Boxing Amateur

This edition of articles emphasizes safety concerns, and is in honor of the late award winning actress, Natasha Richardson, who recently died from what initially appeared to be a minor blow to her head in a skiing accident, and to her surviving husband actor Liam Neeson who as a teenager was the youth heavyweight amateur boxing champion of Northern Ireland:

The standing count can serve as a means for the referee to assess the condition of the boxer’s situation in the ring.  This tool of the referee is readily available and is routinely initiated as a result of a blow or from a series of blows.  These eight seconds give the referee an up close opportunity to evaluate and focus on the boxer.  While the referee is administering the eight count, the referee has plenty of time to assess the boxer’s physical condition by assessing his/her: stance, muscle tone, and the eyes.  Within those precious eight seconds, the referee determines if the boxer is capable to continue, or if the bout should be stopped.  At the end of those eight seconds, the referee should either command the bout to continue, or stop it.  Compliments of Ray Silvas, Vice-Chair AIBA R/J Commission; past Technical Committee Chair and National COO of USA Boxing.

Second impact syndrome. Referees who have issued RSC-Hs and who have signed a restriction Affidavit and/or those Officials who perform practice judging, and/or who referee sparring in the gyms should pay particular attention.  All the guidelines focus on the question of when is it safe for the boxer to return to competition after suffering a concussion.  Several serious risks are associated with a premature return to boxing.  The most serious is the second impact syndrome.  This syndrome was first described in 1973 and it occurs in athletes that return to competition before the symptoms of the first concussion have completely resolved.  A second blow to the head, even a minor one, can result in loss of auto regulation of the brain blood supply.  This in turn can result in brain injury and possible death.  All coaches and boxers should also be made aware of this risk.  Many injuries usually can occur in unsupervised sparring sessions.  Therefore, close supervision during sparring sessions should be given to the boxers at all times.  If there are any questions, it is always better to keep the boxer from any further competition/sparring until a physician examines that person.  Compliments of Robert Voy, MD, LBC 49 Nevada ringside physician; past member AIBA medical commission; and past President of USA Boxing