Sport gives young people a chance to be successful in life

BOXING gives young people a chance to make a successful life for themselves. If you were to go to any of the guys who have suffered long-term injuries, such as Michael Watson or Paul Ingle, they would tell you they would do it all over again in the morning, if they could.

Nobody can ever predict what is going to happen. But when we talk about all the other contact sports with blows to the head and concussion, boxing is way down the list in terms of serious injuries and death. It is just so unfortunate and sad that we have had two incidents so close together, with Nick Blackwell forced to retire and now Mike Towell – and very, very sad. But it’s simply impossible to rule out.

The British Boxing Board of Control is at the forefront of safety in the sport and a leading light in world boxing as far as medical regulations are concerned.

But of course there are safety aspects that can be improved and one thing we must stamp down on is the dehydration of boxers. Ultimately, there are boxers who will dry out in an attempt to make the weight, in the mistaken belief that they can replenish the lost fluids and rehydrate in the space of a few hours.

But I think this latest incident is just a tragic accident, and the same happens in rugby and American football, equestrian sport and Formula One.

Given the phenomenal amount of good that boxing does for the community and the working classes, 95 per cent of the population understands and accepts that these situations will happen.

I still feel a shudder go down my spine when I think about what happened to [Nigerian fighter] Young Ali. In 1982, I knocked him out during a fight. Tragically, he died five months later. I very nearly quit the sport.

I was distraught and full of grief. It was a terribly traumatic time for me. I was just getting out of the blocks career-wise and I had no money and a wife who was pregnant.

But we are allowed to participate in dangerous sports and part of the thrill is knowing there is a risk factor. Everyone who goes into boxing is aware of what can happen, but they do so through freedom of choice and it would be wrong to deny anyone that right.

One of the first things that is pointed out to every young kid that takes up boxing is the risk factor. Boxing is a dangerous business and one where you are pushing the boundaries at the highest level.

But 99 per cent of the time things don’t go wrong to such a devastating extent. Occasionally tragedy strikes and, when it does, the whole sport is in mourning and all of us feel it.

But that doesn’t make what has happened to poor Mike Towell any easier for his family to bear.