darrianation

Has anyone heard about this?

Woman dies after amateur fight
Tuesday, June 17, 2003 Posted: 9:25 PM EDT (0125 GMT)

TOUGHMAN CONTESTS
• Amateur boxing bouts started in 1979 by boxing promoter Art Dore
• Contestants pay $50 entry fee to compete for cash or trophies
• At least three competitors have died in past nine months
• Some say up to nine deaths since 1979
• Contests banned by several states


SARASOTA, Florida (AP) -- A woman died Tuesday after being pummeled in an amateur boxing bout, and police opened an investigation into the fight.

"We are trying to determine the criminality of it," police spokesman Jay Frank said.

Stacy Young, 30, suffered swelling and bleeding in the brain during Saturday night's Toughman bout.

She was disconnected from life support Tuesday afternoon after being declared brain dead Monday night at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Bayfront spokesman Bill Hervey said.

Hospital representatives at one point Tuesday prematurely reported her death when she was still on life support.

Chuck Young said his wife, a mother of two, decided on the spur of the moment to compete after learning that the only woman who had signed up needed an opponent.

"It's supposed to be fun," said Chuck Young, who also got in the ring but who lasted only 29 seconds in his bout. "They tell us nobody's going to get hurt. The worst that could happen was to get a broken nose."

There were no cash prizes for the bouts in the publicly owned Robarts Arena, at the Sarasota County fairgrounds. In Florida, prize money for boxing is legal only in tightly regulated professional bouts.

At 240 pounds, Young outweighed her opponent by about 60 pounds. But in the first 30 seconds of the bout, family members knew it was an uneven match, said her sister Jodie Meyers.

Young nearly lasted all three rounds before falling the final time, Meyers said, adding that doctors told her any one of the many blows could have damaged Young's brain.

The Toughman contest was started by businessman and boxing promoter Art Dore in Michigan in 1979. Men and women pay a $50 entry fee and compete for cash or trophies.

They tell us nobody's going to get hurt.
-- Chuck Young, husband


At least three competitors have died in the past nine months, and some say the total number of deaths in the circuit's 24-year history is as high as nine. Several states have banned Toughman contests.

Dore has said he will continue staging the fights.

Joelle English, head of public relations for AdoreAble Promotions, the event's parent company, said participants sign waivers releasing promoters from liability, and their heart rate and blood pressure are checked by a doctor.

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In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

darrianation

Nobody will get hurt in a tough man contest. They bought the party line on that one. This is horrible and my heart goes out to the family. However there are always risks.

A friend of mine loves doing those tough man things He was always bragging. He is pretty good He can kick the shit out of me. I went and watched him once. In his first fight he got his shoulder dislocated. I drove him home 250 miles with him crying all the way home. He later had to have surgery on his shoulder. He also has had a broken arm, nose, and collarbone. He still does them though.

My point is they are dangerous and don’t let anyone tell you differently.

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In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

Thai Bri

Any kind of full contact match should be banned. They're barbaric.

darrianation

Does any one have any more info on this?

__________________
In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

Tom Yum

I knew a kickboxer who competed in the toughman last year. The competition was tight. In his first fight, he kod the guy at the 2nd round, but took a lot of hard shots too. During the 2nd day, he was simply outboxed and lost by tko. Still put up a good fight though.

From what the article says, it sounds like some competitors did not do thorough preparation. If this woman weighed 240 lbs, was it all muscle? How long did she train? Did she work on strengthening her neck muscles & traps, and jaw? Did she even study boxing? Someone who weighed 240 could take alot more damage to the head before falling down; she probably was probably kod before the fight ended.

If you're going to enter the ring, you've got to prepare or you will get hurt. Its just like the 80s when American kickboxers thought Muay Thai would be a walk in the park...

I feel bad for her family and hope they are able to cope with her loss.

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Love it, leave it or fix it.

darrianation

Hey I have no idea really all I know is what they said on T.V. and what the article said. My impression though is that she is not a trained boxer.

__________________
In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

Thai Bri

Aw come on guys. This was an excelent attempt to wind you all up, but no one bit!

I'm losing my touch.

Tom Yum

Sadly, the story made me remember the episode of the Simpsons where Homer became a pro-boxer by letting people tire themselves by slugging his noggin. He would then push them down and win...now I'm laughing, but still feeling bad for the lady.

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Love it, leave it or fix it.

darrianation

Bri you didn’t give me enough time.

