Boxing all started with the ancient Olympics. It was an exciting and popular sport. It was even drawn on the tomb walls of Beni Hasen in Egypt, from about 2000 to 1500 B.C. However, it was considered a dangerous sport because it resulted in death. This means that someone died during the matches.
In the 18th century in England, the word "boxing" was first used. An American man named James Figg opened the first boxing academy in London. James Figg is considered the first world champion of boxing.
A student of Figg named Jack Broughton organized rules to boxing because someone had died during a fight. One the rules was that if an opponent fell down and could not get up in 30 seconds, the match would end. Also, Broughton created the first boxing gloves to shield the face and hands of boxers during matches.
Today, boxing has changed from ancient times. There are many organizations that make boxing popular. They are the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO). The World Boxing Council has turned boxing into a professional sport. Professional boxers can make a lot of money. Also, people that bet on boxing matches can make a lot of money.
I think that boxing should be illegal in this country because boxing is a dangerous sport. It can cause death or serious injuries such as head injuires, body damage, and eye injuries. An example of a head injury is brain damage. It is believed that about 90% of boxers will have a head injury. Being hit in the head by a boxing glove is like being hit by a 12 pound paddled wooden hammer. When boxers are punched in the head many times for many years, they can get brain damage. Examples of body damage by boxers are broken teeth, broken ribs, bleeding inside the body, and cuts and bruises. An eye injury from a boxing match can cause a boxer to go blind.
Boxers are said to be more likely to get diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. In 1984, Muhammad Ali, a boxer and former three-time World Heavyweight Champion and winner of an Olympic Light-heavyweight gold medal, discovered he had Parkinson's disease. Some feel that this disease was caused from boxing. Therefore, boxing should be banned. If it is not banned, more people can die or suffer from their injuries or diseases due to this sport.
