How many of them are even able to count the money they have left now?? Where are these bitter, mental midget fans now that boo'd and degraded the superior intelligent slick fighters like Floyd, and only cheered and praised the limited toe to toe brawlers as "real fighters"?... Boxing's a brutal and lonely sport where you only fully realize the extent of it once it's all too late. Not only will Floyd leave boxing as an all time great but he will leave in tact... without taking any punishment, without getting robbed/taken advantage of, and whilst keeping true to himself and not bending over or changing for no one! More importantly his family and loved ones can now deservedly enjoy one another for a long, healthy and successful life after boxing. All of these things combined make Floyd the biggest success story in boxing, emphasizing protecting yourself and laying a blueprint down for all the boxers that will now arrive after him on how to operate outside and inside the ring!
BigboyDownStairs I Floyd is a true boxing legend. You're spot on man. Floyd will be emulated for a very long time. I wonder if he'll take time after retiring to mentor the "next". Such a joy watching his fights.
BigboyDownStairs I While Mayweather is a deplorable human being, I agree with your assessment here about his fighting style. He's very intelligent, both in and out of the ring. More fighters should seek to emulate his approach on both ends (without being a domestic abuser piece of shit).
that's the parody of it you get to the top and you pay the price for it and at the end you are alone sitting in a room with only your poster to remind you what you where and a medal that means nothing anymore and a memory loss condition
At 38:25, when he supposedly compares the amateur glove to the professional glove, Bill Mertz is taking the "competitive" pro glove and simply comparing it to "bag" gloves (which he calls amateur gloves). Notice the laces vs the velcro. Even in amateur boxing, fighters do not spar with such fluffy velcro bag gloves. All fighters, whether pro or amateur, spar with more compact 16 ounce lace gloves. They compete with different gloves, though. I think the amateurs usually compete with 10-12 ounce lace gloves, depending on the weight class, while pros fight with 8 oz -10 oz gloves. But the big difference with the pro vs amateurs is the way the pros wrap their hands, before a fight. The pros tape their knuckles to the point where it looks like plaster is over them. What nobody is really taking into consideration is the sparring matches of amateur boxers, which can sometimes be brutal and competitive, especially if sparring against fighters from other gyms.
I love boxing. But as a fan, I think they should do away with catch weights, have a mandatory rule that a fighter cannot fight more than 10 rankings outside of their own (so the champ cannot fight a 14th ranked contender), and have a mandatory retirement age of 40. Yes, I know Hopkins and Foreman were exceptions. But look at Holyfield, and Roy Jones. They can't decide it for themselves.
I agree with that In regards to Exciting Fights. Closer match ups not to exceed a certain win/loss ratio and or ranking between fighters. But in regards to safety a the big issue is fighters who fight outside there True Weight Class. Dehydration and Rehydration. Coaches beware of the danger!
You have to take every boxer as a single case. It wouldn't be fair to just impose a mandatory age on fighters retiring. People are a lot fitter now and a lot more educated about the dangers of boxing. Maybe there should be mandatory cognitive testing for older fighters.
@@johnbryan1149 lol fuck all that. you make it hard for no reason! if you make it a case of cognitive assesment, its gonna be a mess. people will get payed off and tests will get screwed with. no man should be fighting at 40 years old, so just make that the limit and its done. whenever you leave it as a choice, fighters and promotors will find a way to keep going. money talks.
My all time favorite fighter /boxer is Gerald McClellan after his fight with Nigel benn he lost everything and if you haven’t seen the documentary go watch it guaranteed to make you cry... I wish they would have mentioned him in this documentary but he does have his very own.
I agree. You should fight because you love fighting. You have a hunger for combat and warrior mentality. This is why i train. It's who i am. But as far as doing for the money??? No way. Much better ways to do that
I think everyone who’s a fan of combat sports should watch this documentary! Gives a lot of insight of the fighters. There’s fans that are assholes and don’t see the humans in the ring.
00:31:31 - QUOTE: "The statistics will tell you that the highest mortality rates are when the father's in the corner" (!) ...that a true "punch in the stomach"! :)
I don’t know where to begin. If your stomach doesn’t turn several times during this video......I absolutely love honest boxing. I don’t watch to see someone hurt, I watch to see the ebb and flow of a bout. To see the opponents strategy evolving in real time. Too many ppl in judges/commissions pockets. honest referee would have alleviated 98% of these tragedies. Teddy atlas is right the fix is in
Excessive heavy sparring at training camps, Most combat athletes leave their best rounds in the gym w/ nobody watching. Lots of fighters get knocked out knocked down in sparring more than they do in competition. You might fight a half dozen times a year, But you can spar heavy just about every damn day.
Really good film. The best thing about this is that the boxers and people directly involved in boxing are giving honest and accurate accounts with regard to the brutality and danger involved. I feel that a civilised society would not be interested in glorifying violence and therefore not be interested in boxing. We obviously are not that civilised yet. Maybe in a few hundred years or so...
Life itself, ends in death, and it’s usually not glorious or pretty at the end. Live life to the fullest, fight your own battles like a warrior, and love as hard and as well as you fight. And learn as you go, there’s no other reason for this short life but to grow and learn some tough lessons.
I was a big fan of Angelo Dundee, but he's so full of shit when he says "it's tough to foresee a tragedy". Dr. Ferdie Pacheco worked with Ali for many many years, and he saw the damage done to Ali soon after the Thrilla in Manila and he left Ali's corner after the Shavers fight in Sept. 1977. Ali fought until December 1981. Pacheco told everyone in the Ali camp that damage was happening....all of them--including Angelo--ignored it.
Pacheco said that at 30, ALI was a great physical specimen,and by 35, a shambling wreck.I remember(in the mid-70's) when ALI would be on TV talking unusually slow. soft spoken and slow. but he was still knocking out guys like RON LYLE .he was a functioning but damaged fighter. the same thing essentially happened to SUGAR RAY ROBINSON( w/ out Parkinson,s).brilliant fighter,but he fought too long .by his death he was not in control of his faculties .same w/ Floyd Patterson.Boxing is my favorite sport.Dundee is quoted as saying Muhammad did exactly what he wanted .if he had left ALI, his fight career would've kept on going.Dundee always said that ALI didn't need him. he was a very intelligent fighter w/ amazing skills.
Boxing should take a page from MMA. 1 fight for 3 rounds. Title fight, 5 rounds. Spending 8 -12 rounds getting hit in the head is too much. No count system. That only accelerates brain damage even further. If a fighter goes limp, the match ends. Take care people.
Sherbet_Bomb that wouldn't work. Boxers wear gloves with padding to fight more rounds than MMA. Meaning they're trained to pace themselves yo fight into later rounds. Most boxing matches don't even start getting good until the 4th or 5th round.
You do realise in MMA the rounds are FIVE minutes long right? Less rounds, but they are longer...much more dangerous to not have as many breaks in the action.
Beware Of The Austro Kraut same here I definitely prefer boxing/kick boxing/MT just for me it's more exciting however I prefer to watch mma over boxing
MMA is only safer because of the variety of attacks; namely submission moves of Jiu-Jitsu and concentration of kicks to the legs of Muay Thai. You get less PTEs as a result but it is still a dangerous sport. Martial Arts deal with military which is related to warfare. Boxers get more PTEs because it is so heavily focused on blows to the head and allowing them to fight again after what is basically a KO. Blows to the head, you are subject to brain damage either way. If MMA fighters don't get PTE, they're certainly getting CTE. These fighters are the modern day gladiators. The only difference is there is not a death after every single match.
