[Bryan]

Originally Posted by steve@thaib

Sorry Bryan, but that just doesn't wash.

Yes it does. What is wrong with my argument? The following addresses nothing in my argument other than you say it's sound and then talk about things I figured you would understand by implication. However, I guess I'll have to spell it out for you...

Muay Thai is a brutal sport, and the thin gloves plus coconut shell box really don't make it safe.

Football and hockey are brutal sports, and their padding doesn't make them "safe" either. Nor does a seatbelt in a car. It really depends on someone's own personal risk evaluation and what "safe" means to them. There is no intrinsic value of safety that you can label something for someone else.

You driving your motorcycle or car in Thailand every day is hundreds of times more life threatening than stepping in the ring. I guarantee you.

I kind of, sort of, take the point that it's better for the brain if a fighter is knocked out cleanly rather bashed around repeatedly over a period of time but your argument that it's safer just doesn't stack up.

1 What about the fights that go the distance? Plenty of them do.

My post included this--you must not have paid much attention. Since smaller gloves mean flash KO's are more likely, then fights are safer by nature of the gloves, no matter how long the fight goes. The fighters use smaller gloves, whether or not the fight goes the distance. If it does go the full 5 rounds (much shorter than in boxing) that means the blows to the head were not hard enough to cause a concussion. It's in boxing, where large gloves are used, that a person can be concussed because the nature of the hits can hurt the brain more.

2 Elbows and knees are just connections for limb extremeties in western boxing. How much damage is inflicted by an elbow or knee to a head in Muay Thai?

Elbows are safer due to the reason that I had already emphasized... they are more likely to cause a KO with less force compared to a large boxing glove.

3 At all the shows I have been to in Thailand I have never seen any sort of medical staff or facilities. I've seen guys knocked spark out and carried out 'leg-and-wing' style, and the only medical equipment is a slap round the face and a cold sponge.

In western boxing matches there are good medics on hand instantly, get knocked out in Thailand and you had better be a tuk-tuk ride away from the hospital and have a mate around to take you.

Well I've fought in Thailand, lived at a boxing camp, and lived with other fighters. Your are surrounded by your trainers and your team, and if you need medical attention you can be sent to the hospital immediately. The judges where I fought also could provide medical attention (although they weren't registered paramedics or anything).

No there aren't. Do you know what you're talking about? I've boxed here in Canada, and there is just a single paramedic on hand. I imagine he just takes you to the hospital if anything bad happens anyway, just like in Thailand. In both cases, a hospital is available in minutes. However, I have no experience being taken to the hospital after a fight. I do have experience going to the hospital after a motorcycle accident in Thailand though...

Don't compare an HBO pay-per-view bout to a local Muay Thai match. Comparing a local amateur boxing event to a Muay Thai match is more appropriate.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's have some perspective. Last time I was in Thailand I trained for four months and fought. I endured more pain, trips to the doctor, and time off from eating unsanitary street food than I ever did in the boxing ring. I also got into two motorcycle mild accidents because of stupid drivers that put me out of training for a bit. Next time I come, for my safety, I will spend more time boxing and less time on my motorbike.