The dangers of professional boxing do not end after the bout; pro fighters face unpredictability, a non-uniform pay scale, and a lack of security benefits such as pensions or retirement plans. Local boxers without large followings or stellar records typically receive modest pay. A number of factors can affect how much a fighter will be paid for his efforts, including his race, gender, and nationality. In some cases, certain promoters will only work with specific fighters or teams of matched opponents.
In addition to financial insecurity, professional boxers risk injury from training camp practices that could kill an ordinary person. Heavy bag punching, for example, uses simulated blows to build strength and confidence in one's defense. However, a serious eye injury has been reported by several fighters who use heavy bag drills. The injuries may result from a light bag being hit with sufficient force to cause it to break or tear apart.
Another danger is that of being knocked out during a fight. This can happen if the opponent lands strong punches or kicks. A knockout can also occur if a fighter loses too much blood from any cause including head wounds. Finally, there is the risk of dying during or after a fight. Boxers who suffer brain injuries or get into fights with more experienced opponents are more likely to have encounters that end in death or hospitalization.
In conclusion, the dangers of being a professional boxer include financial instability, injury, and death.
Professional boxers face far greater danger than their amateur colleagues. Athletes in professional boxing do not wear protective headgear, fight more rounds, and take heavier blows. The purpose of a professional match is to knock you out, not to score points. If you lose too many fights by knockout you will be out of a job.
Knockout losses can cause serious problems for a boxer's career, especially if he or she has a small window of opportunity between fights to recover from injury or fatigue. Many fighters who have suffered multiple knockout losses decide that boxing is not for them.
Other dangers include severe cuts/open wounds which don't heal properly, teeth damage due to hitting the canvas during fights, neurological problems resulting from excessive body punching, and stress fractures due to intensive training regimes. Stress fractures can become serious medical conditions if they are not treated promptly after happening.
Even when you win your matches, there is still a great risk involved. You could be beaten up by your opponent or suffer an injury during a fight. If this happens you may need hospital treatment or might be unable to fight again.
In conclusion, professional boxing is very dangerous. You could die during or after a fight. Injury problems also exist for boxers at all levels of competition. However, these injuries are treatable if you get help early on.
Brain damage, face injuries, hand and wrist injuries, and even blindness are some of the downsides and hazards of boxing. People are more prone to neurological and mental health issues. Even years after retirement, concussive symptoms such as dizziness and disorientation might return. Boxers are also at risk for alcohol and drug abuse after retiring from the sport.
Consistent punching can cause brain injury. Brain trauma is known to cause changes in behavior, personality, and cognitive function. Depression and anxiety are common post-injury, which could lead to suicidal thoughts or actions. Memory problems, confusion, headaches, seizures, and strokes have all been reported following boxing events.
Boxing is also dangerous for your facial features. Your nose can be broken or damaged otherwise. Your eyes can get scratched or bruised. You risk having teeth knocked out, being blinded, or losing fingers due to punching bags or sparring partners.
Even without seeing how you look after a bout, you can tell how your eye will feel with ice on it. If you wear glasses or contacts, make sure to remove them before starting a fight. This gives your eyes time to recover between rounds.
Hand and wrist injuries are very common in boxers. You risk injuring your hands/wrists when hitting another boxer or his equipment. Wrist injuries can limit your ability to play sports or do work around the house.
Boxing has many drawbacks than just physical dangers.
One of the most serious drawbacks of boxing is the possibility of injury, either during training or during a fight... injuries
There are boxers who are or were really damn excellent, but they had something else that held them back from flourishing (e.g., personality, friends, family, addictions, etc.). Boxing (both professional and amateur) is also poorly handled as a business. I've been to amateur committee meetings, and they're a waste of time. Generally, the only people who make money off of amateurs are their parents, and even they sometimes get burned.
Thus, boxing has one of the lowest rates of success in all of sports (including no-contact ones). Only about 1 in 20 amateur boxers ever wins a medal at the Olympics or World Championships. Of those, about 1 in 4 makes any money doing it.
In the pros, things are worse. Out of 100 fighters who start out as amateurs, maybe two or three will be successful enough to make any real money. The rest will either be injured or fail at some point during their career and end up with nothing.
That's not to say there aren't any opportunities for someone who wants to try it. There are lots of gyms looking for talent, and most offer some kind of training free of charge. But unless you have some kind of special gift that gives you an edge over your competitors, it's almost certainly not going to pay off.
If you're looking for a conventional 9-to-5 employment, boxing isn't for you. Aside from hours spent in the gym, professional boxers spend a lot of time on the road going to boxing contests and even more time planning with their managers and boxing promoters about finding the proper bouts and opponents to further their careers. Although there are certainly men and women who find success in boxing as a full-time profession, it is not for everyone.
Professionals fight each other in matches called fights or rounds. There are 12 rounds in a match, and after each round the judges score the fight by awarding points. The winner of the fight is the boxer who scores most points at the end of the match. If the score is tied, then there will be another round of fighting until one fighter is ahead.
In order to become a professional boxer, you must first earn a spot in a tournament known as an elimination bout. This type of match is used to determine which fighters are worthy of moving on to the next stage of their career: the semi-pro contest. Only those who survive these early battles can hope to someday face off against some of the world's best boxers in the super fights of the sport.
As you can see, being a professional boxer is very hard work. However, all that effort has its rewards - including financial ones. Professional boxers usually make between $100,000 and $1 million per year.