I'm lost for words. all I will say, Every single boxer enters the ring is a champ in his own right. Hats off to all the boxers.
I wish all fans thought like you
cahaps don’t be mad cause he’s made more than you’ll ever see
@cahaps 1j yuyu
@@Hugh_Morris k
Well said !
This is why I hate fans who boo refs for stopping fights early.
Pay hard earned cash to see peeps get knocked the fuck out
Thank you for shedding light on the other side of this sport. Everyone remembers fighters on top, but quickly forget them when they're not.
That's not true
That’s not true, nor is this not common knowledge
@@fendertremolo9793 Very true unless you're super popular!
Take Loma for an example, Just because he lost once everyone has been counting him out as an top fighter in Lightweight
I am an amateur boxer from holland and i can tell you that.. boxing Is a life saver for so many People it gives you confidence , strenght speed etc. It brought me so much !! On a personal level
@Moped Zachary I have done both . Everything in life comes with a price . Its important that people have the full knowledge of those costs , but the decisions theirs .
@Moped Zachary it's sad because i love boxing but I'm afraid, I want to box still, but some people say you can't even do light sparring, what's the point of training if you can't even do light/medium sparring?
@Moped Zachary That's my concern, even light sparring can cause brain damage? This is pretty bad, but if it causes the answer is : Not worth.
and lots of discipline.
And it will take much more away as you continue. You don't need boxing to develop any of things. The difficulty of life and the right attitude will help you gain all those things without subjecting yourself to brain damage
So incredibly sad. I grew up watching boxing with my Dad in the 80's-early 90's. I would see those blows, where the fighter throws a right, then a life and a right and be amazed. Our bodies can't handle that. We may not look fragile, but we're definitely not made of steel. Prayers for everyone in this film.
Well said! I think you captured the feelings perfectly in your comment.
Not every fighter ends up punch drunk. Did you not watch and listen?
When you see those punches part of what you're seeing is evolution. Millions of years ago when our ancestors began to free up their hands by walking upright they pretty much immediately set about clobbering each other with their fists. This happened that the human head has actually evolved over time to take less damage from blows to the head.
That being said I agree with you sentiment. The unique consciousness of humans means we can and do push ourselves further by doing things like taking part in boxing matches. Combine that with humanity's great endurance relative to other animals and you've got people willingly turning their brains to mush by engaging in grueling fights that are in no way natural.
The one person that I know for a fact that does more for retired boxers than anyone else is Gerry Cooney. He gets them union jobs so they can retire in dignity!! Three cheers for Gerry!!! A fellow Huntington man!! The best town on long Island!!
Jerry a great fighter an even better human being
Even Larry Holmes says Jerry is a good guy, and he is.
I think Larry Holmes is GOAT, so for Larry to say that, it says a lot.
We must all pull together and look after these old war-horses.
@@nicholasjohnson6724 *Gerry At least show enough respect to spell the mans name correctly
@@dondajulah4168 I fixed it!! K??
@@Mike383HK ty
Thanks for posting this documentary MoD. I am older than dirt, so I had the opportunity to view numerous fights by both Denny and Phil via television on both Wednesday and Friday night Fights . They were both skillful boxers, well-prepared and always conditioned. It was very sad and sobering to see them in a vegetable state after their careers had ended. Neither fighter was a power puncher, and consequently their fights often went the distance; and they accumulated an enormous amount of rounds along with head punches in their respective careers. They fought many opponents who could really bang, and although the Moyer boys won most of those bouts on points they took a huge number of damaging blows in the process. Those punches definitely took a huge toll on both of them.
Yep. From portland area too. Knew phil, steve, ma dad knew them all, lampkin too.
I cared for Phil and Denny at Gracelen Terrace in the late 90's through the early 00's. ❤
Melanie Patterson Thank you 😢
God bless you Melanie Patterson.
Woah woah, not cool. Don’t even lie about things like that. It’s disrespectful to the sport.
You are the real hero then. Thank you for the battles you fought! 😘
Sad isn't it !
People are critical of floyd Mayweather but after seeing this documentary you can see why he is determined to leave the game with his faculties and his money intact.
They call it the "Sweet Science" for a reason. The goal in boxing OS TO HIT & NOT GET HIT, Its not MMA ya wanna see 2 Mfs just pound on each other go watch that. They just hate on Mayweather & the funny thing is HE LAUGHS ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK, so many Floyd haters be paying for his fights just hoping to see him lose and he knows it & uses it lmfao
@Luis Castro
LOL 😆
When you can't understand your dad a light should go on.
F Fuentes you account intelligence to something that 95% of Americans learn in school? I feel bad for you bro
Leonard Holt this is true, but most of the brain damage that fighters get comes from the many rounds of sparring. If anything that would contribute to later brain damage especially since we don’t know how many hits he took in sparring. Add on 2 decades of boxing since he was a kid as well already taking hits before the brain has fully developed
Once a boxer, always a boxer.
Once braindamaged, always braindamaged
Nope
@@Kenny2100vn Nope, brain's "Stem Cell" can regenerate the damaged neurons.
Right! Dogs can´t change their gender as easy as humans can!
Thank you for posting this film. Thank you to the people who made this film!!!
Boxing needs better rules and people like Don King need to banned from it completely.
One thing that bugs me about this is how they said amateur fighting is somehow better and the emphasis they put on money. Here's reality about amateur sports: *EVERYONE* but the athlete is making money. The schools make money, the networks make money, the trainers, the equipment manufacturers, everyone but the athlete.
You got a point..... But heres the thing. Some amateur sanctions are even more corrupt than pro division. In 2012 in my area or region there was an issue with betting and making profit from non profit gyms or locals/events. It got so out of hand it extended from the southern part of the state all the way up north of the state, at one point USA Boxing banned any amatures in the state from competing for over a year and a half. The gym i was working for (not at that time in particular) made about 7k from a tournament. The owner was suspended for 9 months from cornering any fights other gyms did the same and some were worse. Wont say where or when but it did happen.
Everything you said, is 100 percent true. I was one of the top strength athletes in the U. S. and the world. I started with steel rods from the railroad. I found a old shot put at a dump. I used those to exercise with at 12 yrs old. At 14 my grandmother bought me a concrete set of weights. I put them in our old basement. At this time I weighed about 86 lbs. Over the next months, I put abench together out of concrete blocks and a 4x4. I was reading Strength and Health magazine trying to learn Olympic lifting. Slowly I made some more equipment. A heavy bag made out of an old green army bag of my uncle's. I filled it with dirt an old clothes. I started weightlifting useing the concrete set. I moved tthe collars out so I could snatch. It was hard because of no rotation with the bar. By know I had a couple friends with me. We had to squat by a person on each side of the bar 'and lifting it for the person to squat. We trained everyday. Lifted weights for 2 hours, then boxed for an hour. I lifted in my 1st meet at 14yrs old. I placed 2nd to the national champion. I weighed 98lbs. I went ont to compete in over 300 competitions in 4 differtant sports. I had a very crazy life. I won the Olympic trails, silver medal in the Pan Ams. World championships. Much more. I won the natls in 2 sports over 50.I have started writing a book,but I've been getting sicker. I currently live in a small mobile home. I was in the hospital over 90 days last year. I still had plans to compete again at 60. Then I was told 3 months ago I had 6 months or less to live. I don't even know for sure what is killing me. I've been told I would be lucky to get a surgeon. I've been put in Hospise. I am still staying at home. All hospice keeps telling me is just go with it, its a new journey. It happens to everone. I'm by myself now. I still workout. I can't get any information so I can try to live. I'm not ready to die. But all I'm told is just go with it. Well I know I'm getting worse. I believe the hospital did something wrong and just want me to go away. And of course weightlifting doesn't do anything for the athletes. Sorry for writing so much. I wish you all well.
