DEBATE/ESSAY on “Should Boxing be Banned?”

“…Boxing is too brutal, it makes animals of men, it is too gladiatorial and is entirely against the spirit of brotherhood. It should be banned.” Write an article as a rejoinder to this newspaper editorial comment showing whether or not you support it.

Should Boxing be Banned? Two strong pugilists faced each other in the raised platform called the ring. Thousands had come to see j two strong youths, shouting their names, “Sugar Ramos!” and “Davey Moore!” The applause was even louder as Ramos from Cuba rained a succession of punches on Moore from USA. Even when the latter dropped limp to the canvas, they still Ohio, applauded. Silence came only when Moore failed to stagger to just these his feet. He never did, for he died later in the hospital having been in a state of coma for days. That was in 1964. With such an experience, one could justify the protest of many that boxing be banned.

Yet, is boxing simply synonymous with brutality? It is true that each boxer punches his opponent and takes advantage of the other’s weaknesses. But it is equally true that there are clearly defined rules guiding the conduct of each contest. A boxer, for instance, must not hit his opponent below the belt, must stop once he hears the whistle, and must hurry away to a distant corner if his opponent falls. Also a helpless boxer can raise his hands in surrender and his opponent must stop.

That opponents punch each other might suggest that boxing defeats the spirit of brotherhood. It is true that friends hardly ever punch each other and true friends never take advantage of each other’s weaknesses. But in reality, boxing promotes friendship and brotherhood. For, contests bring together boxers from different parts of the world.

Death in the ring may rightly raise a hot protest. So, when it takes a strongly built young man very tragically, it is just right that others still living should cry against the source of death. But other games too have their hazards. A footballer once died upon knocking his head against the goal post, a skilled swimmer once dived to his death in a competition, and a few years ago about three dancers twisted to death. The fact is that danger exists in any sporting activity.

Finally, we should not conceive of boxing as danger personified. It is a disciplined game in which one must exercise the mind along with all the muscles of the body to produce the best results. The eyes must be alert, the ears quick to pick the whistle, and the mind fast in judging what the opponent is up to.