Cricket is as safe as any "non-contact" sport, yet all batters must wear helmets now, largely because of balls being directed at their heads by bowlers (beanball equivalent, a body-line bouncer).
Boxing: no one ever wants to see a fighter die in the ring, least of all his opponent. But, it happens. No boxer has ever entered the ring against his or her will.
Boxing has been an Olympic sport since the 7th century BC. Um, with the odd interruption.
I can't imagine a boy who has not been given advice about how to defend himself against bullies at school. "Keep your hands up!" "Kick him in the balls and run like heck!" When it gets organized, it's boxing and called sport.
I've been in a boxing ring. I was 12. I won. I've lost every single fight I've ever been in since then. (Two, ending with bloody noses.) I like to see guys who can handle themselves get in the ring. I had to grow to love Muhammad Ali after he denied Cassius Clay. He was class all the way. Joe Calzaghi was more recent and undefeated, and a local boy. Marvin Hagler was a thug in the ring and a gentleman out of it, another local boy. Mike Tyson/Sonny Liston were just thugs. It's a sport with many personalities. They all chose to get in the ring. All the guys they beat chose to get in the ring.
You can choose to watch a boxing match or not.
Should we start another thread?