100% true. Great comment.
Don King is just a promoter.
Not always the case. As a former amateur fighter I can attest that our boxing club was ran entirely as a non profit. Our coach and trainers were all volunteers and often used their own money to transport us to events. We were fortunate enough to have the old high school gymnasium for our training facility and amateur bouts were held several times a year usually in the fall and winter. All profits went to buy equipment for our club or were donated to charity.
This documentary really opened up my eyes and made me think more about the damage caused in boxing, while i was well aware of it already this sorta just cements it in me.
I read Tris Dixon's book "Damaged: the untold story of brain damage in Boxing"; it along with this documentary changed my ENTIRE boxing routine, philosophy, and sparring frequency and personal protocols.
The worst of it all is that the journeymen of boxing suffer more neurological damage than the contenders and champions. You just dont hear about them after they retire.
I thought about that too. A lot of these journeymen fighters have huge amount of fights but they could never quite crack the big leagues. Took a lot of punishment doing something they love.
Ali, Willie Pep, Quarry, Frazier. The only champ that escaped brain damage that I know about is Marvin Hagler.
This is a misconception (I thought the same thing to at one point, so I don't mean any offense). The boxers who typically have the most damage are the elite ones. See "Damage" by Tris Dixon. It's a very thoroughgoing book that examines everything from anecdotal evidence to the latest cognitive and neurological studies.
@@kakonis a sombre read I imagine. I will check it out sometime.
@@adamsmith3413 And George Foreman. Larry Holmes. Mike Tyson. And many many more
this doc actually opened my eyes to the damage that sparring can cause. a straight right hand is just that. headgear won't stop one coming right down the middle. so a fighter's record does not tell the story(not even close)of damage to the head. I'll never understand how George Chuvalo took so many shots and remains lucid. but God bless him. bless them all.
Amen brother
Chuvalo stated that he was a better fighter defensively and blocked more punches than he was ever given credit for. Also helps he had an iron chin.
@@eddicarlo5362 Unfortunately this documentary was made quite a while back, and a few years ago Chuvalo was diagnosed with dementia.
@@flyingcapsicumhe’s 85 already tons of people that age have dementia who’ve never played contact sports.
I know some MMA fighters are reducing or even eliminating sparring from their training.
Caught myself crying like a wimp a couple of times. This was like watching a documentary on veterans. Seeing Tony on the bus with that Bible, or the fact that those 2 brothers walked hand in hand and still recoqnized their wives kinda gave me hope and confirmation about the good in human life tho. They are warriors, I wish them all the best! God Bless
You're not a wimp. Of course you're going to cry.
No a wimp writes it on RUclips
@@dondamon4669twat 🤨
When they started talking about concussions and brain damage in football, the first thing I wondered was why aren't they doing studies on these boxers who can hardly even speak after their careers? How many concussions do they have per fight?
It's very good to see a documentary about this. Chivalo and Foreman are two of the few big name fighters who are still just as quick and articulate as they always were. Quite a few of them need translators to understand now.
I amazed that George Chuvalo is still alive, considering the # of punches he took.
KentA Mitchell He looks and sounds great,has great stories,he's featured in the doc Facing Ali and there is a great doc about him.
Facing Ali is awesome because of his former opponents and getting to learn their stories. That is one of my favorite documentaries
and it's very unique.
Kevin W. Mattingly My favorite part of Facing Ali is when Chuvalo sez "After the fight Ali went to the hospital with bleeding kidneys and I went dancing with my wife".. As he starts dancing around the room.Chuvalo lost 3 maybe 4 sons to heroin and his wife I believe killed herself over it,great doc on him.
plofus wilson Yes, I really liked that part too. I loved everything about that film. I'm glad they preserved all of that for posterity.
I can honestly say I never thought I would say I thought a pick up game of basketball would be a beautiful thing. Much love and respect and Godspeed my friends
Most of these punch drunk guys just kept fighting when they should have retired. Ali should have hung up the gloves after he beat Foreman, and he still would have been a legend. What he did after that was just mindblowing. It's just unfortunate he did a lot of damage to his brain when he could have avoided it by getting out of the sport in the mid or early 70's. But being Muhammad Ali must have been an amazing thing, and very difficult to walk away from.
That Ali Larry Holmes fight is sad to watch.
Doesn't Don King deserve a mention?
@@mickbowe4252 Don king didn't force Ali to fight, he only promoted a few of his fights. Who should take the blame for running Ali into the ground is the NOI, they took alot of money from him so he had to continue way beyond he needed.
Mick Bowe how long has don king been around geez I’ve only heard of him with Tyson and forward
Ralph Hunt that’s why you gotta get a prenup
This documentary has strapped me to my chair to see the entire video and has opened my eyes to see the other side of BOXING'S GLORY. I feel right now... SO BLESSED and look forward to charish all the moments and love my son more than ever. I always loved contact sports like Martial Arts and Boxing so at a young age i showed my son self defense at home (he was 4). So at the age of 7 i put him in Karate where his teacher was one of the instructors of the 1984 Olimpics for the US. He said my son was much more advanced than all his students, he said as if my son had already gone to a fighting program of a kind. But after a several weeks my son didn't want to go anymore because his teacher had not put him to fight, it was more time in disapline and preparation and workout excerises than fighting. He wanted boxing lessons but the boxing gym would not take him in till he had 8 years. So once he turned 8 i quickly took him to Oscar Dela Hoya's gym in East Los Angeles and his coach was quickly surprised with his skills. Infact very shortly he told me he wanted to put my son to spare with his best fighter ( i was kind of scared for a moment). Because they have you sign papers where you basically agree that if he gets hurt due to the risk of the sport they were not resposible. But i went ahead and signed, in a very short time my son was at the top of his weight division in the gym. He never lossed a fight at the gym or at touraments many times we could not get fights for him because he was very thin and once the other team coaches would find out their sons or fighters were matched against my son they would not showup. This stratagy is done because they know the other fighter is much better and don't want their fighter to loose and later has their self confidence damaged and possibly not fight the same again. I would get dissappointed for not getting fights in several tournaments so i had my son fight all the times with heavier kids and still win the fights. I even told my son he had to hit his oppenents in a way to make them bleed to frighten them so they would get discouraged.