Actually a lot of people think that American football is barbaric, boxing too. However to most of us they are fun to play and or watch. They have rules and competitors train hard and take their sport seriously.

Not every one is a serious competitor or should I say professional competitor. We enjoy football games in the park usually touch but every now and then tackle. We slap box (spar) our friends in the back yard. This is friendly and usually don’t use all our potential when doing these things.

What if someone wants to take it a step further and see just what they can do? Lets say this is an older person who may have a little training in MA or boxing. Who hasn’t fought in years? A tough guy contest maybe just what he’s looking for. These generally have rules so they are not as dangerous as street fighting. They have a ref’ and a ring side doctor.

I don’t see a single thing wrong with it. Except one thing. They should be honest in there warnings that competitors can suffer serious injury or even death. I think tough man competitions are generally safe and great fun for both young and old (not kids). I sure hope they don’t ban them. For many it’s their only recourse to fight.

I am also all for the UFCs and pride and others like that. Of course these guys are pro’s and unless you are a pro don’t even think about getting into the ring with these guys.

If they can ban tough mans and UFC and others, what will stop them from banning MT or full contact karate? Some states have already banned the use of elbows in MT matches. This is a shame and total travesty. People can’t do what they want because someone else thinks it’s to dangerous. Why don’t they make cars illegal those are the most dangerous things. More people die are injured/ disfigured from automobile accidents then any other thing mostly any way, I guess more people die because they are to old to live any longer. Maybe they should ban old age.

Anyway just my rantings.

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In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

terry

It's very sad that woman died. I don't know what I'd say to the children if I was the father of those kids.

It sounds like the organizers of that toughman competition made some serious errors in judgement that are now within the purview of civil and criminal lawyers. Issues include:

1) Disclosure of risk & waiver of liability: They really needed to have a very clear explanation to the participant in writing of the dangers of this 'inherently dangerous extreme sporting' event--preferably drawn up by an attorney. This needs to be signed by all the participants as a condition for competition. If they didn't make a good faith effort to explain the risks, which it sounds like they may not have, then this will be an issue.

2) Gross Negligence: Failure to stop the fight for too much punishment --could be a criminal matter.
3) Negligence: Since negligence is an issue, the attorneys are going to be interested if adequate preparations were made to deal with the risks of this event. In events commissioned by the boxing event there are referees, doctors, cornermen that are present and all of which can normally stop a fight. In addition, a failure to check the health and readiness of a fighter before the fight probably wasn't done.

When you put together all of these things in a closing argument it would make a pretty damaging picture of the organizers. I bet setting an example of people like this is something that both judges and juries would take an interest in.

Tom Yum

I think events like this give boxing and extreme sports a bad rep. Any fighter who prepares for something like this has to work up to hard sparring. Seems like once the fighter can go atleast 4 full rounds and withstand the aerobic, anaerobic and contact demands on the body, then I think they would be ready.

__________________

Love it, leave it or fix it.

darrianation

I totally agree.

I don't think these things should be banned, but the people who participate in these things need to know the real risks. Head gear and gloves worn and if male a groin protector. The ref's should be trained and knowledgible and stop fights if the get out of hand or injury.

Defenently these things could be done better and a little safer.

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In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

Toudiyama[NL]

?? let me get this strait, there are event being held where anyone can come in, lay down 50 buck and then fight? under what rules, what equipment ( gloves weight) what org is behind this and how the hell did they get a permit to do so with untrained people?

sorry for the language but I'm really amazed something like that is hapening in the first place

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darrianation

[quote]Originally posted by Toudiyama[NL]
?? let me get this strait, there are event being held where anyone can come in, lay down 50 buck and then fight? under what rules, what equipment ( gloves weight) what org is behind this and how the hell did they get a permit to do so with untrained people?

sorry for the language but I'm really amazed something like that is hapening in the first place [/

Hell yes! Also some bars here have boxing night. You can get up and box perfect strangers and you don't have to pay a dime unless there's a two drink minimum.

I don't know what rules if any they were using, but it sounds like the fight should of been stoped.

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In hills, as well as in villages and cities, hazards and predators find those who walk backwards.- Ezekiel Sanchez

Lizard

Boxing night sounds pretty good, a chance to practice your skills with strangers, many of whom maight be "the average guy on the street" we've all been learning to fight. MMA night would be good but perhaps a bit dangerous.

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Enemies Strengthen,
Allies weaken.