I'm sorry but boxing, MMA and the rest are barely above blood sport as far as I'm concerned.
People cheer as others either knock their opponent unconcious or inflict enough pain to make them submit. It's not that far removed from slaves vs. gladiators millennia ago.
Doctors have learnt enough to say that concussions leave lasting damage and, ironically, it's probably best to leave out the boxing gloves and get it over with as soon as possible.
We decided long ago that subjecting animals to this cruelty was unacceptable, and hundreds of years before that we saw the evil in using slaves for the same, yet people still gleefully cheer one person beating the shit out of another so long as it's consensual.
I was raised Christian*, so I tend to think modesty is laudable, but This Is Still Wrong.
*It didn't take; I don't think religion is a prequisite for compassion.
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jonbob loves you, Tue 25 Jan 2022, 4:18,
Reply)
I'm not sure if you can really compare MMA/Boxing to things like dog fighting.
Animals don't really get to choose whether they fight or not. Humans do.
You could also argue that events such as Horse Racing/Greyhound Racing/Fox Hunts/etc are just as devoid of ethics as far as the animals are concerned, but they're still perfectly legal. I've adopted three retired Greyhounds, one of them was in absolutely terrible physical shape (multiple historical rib fractures, scarring) and the other two have/had severe PTSD from the abuse and ridiculous amounts of cocaine they were forced to take before races.
I have no doubt that Boxing/MMA will likely get banned/legislated into obscurity eventually, but I think it's a little unfair to compare it to animal abuse. Should Rugby also be banned? Shouldn't we be allowed to make our own decisions in regards to our personal wellbeing?
(, Tue 25 Jan 2022, 11:29, Reply)
I alternate between you and jonbob wrt the brutality.
Yada yada ancient tradition, can't legislate it away as it will continue underground, freedom of choice, oh what good it does keeping criminals off the street, etc.
Blah blah bestial mobs baying for blood, worst aspects of humanity, punch drunks, brain bleeds, elevates street thugs to organised crime syndicates, it's mostly all a fix one way or another, and so on.
Any sport that has a substantial risk of concussion should be regulated to minimise that risk, especially given everything we've learned over the last few decades.
I think regulated boxing and mma could actually benefit from a ban on head strikes. Matches would be longer for a start, meaning events could be better programmed and athletes would consequently be better prepared.
Athletes could have longer careers, and many could go on to do coaching/training who would otherwise be dead or brain damaged.
Finally, having more illegal moves & strikes gives heels the opportunity to get more heat. ;)
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brb man-child cuck corporate supplicant fuck, Tue 25 Jan 2022, 15:53,
Reply)
I think you can.
Encouragement is just a milder form of compulsion. If boxing promoters and venues are getting rich by paying athletes to do long-term damage to each other and fucking profiting from it, I think that's pretty shitty behaviour, down there with tobacco companies.
I do in fact think horse/dog racing is cruel and ought to be phased out. Fox hunting is in a different league altogether, which is why it's actually illegal now, but makes me particularly sick because the bastards who do it not only have fun but actually dress up for it and try to paint a veneer of respectability over it by calling it "sport". If you need to cull foxes (you don't) use a fucking rifle and get it over with quickly.
Personal responsibility is all well and good, but I don't think one can truly be fully responsible for one's actions when there's an entire industry set up to turn healthy people into injured people + profit.
I agree that rugby/football are the same in principle, but don't forget that the entire point in boxing is to knock out your opponent. Any blow strong enough to do that will cause lasting damage.
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jonbob loves you, Wed 26 Jan 2022, 2:38,
Reply)