Until 1 day my Pastor from Church told me not to take my son to boxing anymore because one day eventually he would start getting hit on the head. I said but no one has ever beaten him, he replied " I know that's why i telling you!! But the words that i'll never forget is when he said " BUT JUST AS ALL CHAMPIONS DON'T KNOW WHEN TO STOP THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GET BRAIN DAMAGE OF TOO MANY HEAD SHOTS" He also asked me do you want your son to be brain damaged eventually because he will not know when to stop because the majority of fighters don't know when to stop. HE WAS RIGHT ALL THE TIME!!!!!
I thank GOD for me stopping him on time from boxing IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!and now watching this video JUST MAKES ME KNOW THAT WE DID THE RIGHT DECISION ON REMOVING HIM FROM THE SPORT. We've seen several fighters go pro that he fought when they were kids that he won against, but today after seeing this video i feel JOYFULL i pulled him out from BOXING. Now we always see the boxing and UFC matches together on TV and BELIEVE ME I'N GOING TO HAVE HIM WATCH THIS VIDEO THIS WEEKEND.
I advise everyone to show this VIDEO to all your friends and loved ones so everyone can see the DAMAGE CAUSED BY OTHER SIDE OF BOXING'S GLORY.
GOD BLESS ALL THE FAMALIES FROM THE VIDEO AND ALL OF YOU.
I'm a boxing fan for about 50 years and have seen this documentary a few times. It gives a picture of boxing that no one likes but should be shown as well.
As a boxing fan this really opened my eyes to the sport ☹️
If you didn't know this side to boxing existed, you were never a fan
Can i just ask what makes u an expert?
This "Documentary" has inspired me to start a 'Boxers Health Insurance' every fighter no matter their age must undergo extensive examinations, scans, aptitude, reflex testing, etc., quarterly. They must also learn a trade, possibly in the "Boxing Field", Trainer, Cornerman, Promotion, one of the countless positions available and which can be created to assist and respect these mighty warriors…
Let me know how that goes ma man
Michael Edward-Stevens
How's that boxer's health insurance going. Oh wait. You didn't do shit. All talk.
Captain American't I "Did" do "Shit"... American't...
I think it’s important for a man to know how to box, but as a profession unless you’re ridiculously gifted there’s really no point.
Agreed
That was a tough watch even though I know about the dangers of boxing. When I fought back in the 80's I always had a headache on the journey home.
Thank you for posting this documentary...it is so very well done and informative...
I shook Denny Moyers hand after a victory in the San Francisco Civic Center in 1972 when I was 15 years old. This is the most incredibly sad thing I've ever watched, and I have to accept that I was one of many that contributed to his demise.
I've never seen boxing as a means to thill people through violence. I love watching two great fighters displaying skills which most people could never master. For me, it is a contest between two men where skill, physical conditioning and courage are the attraction.
That’s fine, but that isn’t representative of what the average fan feels.
For all the people that cry oh Floyd Mayweather B Hop or any other defensive fighters are boring just remember that these guys have families and want to leave the boxing game without compromising their health and their genius in defence should be commended rather than scrutinized. Its sad to see people end up the way they did in this doc );
Not really.
I appreciate seeing a person who can make people miss, so not really. We're not all the same.
CORRECT!!!
don't be a pro boxer if you are a coward. you know what it takes to be a pro boxer, not to run, hug, use foul acts not to get hit! BOXING IS ONLY FOR THE COURAGEOUS, not for the like of a floyd mayweather!!!
STUPID!!!
Ali: "Do I sound like I got uhhhh brain damage"
No comment. Sad face.
):
He past away, Best delete this comment you commented!
EvolvedAlpha I don't think so. He lived a long and happy life.
@@BadApplesTX Ali is garbage scary cat
Yeah...that broke my heart.
A tastefully done piece shedding light on an endeavor who’s dark-side painfully outweighs its positive elements.
Always loved boxing and always will. Started Jiujitsu a year ago, and before I knew it found myself rarely lacing up the gloves - probably for the best. I'd like to see the industry take better care of guys like Daniel Franco - glad he is recovering.
I’m a former US Army Explosives expert (combat MOS 12b). In Iraq I was charged with finding roadside bombs and getting rid of them, in Afghanistan I was part of a counterterrorism team tasked with gaining intel on people planting IEDs. At one point in time I was being subjected to close proximity blasts every week, multiple times a week. I have 2 Purple Hearts from surviving blasts that should have killed me. I’ve been diagnosed with Organic Brain Disease due to trauma (cte can only be diagnosed after death). My first symptoms were walking somewhere and forgetting where I was going. My speech was a mess, I’d stutter, put sentences together backwards, and sometimes I can not get the words in my head to come out my mouth. I’m watching documentaries now on cte wondering “will that happen to me?” I know that I’ll progress and I know nothing can be done to stop it. So, I just try and keep myself as healthy as possible, for now.
Thanks Andy for your service. I’ve only considered two things in my life the infantry or boxing. I’ve learned in the past few years it doesn’t matter what you do in life death is coming. You did the right thing if it was someone else maybe he would of been killed. Reading your comment makes me just a little less petrified to be a fighter.
My problems started when I survived a parking garage collapse same symptoms as your it's real scary losing your memory , thanks for your service and hope you are well.
if 100 bucks is made on a fight, a large percentage should go to post career support. The NFL is finally waking up to this...
The NFL just wakes up to it because they don't want to use all that money there racking in. You think they care about humans no just money. Fuck the NFL and they should die in a fucking ditch
Fantastic Documentary, first and foremost! I'm a very good friend of one of Denny Moyer's Granddaughter's, and I had the great fortune to meet Denny, at our Kenpo Martial Arts Studio in Portland, Oregon in the early 1970's, and he had obvious signs of head trauma from a recent bout, but his faculties were still intact, However, seeing both Denny and Phil in the care center was devastating, Pugilistic Dementia, can be a result of many sports, such as Boxing, MMA, Martial Arts Full Contact Sparring.
Tommy Hearns, James Tony, Riddick Bowe, Meldrick Taylor, Ali, Roger Mayweather, Floyd Sr, Marlon Starling, "Punch Drunk" 👊 The List Gos on!!!!
Marlon "Moochie" Starling is damaged ? I haven't heard anything about him in years. He was a good fighter !
Terry Norris and Donald Curry as well
Just imagine how many brain cells Tyson destroyed during his prime. This documentary was an eye opener for me. I had no idea this much damage was being done to fighters. The brain is by far the most important part of a human body.
That doesn't really make sense, he only hit people once and it was over because he was fighting nobody's, when he fought champions and brawled he got badly beaten
@@justinparkerthewildwolf6394 Okay you don’t know anything about boxing…
@@danieleyre8913 there's always an idiot who says something stupid, today it's you
If anything I'd be more worried about Mike simply because of the chronic effect of not just taking punches (over a long boxing career, also his insane sparring where he's told to go 100% and no headgear as well) but also his drug and alcohol abuse
@@justinparkerthewildwolf6394 can tell you never watched his fights
Fantastic documentary.
Very powerful, deep, emotional, and touching wake-up call.
Knowledgeable research by many who care for them.
Scenes that leave a mark on your conscience now that you've seen what goes on behind closed doors.
... and those quotes by William Lloyd Garrison ...
Thank you for bringing to light the Retired Boxers Foundation's existence.
I swear some boxing coaches are a lot more selfish than most people, they would actually prefer their boxer to continue fighting even after having surgery, with the possibility of brain bleeding occurring again SMH!
kid_ from_nyc man I love fighting honestly an they won't let me fight again due to something that may happen. Anything can happen in boxing why can't I fight if the risk is actually less.
