BOXING IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC ART IN SRI LANKA ANYMORE
BOXING was a very popular sport about ten decades ago and it was known as a scientific art of self defence, but it has been gradually losing its popularity, especially during the last four or five decades. The main reason for this is the damage being done to the brain due to blows to the head. Similar injuries to the brain could occur in many other contact games, but these games have not become unpopular as appropriate protective measures are taken to prevent such injuries. Though such protective measures are taken in boxing too, still boxing has been gradually losing its popularity. The other reason for boxing to become unpopular, is the lack of interest amongst the audience to watch boxing. This is due to the fact that present day boxing has lost the Scientific Technique of boxing.
Scientific boxing was seen at levels of Amateur Boxing and at Olympics. Boxing had exhibited the highest level of scientific techniques of boxing, in the past, but having watched the boxing at the London Olympics concluded few months ago, I was surprised to note the very poor standard and lack of scientific techniques in attack and defence. The basic punch, which is synonymous with boxing, is the ‘Straight Left’. It was disappointing to note that the 100 percent perfect ‘Straight Left’ was not seen from a single Olympic boxer at the London Olympics. The quality of boxing seen at amateur level today resembles Professional Boxing, which is mostly unscientific.
Muhammed Ali (Cassius Clay), was a most Scientific Boxer when he was an amateur Olympic boxer, but was most unscientific, when he turned professional. It is very clearly seen from his famous song: “Float like a Butterfly and sting like a Bee”.Of all the contact games, balance is most important in boxing and hence both feet should be always in contact with the floor of the ring. True to his saying, Mohamed Ali was often seen with both his feet airborne and mostly gliding like a butterfly. He, being the fastest Heavy Weight World champion could get away safely in spite of such unorthodox, but entertaining techniques, but not any one else. (Incidentally, the only professional World Heavy Weight champion who boxed Scientifically was Joe Louie).
Considering Scientific Boxing, Sri Lanka was rated very high in the past up to about five decades ago. At that time, our boxers had brought honour to Sri Lanka in boxing. Hendricus was an
Scientific boxing was seen at levels of Amateur Boxing and at Olympics. Boxing had exhibited the highest level of scientific techniques of boxing, in the past, but having watched the boxing at the London Olympics concluded few months ago, I was surprised to note the very poor standard and lack of scientific techniques in attack and defence
Empire Games Champion. Our Olympic Boxer, Sumith Liyanage went the full distance with Mohamed Ali, at an Olympic meet in the early fifties. Albert Perera and Mahasen Welivitigoda were semi -finalists at A B A Championships in United Kingdom. Karunaratne was a Gold Medallist at 5th SAF Games. In the mid fifties H.P. Jayasooriya defeated the Olympic semi-finalist in the South East Asian Championships in Singapore. In the early fifties Sri Lanka University figured very prominently and won the Indo-Sri Lanka Inter University Boxing Championships for three consecutive years. One of our boxers (the author of this article) who defeated two Madras State Champions and won his weight category, for three consecutive years, was described as the most Scientific Boxer, ever to have taken part in an Indo-Sri Lanka Championship. The main reason for such high commendations was the fact that they all knew the Scientific Art of Boxing, which made boxing, an interesting sport to watch, unlike the present state of boxing, which is fast losing its popularity as a sport.
Scientific technique of boxing
The basic punch -‘Straight Left.’ This basic punch, which is synonymous with boxing, is the devastating punch which, when used perfectly, has the defensive guard built into it. If one were to analyse this punch, it has eight important components, which goes to make a 100 percent perfect ‘Straight Left’. The other two important punches are the ‘Straight Right’ and the combination of ‘Straight Left’ and ‘Straight Right’, named in boxing parlance as One-Two.
If a boxer masters these three punches he would not need any other punches in boxing, namely, upper-cuts left or
If a boxer masters these three punches he would not need any other punches in boxing, namely, uppercuts left or right crosses, left or right hooks and jabs
right crosses, left or right hooks and jabs.The other punch which is often seen in today’s boxing, namely ‘swing’, should not be considered as a boxing punch, because it is a very amateurish punch, never used by a properly trained boxer. Though boxing is considered as a defensive art of self defence, the defensive aspect is hardly seen in present day boxing. The technique of defence such as ,Blocking, Parrying, Side-Stepping, Stepping back, Ducking, Swaying , Blocking and Counter punching, seen today, are not perfectly executed.
If amateur boxing is to continue as a popular sport, it is most important to bring back the lost glory of boxing, and this can only be done by teaching the Scientific Art of Boxing and evolving measures to prevent brain damage in boxing.
Brain damage in boxing
Considering the Scientific Study conducted by The British Medical Association regarding Brain Damage in Boxing and its reference to the Pathogenesis of the knock-down, proved clearly the possibility of brain damage due to a hard blow to the head. The head guard used presently, cannot prevent any damage to the brain. It can only prevent or reduce soft tissues injuries of the scalp and eye injuries. On the contrary by adding more weight to the head , it could even aggravate brain injuries by increasing the momentum of the head, considering the pathogenesis of knock-down (refer: Scientific Study by British Medical Association of U.K and my research study presented at WONCA Conference in U.K. (1986). (World Organisation of National Colleges and Acadamies).
Regarding raising the present poor standard of boxing to the past glorious era of Sri Lankan boxing, It is still not too late for Sri Lanka to achieve this because they are still present in Sri Lanka a very few who had figured very prominently and who belonged to the era of Scientific Boxing and who are ever willing to volunteer their services
- Dr. L.P. Jayaweera