The Risks of Boxing
In the wake of the WBO Welterweight Boxing World Championship between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez on 12th of November, which will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, conversations are rife about the health risks for boxers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, boxers need specific insurance to cover them for the tremendous injuries that they can sustain.
Boxing insurance generally contains several components, which include:
- Sports accident insurance, which includes cover for personal accidents, as well as income protection cover and personal liability insurance during boxing matches.
- Sports travel insurance, which is necessary for boxers as they generally have to travel the world to attend boxing matches.
Boxing insurance is necessary because of the incredible risk of injury. Boxers often protect themselves with a range of products, including mouth guards and padded gloves. The most common injuries for boxers include:
- Head injuries
- Bruises
- Cuts
- Broken teeth
- Broken ribs
- Eye injuries
- Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is one of the more serious injuries that can happen to boxers, as it can cause damage to internal organs, potentially leading to death. Due to these problems, boxing is placed in group 3 for risk ratings, meaning that the chance of injury is well above average, which is why specific insurance is needed. Although it is not required by law to take out boxing insurance, it is highly recommended as only very few boxers escape without injury. For a boxer as a person, the income protection part of the insurance is probably the most important, as it allows them to continue to receive an income if they have to spend time recovering in hospital or at home.
The range of terrible injuries and damages that have occurred in many famous boxers, including of course Mohammed Ali, demonstrate just how risky a sport it truly is. Watch Pacquiao Marquez live feed and see with your own eyes how risky a boxing fight is.