A very good but very sad documentary. Thanks for uploading this.
How strange that in life that it's the one doing the sport in the ring that wishes to not see a blood bath but rather appreciating the subtle nuances of the sport. But, those that wish to see a blood bath are those who have never stepped into the ring ever in their lives.
What's strange about it? People pay money..the fighter is getting paid. Its not rocket science
@Marten Dekker Yes, thankfully. But the mentality of, maybe, the majority of fans is the same as those going to see Roman gladiator matches, with decapitations, etc. People love their blood and violence, especially if it is served up in a way that doesn't disturb conscience or empathy, a setting in which compassion doesn't apply. People act as though a boxing match is sort-of a movie. People will take an actual beatdown and mentally regard it like a show or video game; just as people can watch WWE and react as though it were a real contest (oh, its real, alright...no disrespect to the incredible gymnastics and pain-tolerance of the wrestlers). It lets people enjoy their brutality safely.
One reason why fighters from local club fighters to Muhammed Ali and Roy Jones Jr. can always find someone, in some town in some country, willing to promote a match and make money, and give them a taste of the thrill of being in the ring - its one of the most addictive feelings, once you are just good enough to feel like you have some control over what happens in there. But an ATG quarterback, now 45 with bad knees and a weak arm, won't be of any use to a team - won't help their record. NO economic value, no pleasure for the fans. A fighter with a name, or a fighter willing to pad the record of a fighter with a name, can always make money because the name sells long after the skills and the brain cells are gone. People get to watch a beating one way or another. And, too many fans salivate at seeing violent knockouts with no empathy, no recognition that the loser is a human being.
A person has a right to take this risk. I'm a 56 year old psychologist - with experience designing licensure neuro exams with the IBF, an amateur boxing career in the past, and now still training after spinal fusion surgery, soon to be cleared to spar and prepare for a charity exhibition match. I always had good defense and power. If I got hit solidly, much, I'd just stop the sparring and any contest.. But we're talking about fighters who may be legally, borderline-competent, but who are lost in denial or an actual slow-suicide wish...or just believe that it is honorable, or necessary, or manly, to take your punishment, especially if it puts food on the table for your family. Its one thing for a free market society to let a person make their own choice about the dangers to face, or adults to agree to participate, with a real meeting of the minds, in a violent contest. Its another for there to be a system in which an opportunist can make money off the destruction of human beings who aren't capable of acting in their own best interests.
Yes, the mentality of, maybe, the majority of fans is the same as those going to see Roman gladiator matches, with decapitations, etc. You're partly right, I think. Many fighters either simply accept the violence, love it, see it as what makes their efforts special - executing their nuanced skills in the face of pain and violence. Some take seriously the "hit and not get hit" aspect. Some just love the adrenaline and dopamine rush and realize that boxing doesn't usually hurt that much while you're in there....although a well-played body shot can make you wish for a quick death.
Many fans love their blood and violence, especially if it is served up in a way that doesn't disturb conscience or empathy, a setting in which compassion doesn't apply. People act as though a boxing match is sort-of a movie. People will take an actual beatdown and mentally regard it like a show or video game; just as people can watch WWE and react as though it were a real contest (oh, its real, alright...no disrespect to the incredible gymnastics and pain-tolerance of the wrestlers). It lets people enjoy their brutality
safely.
One reason why fighters from local club fighters to Muhammed Ali and Roy Jones Jr. can always find someone, in some town in some country, willing to promote a match and make money, and give them a taste of the thrill of being in the ring - its one of the most addictive feelings, once you are just good enough to feel like you have some control over what happens in there. But an ATG quarterback, now 45 with bad knees and a weak arm, won't be of any use to a team - won't help their record. NO economic value, no pleasure for the fans. A fighter with a name, or a fighter willing to pad the record of a fighter with a name, can always make money because the name sells long after the skills and the brain cells are gone. People get to watch a beating one way or another. And, too many fans salivate at seeing violent knockouts with no empathy, no recognition that the loser is a human being.
A person has a right to take this risk. I'm a 56 year old psychologist - with experience designing licensure neuro exams with the IBF, an amateur boxing career in the past, and now still training after spinal fusion surgery, soon to be cleared to spar and prepare for a charity exhibition match. I always had good defense and power. If I got hit solidly, much, I'd just stop the sparring and any contest.. But we're talking about fighters who may be legally, borderline-competent, but who are lost in denial or an actual slow-suicide wish...or just believe that it is honorable, or necessary, or manly, to take your punishment, especially if it puts food on the table for your family. Its one thing for a free market society to let a person make their own choice about the dangers to face, or adults to agree to participate, with a real meeting of the minds, in a violent contest. Its another for there to be a system in which an opportunist can make money off the destruction of human beings who aren't capable of acting in their own best interests.
.ä
This is the equivalent of saying “how strange is it that the one getting paid to do the job doesn’t want to do anything but the guy who pays the money wants the job to be done” 🤷🏻🤦🏻♂️
You can play football,tennis,Basketball but YOU CANT PLAY BOXING
.....dude you stole my quote .. shame on you ......
You still get brain damage from full contact football. Football players get mostly CTE.
Neil Hodge 1:13:34
Football and Hockey is full of CTE casualties 😯
I like to play track
Gerald McClennan v Nigel Benn, anyone?
+Simon Finch That was a brutal one
break my heart when i see G man
Was one of the greatest fights I ever saw.
Simon Finch
How about Michael Watson vs Chris Eubanks II ???
Still, nothing beats the Tyson Fury v Klitschko war for me. Was tje fight that put heavyweight boxing back on the map.
Tough way to make a living.
Indeed it is
I don't watch boxing to see blood, I watch boxing for the technical prowess, human drama (heart) and athletic conditioning. The violence is just a consequence to that for me, but by no means do I want to see a bloodbath
Bre Fujimoto bs
Bre Fujimoto That's a fallacy.
Bre Fujimoto true
Bre Fujimoto so go watch ballet instead.
And I read playboy for the articles.
Matthew Chan the difference between ballet and boxing is that ballet is more about choreography and muscle memory/athleticism while boxing is a direct competition; so that's a bad comparison. That competition is what I want to see -- who wants it more, who has more heart, who is smarter, who can adapt, etc. The sweet science.
Boxing, combat sports, aren't just about seeing who is stronger and who can knock out who. That's like saying Ali is boring to watch because he doesn't have as many knockouts as Tyson. Definitely not the case -- Ali is one of my favorite fighters, and I prefer to watch him, Sugar Ray Robinson/Leonard, Louis, Whitaker, etc -- than say a normal street brawl, or two chumps with gloves showcasing no technique for the sake of bloodshed.
Quote of the millennium: "I don't care if we live in a cardboard box, I would rather have my husband more than anything in the world; more than any amount of money in the world."
sureeee, cant believe anything broads say
real easy to say that now lol
Hypergamy is weak in that one for a change 😂😂
I have known women who were just that serious about their man. Even maybe have been involved with a couple such women that I did not stay with.
And I know there are many other women - e.g. in Thailand and Viet Nam - who would NEVER leave for money of anything.
Someone should show this to Roy Jones ASAP!
