Echoes Of Eubank Watson?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/35892327
Let's hope Nick pulls through.

[Butterbun]

It's all very sad. Hope he'll be ok, he's been put in an induced coma.

[marval]

How awful, lets hope he recovers.

[Quizmonster]

Echoes, indeed, especially as Eubank Senior was so prominent in as well as outside the ring!
Blackwell bravely soaked up the punishment handed out by Eubank Junior, but only a lucky strike could have saved him after about Round 5.
I wish him a speedy recovery.

[Togo]

Whatever we think of Eubank senior, and lets be honest, he could be crass at times, he was greatly affected himself after Watson was injured. Let us hope that Blackwell recovers.

[ummmm]

I hate boxing but for some reason I watched it last night. It should have been stopped much earlier.

I hope he'll be okay.

[EDDIE51]

How much longer before this 'sport' where the intention is to inflict brain damage on your opponent is banned ? There are injuries in other sports as I well know ( I used to run a Hockey, Rugby and Cricket club with a horse racing stable as our next door neighbor)
But in all other sports injury is accidental, in boxing the main intent is to cause brain damage to ( knock out) your opponent! Professional boxing has no place in a civilized world !

[Mamyalynne]

I haven't been able to watch boxing for years, makes me shudder.


I hope he recovers with as little damage as possible.

[Lie-in King]

I hate boxing but I do hope Mr Blackwell makes a swift & sure recovery.

[Ken4155]

Eubank snr was calling for the ref to stop the fight much earlier and was warned off.

[Lie-in King]

I don't know this but would be interested to hear from someone that does, to wit - can a boxer stop fighting & demand of the officials that they examine his opponent before he'll continue?

Do the rules allow for this or would he be putting his chance of continuing the fight at risk by so doing?

[Togo]

That is what the 'corner men' and referee are for Lie In. A boxer must not try to influence the referee.

[Lie-in King]

Togo - even though he might think (or know) that to continue might be dangerous for his opponent?

Surely to call a halt would be the honourable thing to do?

[Togo]

I know what you say Lie In. Eubank snr was booed and warned by the ref when he was doing just that. All the boxers are very aware of the dangers and are told to protect themselves at all times by the ref. before any match. Many boxers still point out if an opponent is in trouble but can even have points deducted for such.

[Lie-in King]

"Points deducted" - it's amazing to my mind that could occur for such a reason.

It would seem to me then that the corner men & ref didn't acquit themselves very well. Are they now reportable for the lapse in judgement that allowed this boxer to end up in hospital?

"Points deducted" should equate to "licence to officiate suspended".

As to Eubank Jr's quote from the link, he doesn't seem *too* despondent & I feel he could have been a tad more sympathetic -

"I have respect for anyone who steps in the ring. It's sad that he had to leave on a stretcher. All I wanted was his belt and I've done that. I've achieved my dream of becoming a British champion."

That's alright then.

[ToraToraTora]

"Surely to call a halt would be the honourable thing to do? " - under the rules if a boxer stops fighting then he will lose by TKO, so Eubank had no choice. It is up to the boxer's corner to throw the towel in and/or the referee to stop the fight.

[Lie-in King]

My point exactly - the corners & ref didn't act quickly enough IMO.

If I'd been in Eubank Jr's position I'd rather have lost by TKO knowing my opponent was still standing - surely they'd be able to set a rematch?

I suspect the large sums of money involved in the bout from the top to the bottom might have influenced the ref's handling of it, but as I've shown, I know nothing about the "noble art".

[RATTER15]

A great fight with an unfortunate end. That's what happens with full contact sports on occasions. Its a risk they are prepared to accept.

I hope he comes through OK.

[Baldric]

Wishing the Lad a full and speedy recovery.
I Boxed when I was in the RMs, it's a tough game that's for sure.

[ToraToraTora]

"If I'd been in Eubank Jr's position I'd rather have lost by TKO knowing my opponent was still standing - surely they'd be able to set a rematch? " - a creditable but naive attitude. No Boxer willingly allows a defeat on their record, reduces earnings immeasurably and would move him down the contender order, especially as he was the challenger in this case, could end a career very quickly. Really, boxers are not doctors they cannot stop fighting because they think the opponent is badly injured, that is the job of the officials. They occasionally get it wrong as they did last night. To anticipate your next point, yes, it is mainly about money.

[Lie-in King]

No, I accept it's full-contact, tough & they know the risks.

Eubank Jr said "I hit him with some big shots, maybe the referee should have stopped the fight earlier."

So I'm asking *why* it's allowed to get to the point that a boxer's life is threatened? What's the point in allowing it to go that far when surely a win is a win? Does it become a *better* win somehow?

Sorry, but I'm struggling in my own corner of ignorance here.