Comments Thread For: Magomed Abdusalamov and The Dark Side of Boxing

[Zen_Fighter]

Great article. Sad situation. I watched the fight and cheered at the two warriors as they went at it. We have to be delusional to believe that fighters are not at risk of death anytime they enter the ring. It is a brutal sport and everyone involved know the risks. The stigma of quitting needs to be relieved of its duties. It should not hurt the sport. Look at MMA, it is designed to have an athlete quit. There is no shame in tapping out and it is not judged negatively. It appears that rules should dictate better protocol. Ringside neurologist at every fight and ambulance. Shouldn't be too hard to coordinate.

[New England]

Well researched article. There are a lot of people at fault over Mago's treatment that night. It was obvious he was distressed and not responding properly, the first call of duty was his corner who should have definitely stopped the fight. He was not responding to their questions and his body language and physical appearance made it obvious he was distressed. As for the post fight care - shocking. What's the point of having doctors there if they can't diagnose or properly examine a wounded fighter? The cheapass insurance from K2, the ineptitude of the hospital staff making a brain injury victim wait, all added up to this tragic outcome.

I sincerely hope the big guy makes it through with all of his faculties intact and the organizers, HBO, K2 etc pick up his medical bills and retirement fund. Its the least they could do.

i understand the need to "hold somebody responsible" when something like this happens. that's one of the ways you make sure it doesn't happen again.

HBO isn't guilty of not getting adequate insurance for a world class boxing match. they aren't in charge of stopping fights that should probably be stopped in the corner. they don't assign doctors in the commission to check fighters out. they're completely separated from all of that.

they're just a TV network. they buy the right to broadcast fights. it's a big company, and people assume that magomed's medical bills are of no significance to an entitity like HBO, and that they should intuitively pay for them. HBO should make a donation, and use their airwaves to broadcast plugs for the trust set up in magomed's name.

caring for magomed abdusalamov isn't the responsibility of HBO. that's what insurance is for. i know people don't want to hear that, as it's an emotional subject, but that's the truth. it's not their fault k2 didn't buy an adequate amount of insurance, or that the NY commission doctors didn't send magomed to the hospital in an ambulance immediately.

[New England]

the best thing you can do for abdusalamov at this point is to donate money to his trust. donate what you can. his kids and wife are going to need to be taken care of for years. there are three of them, i believe, and they're all young. his medical bills are going to be staggering.



there are several en****** / people responsible for magomed's condition. if oyu want to blame somebody, you can start with his promotion for not insuring him properly. his corner was in a rough spot in stopping the fight. magomed was throwing punches back. he was talking strangely in the corner, but he did that literally after the first round, and most of his rhetoric concerned the swelling on his face, not a headache. i've re-watched the fight once, and obviously saw it live. i won't be watching it again. it was impossible to tell that he was that badly damaged.

[fistic flow]

Very sad state of affairs. Well detailed article that shows that all aspects need to be looked at to minimise the risk of such outcomes in what we know is an inherently dangerous sport. Hoping the big guy can come through.

[MRCHOKEaMF]

If you wanna hold someone responsible, look no farther than the fans. Dont the "fans" who clamor for a slugfest and brawling expect this to happen? What do those fans think will happen eventually? But hey get used to these type of things happening for a "fan friendly scrap" as they say. Isnt HBO responsible, because this is the style of fighting they want but NO to a skilled boxer such as Rigo, because Boxers realize hitting and not getting hit, wins matches and prolongs lives and standards of life. But everyone of you who always clamors for a slugfest this is what you guys wanted and still do so dont act like you care about him now when this is what you guys are asking other fighters to do?.

[Foreign Soil]

If you wanna hold someone responsible, look no farther than the fans. Dont the "fans" who clamor for a slugfest and brawling expect this to happen? What do those fans think will happen eventually? But hey get used to these type of things happening for a "fan friendly scrap" as they say. Isnt HBO responsible, because this is the style of fighting they want but NO to a skilled boxer such as Rigo, because Boxers realize hitting and not getting hit, wins matches and prolongs lives and standards of life. But everyone of you who always clamors for a slugfest this is what you guys wanted and still do so dont act like you care about him now when this is what you guys are asking other fighters to do?.

Lame post laced with an agenda. There's too many wars gone by where no one got injured to try and push your "sweet defense" agenda. If Magomed did get his face broken by a forearm in the first round then that obviously increased risk right on the spot.

[Weebler I]

the best thing you can do for abdusalamov at this point is to donate money to his trust. donate what you can. his kids and wife are going to need to be taken care of for years. there are three of them, i believe, and they're all young. his medical bills are going to be staggering.

there are several en****** / people responsible for magomed's condition. if oyu want to blame somebody, you can start with his promotion for not insuring him properly. his corner was in a rough spot in stopping the fight. magomed was throwing punches back. he was talking strangely in the corner, but he did that literally after the first round, and most of his rhetoric concerned the swelling on his face, not a headache. i've re-watched the fight once, and obviously saw it live. i won't be watching it again. it was impossible to tell that he was that badly damaged.

That's why the referee didn't stop it but I think his corner should have stopped it, Magomed was losing every round and his face was becoming more disfigured. There was no common sense to having him continue fighting.

[dxx]

Fire Melvina Lathan !

[ИATAS]

If you wanna hold someone responsible, look no farther than the fans. Dont the "fans" who clamor for a slugfest and brawling expect this to happen? What do those fans think will happen eventually? But hey get used to these type of things happening for a "fan friendly scrap" as they say. Isnt HBO responsible, because this is the style of fighting they want but NO to a skilled boxer such as Rigo, because Boxers realize hitting and not getting hit, wins matches and prolongs lives and standards of life. But everyone of you who always clamors for a slugfest this is what you guys wanted and still do so dont act like you care about him now when this is what you guys are asking other fighters to do?.

I would at least expect a damn ambulance ride to the nearest hospital after the fight. I also thought they did that anyways for most fighters regardless if any bones may be broken.

Yeah, boxing is brutal. Injuries and deaths will always happen. But in this case some major incompetence by the doctors. He failed a simple numbers test which is used to help determine possible brain damage and they do nothing? Unacceptable.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I would at least expect a damn ambulance ride to the nearest hospital after the fight. I also thought they did that anyways for most fighters regardless if any bones may be broken.

Yeah, boxing is brutal. Injuries and deaths will always happen. But in this case some major incompetence by the doctors. He failed a simple numbers test which is used to help determine possible brain damage and they do nothing? Unacceptable.

I'm not a doctor, but I've dealt with many traumatic injuries and emergency situations in the past. I can assure you I would've insisted Magomed make a trip to an emergency room immediately after that fight. I can't fathom how a medical professional wouldn't do the same thing. Maybe the damage was already done, and there was little that could've prevented Mago's present condition, but several people clearly dropped the ball in this case.