I agree thank god tyson knew what to do and just kept it an exhibition fight and didnt hit him in the head it was a very gentlemen type exhibition they both made. A bunch of money on and no one got hurt thank god i believe roy may end up with brain damage later on
After learning about cte, ive never looked at sports the same way i used to.
Jts like i dont want to watch because its so sad.
I respect the fighters even more. Still think boxing is the best thing a boy can do.
I've never been so moved by a documentary . I can't look at boxing the same after this .
Boxing will always be a huge part of me. I never went pro even though i really wanted to but it wasnt Gods plan, but i fought amateur and i was pretty damn good. Yes i do have some small issues like remembering directions when driving, forgetting stuff, things like that. But ive loved boxing from 9 years old till today at almost 44 years old and i always will. I knew when i stepped through those ropes that me or the other guy could die, all of us who have fought amateur or pro know that. But thats the risk, boxing is a sport and in my opinion its the most beautiful sport because its pure and simple, brutality and poetry in motion at the same time. But you dont "play" boxing like you play other sports. Ill always love it and ill always love the memories from my time in the ring, and ill always wonder how good of a pro i might have been. But only those of us who have laced em on and stepped through the ropes know where im coming from. Boxing lives in us long after we hang up the gloves.
why didn’t you pursue being a “pro” boxer?
@@TitoMrls long story involving my now ex wife. Dont wanna get in to it.
and people keep saying that Mayweather fights like a chicken..when they dont put themselves on this kind of danger this videos shows you why Floyd fights so smart..so he wont end up like this
Come may the 2nd he well know what its like to get hit hard, but I wouldn't want to see him really hurt. Sad documentary
Makoto Shishio The main reason why people don't like him and symphatize to Pacqiao for example mostly because of his behavior outside the ring.
Makoto Shishio This video doesnt encourage brawl but at least give the fans an exciting fight, not nececessarily a brawl. Floyd's boxing is a boxing of the cowards and greed for money; he is a pseudo-boxer!!!
leonardo espiritu Found a "Hater", If having the best defensive boxing in History is "pseudo-boxing" then the fuck does that mean for the entire shitty sport of boxing.
you, know i was watching one of his old fights,and i was making fun of that backing move he does I WONT ANYMORE
If only Ali could have retired after Manila..
+Austin Smith amen
it twudnt matter,the damage was done in the 60s bcos his doc said he seen signs in 71, so if there were signs in 71 the damage was done 2 or 3 years before that
Farmer Tom
He never should have done the comeback
He would have ended up differently
Fathers should not pressure their own child for a win. Fathers whos in the coner should hold off their own pride for the safety of their children
The 2 brothers were heartbreaking to see and said the same sort of things my mother said after she had a debilitating stroke and deteriorated rapidly day by day ,it's sad to think a sport I love caused that .Gridiron football effects more as does rugby so ive read though.
Gotta give respect to Floyd Mayweather Jr. for making Defense COOL.
And all for nothing. He's dumb as Hell anyway, lol.
He's not the first defensive fighter.
I guess no one ever heard of willie pep
Thats was JamesToney!!!
He did it right!
Angelo Dundee was a piece of shit for allowing Ali to continue fighting in the late 70's. He didn't care about Ali. He cared about being the trainer of the heavyweight champion. I feel his is partially responsible for what happened to Ali, because Ali would have listened to Angelo if Angelo told him that he really was worried about his brain and wanted him to retire.
i go with that,had dundee told him retire NOW after manila those last 10 fights would never have happened.RIP GOAT..
Not true Ali would only listen to the black Muslims. The black Muslims were in charge of throwing in the towel. Dundee was desperate for him to retire so was Ali’s doctor who quit but Dundee stayed coz he didn’t want to leave him solely in the black Muslims hands.
Absolutely fascinating watch. This video came on after I was watching a random match I ended up watching the whole hr and 20 mins. So well put together completely opened my eye's. Everyone knows it's a dangerous sport, I used to amateur box myself just thought it was a bit of fun as you always hugged your opponent after the fight. This video was hard to watch as you see just how much damage it can cause in the long term. Even now it can never be made safe but it's the fighters choice as their is too much money nowadays 🥊😎
It blows my mind that the old time boxers sometimes had like 150-200 fights and fought way more frequently than present fighters.
Hard brave men. Heroes for all time. Best role models for young boxers now
The Moyers looks so young! They fought in the 50s and 60s and looks so young. Bless their handsome hearts
Every aspect of life has risk. These guys who accepted the risk of boxing are no different than the +300 lost souls on the bottom of the Indian Ocean. They didn't board that plane with the INTENT of dying, but they KNEW it was possible. A fighter doesn't enter the ring with the INTENT of getting brain damage, but they KNEW it was possible. The people who want to criticize boxing for its brutality need to focus their attention on making life-after-boxing better instead of trying to take away the right of an individual to earn a living however they choose to.
This comment is too intelligent and enlightened for RUclips.
Jon Katz
I humbly accept your compliment.
I think the fighters should take more responsibility as well it's the same in the NBA & NFL. These young men get this money & just spend spend spend. We're all responsible for our actions but, when you have a gimme crew around you whether family or friends you have to know when to say no & put something up for when this gravy train stops runnuing. Peace&Love
lwwarren9485
Keep in mind that most of these young athletes aren't thinking about the end of the road. Most are in their early to mid 20's and they simply haven't developed psychologically. They aren't men yet and they have all these people around them barking in their ear about how great they are and that they should live like it.
That's why they buy the jewels and cars and McMansions with 20 bathrooms and they never think about what's going to happen when their 40 and the gravy dries up and the hanger's on have moved on. Then they find themselves all alone and in most cases broke and directionless.
I don't know if this is the case, but I would propose that professional athletes be REQUIRED to pay into an insurance pool or some kind of savings account that will be there for them when and if they need it. The different sports entities can't expect young men who have been pampered/or deprived all their lives to be responsible enough to plan beyond their earning years or for catastrophic health problems...
Really... ? I have been training boxing, and know some fighters. Non of us knew HOW much and HOW severe the risk involved in the sport is.
Yes it`s almost like that plane, but the different is the risk % involved. My uncle is the best neurospesialist doctor here in Norway and boxing is popular over here, the message is clear. You will not come out of a boxing career were you get hit and not get some brain damage. How much is the only question.
Boxing is really fun, but when you know how much you are really putting at risk, i think it`s only for those few who thinks that is ok for them to take. The rest of us can still do boxing, but limit the sparing to light training mode where hitting hard is not an option.
People are too much blinded by the glory produced by the media and audience only for the $$$, witch has nothing to do with being happy from within no matter what you do in life.
This was really sad but brought light to the other side of boxers that we may never have heard about
On the Ali vs Berbick fight, Ali showed all symptoms of dementia pugilistica. Gotta know your limits, man.
I am a amateur boxer right now and iam training to go pro I knew the risk before I entered the sport . Thats why u always have to surround urself with good people if ur trainer knows u had enough.
Please stop you only have one brain🙏.
