Boxing fans will shake it off as just one of those things that will happen, while others say it's all part of the trade. But neither can we ignore the calls of those who have been crying for the banning of the sport for good.
Many incidents are allowed to happen for a purpose and Johnson's death should make the people behind boxing review the way they are ensuring that the number of deaths due to a fight will be reduced to nil. We're all big fans of boxing who don't want to see the banishment of the sport, but we also realize that we don't want to see people die because they were beaten black and blue in a boxing fight.
As I was monitoring the results of last Sunday fights in the Barrera-Peden card on the internet, no other story stood bolder than the flash report that Johnson had collapsed and was taken to a hospital to undergo surgery. I didn't bother reading about the details of the Barrera win and looked up every possible update on Johnson's condition. The news sent a cold chill as I flashed back to the day when John Eman Juarez was knocked out by Rocky Fuentes on a December night in Danao not too long ago. It is never a pleasing experience to be part of a card where someone is hurt and eventually passes away. Although we are not a doctor or have any powers regulatory powers, we feel responsible for what had happened in one way or another. We can't help but ask if we could've done something about it.
The million-dollar question that I have is if boxing organizations are truly taking the extra steps to avoid more deaths in the future. This has been discussed thoroughly in the past and should always be a concern that is always studied and reviewed. Let's discuss some of these issues and concerns that have been brought up in these discussions, and see if these are being addressed.
One of the more glaring time bombs waiting to explode is the practice of pitting terribly overmatched opponents against top contenders. Each time I read about a Pinoy going to Thailand and losing terribly, I always ask myself how the GAB allows this to happen.
Why are low-quality boxers being sent to go up against world-rated Thais? And the same is true vice-versa when Thais are sent over to the Philippines. Remember Gerry Peñalosa's comeback fight last year?
Medical examinations are a requirement for all boxers, but how extensive should these be? Is a simple PE enough? Is there a kind of medical exam that can diagnose if a boxer is so beat up that he should already quit? Could Johnson's and Juarez's deaths have been prevented if they had undergone such a medical exam?
Another concern that has been raised is if there should be a limit to the number of rounds or fights for a boxer's career. We can imagine how much beating a boxer gets not only on top of the ring but also in countless sparring sessions. Some have even discussed a limit to the number of fights on a per year basis.
The number of losses for a boxer has also been suggested as guideline for considering when to call it quits. And if many of these losses came by way of knockout, these should be given extra weight.
There is a rule in boxing that only a referee can stop a fight. But I'd like to see the table officials, judges and ring physician be more involved in deciding when a fight should be stopped in conjunction with the referee. The view from below is at times more "brutal" and there are angles that the referee can't see as he officiates a fight. Surely a second and third pair of eyes is better than one.
One of the most difficult problems to check is when boxing managers and handlers deliberately lie about the physical condition of their boxers. They always say that their boxers are in tip-to shape, but why are they already grasping for air as early as the second round of a fight? Unfortunately, only a handful of local boxing managers can be trusted when they brag about their boxers' physical conditioning.
The bottom line of all these, however is the boxer himself. Reforms in boxing rules won't matter if the boxer is true to himself. Only the boxer truly knows when he has had enough. Enough to ban himself from more trouble up ahead.