South Korean champ Choi said brain dead

[Exeter]

SEOUL: South Korean boxer Choi Yo-sam, who lapsed into a coma last week defending his World Boxing Organisation title, has been declared brain dead and will soon go off life support, a hospital official said on Wednesday.

Choi, who won the December 25 intercontinental flyweight title fight on points, was sent to the canvas just seconds before the end of the 12th and final round by a hard right to the jaw from Indonesian challenger Heri Amol who landed a flurry of punches before the bell.

Choi, 33, staggered to his feet but collapsed shortly after the bout. He left the gymnasium on a stretcher and never regained consciousness. Doctors said he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage.

"Choi will go off life support after midnight (3 p.m. British time), due to the family's wish that he not die on the same day as his father, which is January 2," said a spokesman for the Asan Medical Centre, the Seoul hospital that has been treating the boxer.

Choi's family has requested that his organs be donated, the spokesman said.

The fight brought back memories of a 1982 title bout in Las Vegas between lightweight champion Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini of the United States and Kim Duk-koo, where the South Korean challenger died from injuries sustained in the fight.
(Reporting by Mee Hyoe Koo; Writing by Jon Herskovitz, editing by Martin Petty)

South Korean champ Choi said brain dead - International Herald Tribune

[Exeter]

How do you see boxing as a sport? Do you denounce it as merciless and inhuman?

[Marcus Marulus]

Originally Posted by Exeter

How do you see boxing as a sport? Do you denounce it as merciless and inhuman?

Do you?

[Exeter]

Professional boxing is or have been illegal in some countries.

I think boxing is between two consenting adults who are (or should be if not) aware of the risks involved. I do not think it needs to be thuggery. It takes a lot of skill. I've done some boxing training. It is very demanding.

I have enjoyed watching many boxing matches on TV with my dad.

What is your answer to the questions I asked?

Originally Posted by Marulus

Do you?

[Marcus Marulus]

Originally Posted by Exeter

What is your answer to the questions I asked?

I certainly prefer amateur to professional boxing, because the former is not so savage as the latter. The technique being, of course, the same, but the lack of money pressure in the first case makes its performance less drstic.

Originally Posted by Exeter

Professional boxing is or have been illegal in some countries.

There are good reasons - in my opinion - why it was banned in many countries. It does not mean that I would actively support its outlawing.

Originally Posted by Exeter

I think boxing is between two consenting adults who are (or should be if not) aware of the risks involved.

Is there any boxing between non-consenting adults?

As for adults, I agree that persons up to - at least - 16 years of age should be excluded. Today one sees more and more kids training boxing and it is not healthy.

Originally Posted by Exeter

I do not think it needs to be thuggery. It takes a lot of skill. I've done some boxing training. It is very demanding.

Yes, it is extremely demanding, although it does not appear so at all to a side observer. I've done some of it as well, as part of kick-boxing training though.