@@JaneDoe-ci3gj and it would be worth it to risk that brain than to try to live forever with perfect health and never manifest your passion. Shoot me first
Give it a good thought...I think this documentary shows how bad things can get, and how difficult it is to actually stay safe. Humans are fragile and by no means made of steel. Sad thing is that you can be a pro for a very short time, think about your health in the long-run even if its difficult to imagine now, and measure the actual pro and cons from that point of view. It's a tough call and a difficult perspective when you are young and feel invincible but just try to imagine. When I was 18 I didn't value life at 40 or 50 it just looked so lame and far anyway, now in my late 30s I start to appreciate all its possibilities, and value it a bit more than I actually did before. Hope this doesn't sound too paternalistic but be happy and healthy anyway you choose to live.
@@blademaster9575 You can develop other passions.
@@Cannn327 not authentically
Excellent documentary. Boxing is wrong on so many levels, especially here in the 21st Century. It's also the greatest, truest, most honest sport in the world. Thanks poster for the up.
if boxing is wrong on so many levels, so is football, golf and car racing. its a sport..., a contact sport. there are consequences. real boxers dont box to hurt people, they box to win, just like a a linebacker sacking a qb. there are stats of pro football retirees getting lou gherigs disease from the repeated concussions. you cant say one is worse than the other. in golf, racism is ever so present today. how is just boxing so wrong on many levels?
Seeing phil and denny was heartbreaking too.
38:25 It blows my mind that people involved in boxing dont understand that THE GLOVE IS MADE TO PROTECT THE FIGHTERS HAND NOT TO PROTECT THE OPPONENT FROM BEING PUNCHED!!!!
The people who think gloves protect fighters heads have either never punched something with a bare fist, or they've literally never spend 2 seconds thinking if that's true or not. Take your fist and slam your knuckles into a table. Hurts like a motherfucker. Then do it again 5 times. Hurts a lot more now. Now wrap your hand and put a good 10 ounce glove on it and hit the table again. Your fist has basically been turned into a hammer that you can absolutely fucking clobber things with no problem. Now imagine instead of a flat table it's a bowling ball swinging around. How hard you think you can try to load up on that thing without hitting it awkwardly breaking your shit when you have no gloves?
@@Mrraerae That is so true lol
People also make a similar mistake with football helmets. They protect the head....not the brain.
you guys are great ! I my husband and I love the sport.. I have been enjoying it since the '70s...love reading your options, thoughts...
42:01 that hit sent chills down my spine
Truly a very touching documentary. So Glad to see that the sport I advancing these days and that archaic methods are slowly dying out. Fighters in those times had it very rough! Way to much fights and way to much sparring. In today's era many coaches are now studying the body way more and know so much more. Periodzation is a great thing these days things are well planned out to not put so much wear and tear on the fighters bodies. Not to say that this sport is deemed safe because of these advancements but it does help in a way. Fighters of old were training up to 4 Times a day at times, sparring daily and at times fighting weekly or every other week. This was DISASTROUS to the brain and body. Now trainers are seeing the right way. Sparring guys once a week or every other week is great these days. Focusing more on strengthening the body more etc... Boxing today is much safer in my opinion that Boxing of yesteryear. And to me This is a good thing.
Floyd Mayweather was the best thing to happen to boxing! Most people who don't understand boxing say idiotic shit like Floyd's a "coward", "point-scorer" etc.... these people simply don't understand what it's like to be in the ring with a pro boxer trying to knock your head off! Floyd's unmatched ring IQ and jaw dropping defensive ability has proven to be the most successful in CompuBox history as his stats show he is the least hit boxer in history, and the most accurate fighter of all time (truly defining the art of boxing, Hit & Not Get Hit)! Starting out as a super featherweight, he managed to move up 5 weight classes in boxing whilst dominating! People don't realize that Floyd's beaten the most World Champions in history and been on the P4P list since the 90's.... it's 2015 now and he's 38yrs old! His success in and out of the ring has inspired & influenced the young fighters of today to take a defense-first approach and take less punishment over their careers. Floyd's relentless and constant demand for every fighter to take random blood and urine tests before stepping into pro fights has changed the game for all modern day boxers. Floyd's now become the richest athlete of all sports. But more importantly he's the first ever fighter to realize $elf-worth and have the balls to become his OWN BOSS and self-promote his own fights.... in effect eliminating shady and sleazy promoters who have robbed and taken advantage of so many fighters in the past! This empowers the young fighters coming up, making them believe that one day they can do it too as Floyd puts the power back into the hands of the fighters, not the promoters!
In addition to this, Floyd's a true student of the game... preaching a clean lifestyle (no drugs, no alcohol), extreme dedication to the sport, hard work, no days off mentality and should be used as an example for any fighter who truly cares about mastering their craft! Floyd bought all the attention and interest to the smaller guys in boxing, this was the first time ever in history that Heavyweights were no longer the main attraction in boxing! Floyd carried the sport for the past 15years in it's darkest time when people said boxing's a dying sport and he still broke every ppv sports record! So say what you will about Floyd, but how many of the other all time greats rightfully managed to safely retire from the sport on their own basis?? How many of the all time greats retired without shortly going broke?? How many of the all time greats weren't forced to keep fighting past their primes for money? How many of them are fully functional?? How many of them are even able to count the money they have left now?? Where are these bitter, mental midget fans now that boo'd and degraded the superior intelligent slick fighters like Floyd, and only cheered and praised the limited toe to toe brawlers as "real fighters"?... Boxing's a brutal and lonely sport where you only fully realize the extent of it once it's all too late. Not only will Floyd leave boxing as an all time great but he will leave in tact... without taking any punishment, without getting robbed/taken advantage of, and whilst keeping true to himself and not bending over or changing for no one! More importantly his family and loved ones can now deservedly enjoy one another for a long, healthy and successful life after boxing. All of these things combined make Floyd the biggest success story in boxing, emphasizing protecting yourself and laying a blueprint down for all the boxers that will now arrive after him on how to operate outside and inside the ring!
BigboyDownStairs I So why does Floyd still have a chip on his shoulder?
BigboyDownStairs I Floyd is a true boxing legend. You're spot on man. Floyd will be emulated for a very long time. I wonder if he'll take time after retiring to mentor the "next". Such a joy watching his fights.
melody baldhead Yea "the next" greatness from TMT, maybe he teach people tha shoulda roll he inventid.
BigboyDownStairs I that's why mma is taking off, fighters are supposed to entertain no? they know what they're asking for.
BigboyDownStairs I While Mayweather is a deplorable human being, I agree with your assessment here about his fighting style. He's very intelligent, both in and out of the ring. More fighters should seek to emulate his approach on both ends (without being a domestic abuser piece of shit).
Whats the last song called?
Good documentary!
To answer Alis question
"Do I sound like I have brain damage"? Yes. You do .
Ali wanted to fight. Hard to stop someone from doing what he wants to do. Free will, baby John.
@@DIVISIONINCISION I know he wanted to fight but he had brain damage. He shouldn't have fought past 1970.
This really Opened my eyes about what the boxers go through beyond boxing and the dangers
that's the parody of it you get to the top and you pay the price for it and at the end you are alone sitting in a room with only your poster to remind you what you where and a medal that means nothing anymore and a memory loss condition
Powerful documentary
being good with money gives you choices.
At 38:25, when he supposedly compares the amateur glove to the professional glove, Bill Mertz is taking the "competitive" pro glove and simply comparing it to "bag" gloves (which he calls amateur gloves). Notice the laces vs the velcro. Even in amateur boxing, fighters do not spar with such fluffy velcro bag gloves. All fighters, whether pro or amateur, spar with more compact 16 ounce lace gloves. They compete with different gloves, though. I think the amateurs usually compete with 10-12 ounce lace gloves, depending on the weight class, while pros fight with 8 oz -10 oz gloves. But the big difference with the pro vs amateurs is the way the pros wrap their hands, before a fight. The pros tape their knuckles to the point where it looks like plaster is over them. What nobody is really taking into consideration is the sparring matches of amateur boxers, which can sometimes be brutal and competitive, especially if sparring against fighters from other gyms.
I love boxing. But as a fan, I think they should do away with catch weights, have a mandatory rule that a fighter cannot fight more than 10 rankings outside of their own (so the champ cannot fight a 14th ranked contender), and have a mandatory retirement age of 40. Yes, I know Hopkins and Foreman were exceptions. But look at Holyfield, and Roy Jones. They can't decide it for themselves.
Fightfanz 100% I fucken cant stand a champion or no.1 / 2 ranked fighter being matched with guys that are ranked 15?
I agree with that In regards to Exciting Fights. Closer match ups not to exceed a certain win/loss ratio and or ranking between fighters. But in regards to safety a the big issue is fighters who fight outside there True Weight Class. Dehydration and Rehydration. Coaches beware of the danger!
You have to take every boxer as a single case.
It wouldn't be fair to just impose a mandatory age on fighters retiring.
People are a lot fitter now and a lot more educated about the dangers of boxing.
Maybe there should be mandatory cognitive testing for older fighters.
@@johnbryan1149 lol fuck all that. you make it hard for no reason! if you make it a case of cognitive assesment, its gonna be a mess. people will get payed off and tests will get screwed with. no man should be fighting at 40 years old, so just make that the limit and its done. whenever you leave it as a choice, fighters and promotors will find a way to keep going. money talks.
How can an upcoming fighter get any further if they aren’t fighting the best 🤷🏾♂️
My all time favorite fighter /boxer is Gerald McClellan after his fight with Nigel benn he lost everything and if you haven’t seen the documentary go watch it guaranteed to make you cry... I wish they would have mentioned him in this documentary but he does have his very own.
This dude let a pit bull loose on a Labrador
Some of these guys fight way too long.
Alexander fuck do you know about it?
Thanks captain obvious
Foreman fight long and he is in good condition now ;)
Marian Pe he had like a 20 year lay off though...
Blood Time Maximus Full Throttle Productions he’s right, there’s bo reason to be fighting after 35 unless you’re body hasn’t took a lot of punishment
Defense and Reaction Drills are vital
There has to be an easier way to make a living. A lot of boxers end up broke anyway.
I agree. You should fight because you love fighting. You have a hunger for combat and warrior mentality. This is why i train. It's who i am. But as far as doing for the money??? No way. Much better ways to do that
As a father of 2 sons, it's tough watching Mr. Moyer with his boys now. Beyond tragic! (Fortunately we're all musicians!)
"Do i sound like i have brain damage?" yes, yes you do.
The tony and Jeff story was so sad. I feel so sad for both of them
1:01:43 Absolutely heart wrenching at the highest level.
Too sad to watch again. Good documentary.
I think everyone who’s a fan of combat sports should watch this documentary! Gives a lot of insight of the fighters. There’s fans that are assholes and don’t see the humans in the ring.
00:31:31 - QUOTE: "The statistics will tell you that the highest mortality rates are when the father's in the corner" (!) ...that a true "punch in the stomach"! :)
I don’t know where to begin. If your stomach doesn’t turn several times during this video......I absolutely love honest boxing. I don’t watch to see someone hurt, I watch to see the ebb and flow of a bout. To see the opponents strategy evolving in real time. Too many ppl in judges/commissions pockets. honest referee would have alleviated 98% of these tragedies. Teddy atlas is right the fix is in
Excessive heavy sparring at training camps,
Most combat athletes leave their best rounds in the gym w/ nobody watching.
Lots of fighters get knocked out knocked down in sparring more than they do in competition.
You might fight a half dozen times a year,
But you can spar heavy just about every damn day.
Really good film. The best thing about this is that the boxers and people directly involved in boxing are giving honest and accurate accounts with regard to the brutality and danger involved. I feel that a civilised society would not be interested in glorifying violence and therefore not be interested in boxing. We obviously are not that civilised yet. Maybe in a few hundred years or so...
Life itself, ends in death, and it’s usually not glorious or pretty at the end. Live life to the fullest, fight your own battles like a warrior, and love as hard and as well as you fight. And learn as you go, there’s no other reason for this short life but to grow and learn some tough lessons.
And then you commented that.
That is very well put!
Excellent documentary !
I was a big fan of Angelo Dundee, but he's so full of shit when he says "it's tough to foresee a tragedy". Dr. Ferdie Pacheco worked with Ali for many many years, and he saw the damage done to Ali soon after the Thrilla in Manila and he left Ali's corner after the Shavers fight in Sept. 1977. Ali fought until December 1981. Pacheco told everyone in the Ali camp that damage was happening....all of them--including Angelo--ignored it.
Pacheco said that at 30, ALI was a great physical specimen,and by 35, a shambling wreck.I remember(in the mid-70's) when ALI would be on TV talking unusually slow. soft spoken and slow. but he was still knocking out guys like RON LYLE .he was a functioning but damaged fighter. the same thing essentially happened to SUGAR RAY ROBINSON( w/ out Parkinson,s).brilliant fighter,but he fought too long .by his death he was not in control of his faculties .same w/ Floyd Patterson.Boxing is my favorite sport.Dundee is quoted as saying Muhammad did exactly what he wanted .if he had left ALI, his fight career would've kept on going.Dundee always said that ALI didn't need him. he was a very intelligent fighter w/ amazing skills.
Outstanding documentary.
Boxing should take a page from MMA. 1 fight for 3 rounds. Title fight, 5 rounds. Spending 8 -12 rounds getting hit in the head is too much. No count system. That only accelerates brain damage even further. If a fighter goes limp, the match ends. Take care people.
Sherbet_Bomb that wouldn't work. Boxers wear gloves with padding to fight more rounds than MMA. Meaning they're trained to pace themselves yo fight into later rounds. Most boxing matches don't even start getting good until the 4th or 5th round.
You do realise in MMA the rounds are FIVE minutes long right? Less rounds, but they are longer...much more dangerous to not have as many breaks in the action.
Sherbet_Bomb I wouldn't say 5 round maybe 10 don't forget mma rounds are longer but I agree on the count a 100% (unless is a push knock down)
Beware Of The Austro Kraut same here I definitely prefer boxing/kick boxing/MT just for me it's more exciting however I prefer to watch mma over boxing
MMA is only safer because of the variety of attacks; namely submission moves of Jiu-Jitsu and concentration of kicks to the legs of Muay Thai. You get less PTEs as a result but it is still a dangerous sport. Martial Arts deal with military which is related to warfare. Boxers get more PTEs because it is so heavily focused on blows to the head and allowing them to fight again after what is basically a KO. Blows to the head, you are subject to brain damage either way. If MMA fighters don't get PTE, they're certainly getting CTE. These fighters are the modern day gladiators. The only difference is there is not a death after every single match.
This is a great documentary.