Local boxing enthusiasts aren’t paying much heed to a new policy statement from a doctors’ group that says children and teens should not participate in the sport because of the risk of injury to their developing brains.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued the statement last week, urging physicians to strongly discourage younger patients from boxing.

The group acknowledged some other sports such as football have a greater overall potential for injury, but said boxing poses unique risks.

Taylor Benton, age 11, works out at the Waco Boxing Club. The club trains amateur boxers ages 8 to 34.
Rod Aydelotte / Waco Tribune-Herald

“Boxing is the only sport where direct blows to the head are rewarded and the ultimate victory may be to render the opponent senseless,” the group said.

The policy paper also says there is no proof boxers’ head guards prevent concussions.

The number of boxing participants going to U.S. hospital emergency rooms has increased significantly during the past two decades, the group says. The average number of injuries during that time was 8,716 per year.

Area boxing clubs say they are mindful of the potential for injury. But they don’t buy the argument that children shouldn’t box because of it.

Tony Montoya, coach of the nonprofit Waco Boxing Club, contended safety gear does offer children protection. Padded head guards help deflect blows and also protect against facial injuries.

Occasionally, youth boxers get hit in the nose or jabbed in the eye, but that’s rare, he said.

Montoya also pointed out that the blows children deliver are nothing like the powerful punches of professional boxers.

“You get just a small jolt and that’s pretty much it,” Montoya said. “Football — imagine the hit you get on that, both on the head and neck.”

Gatesville Boxing Club coach Scott Johnson echoed that thought, noting boxing competitors are matched by weight.

In football, children may come into contact with youth far bigger than them, he said.

More safety-conscious

Johnson, 49, said the sport has gotten much more safety-conscious since he started competing at age 12.

The rules for matches keep getting stricter and coaches are more attuned to the potential for injury, he said.

“They are putting much more of the emphasis on teaching positioning as opposed to pro boxing where it’s all about knockouts,” Johnson said. “It’s absolutely not for everybody. But for some kids, they enjoy it. They like the one-on-one competition.”

Just in training

Another aspect of the sport is that a significant number of children train but don’t compete, Montoya said.

That means they rarely, if ever, have physical contact with other children. Instead, they are simply trying to stay in shape, he said.

The Waco club has about 40 members, ranging in age from 8 to 34. The vast majority are 13 or older, Montoya said.

The pediatricians’ group acknowledged that boxing can foster discipline and goal-setting, not to mention physical fitness. That’s especially true in urban areas where youth might otherwise roam the streets.

But even so, the risk is too great to sanction the sport, the doctors concluded.

Dr. Scott Huitink, a pediatrician with Providence Healthcare Network in Waco, said there is some truth to arguments made by boxing supporters. The sport is not nearly as harsh at the amateur level and protective gear can help deflect blows.

Higher vulnerability

But the fact remains that it encourages blows to the head, he said.

Because children’s brains are more vulnerable to injury, repeated blows are more problematic, Huitink said. Even hits that don’t cause concussions can lead to injury in the long term, he said.

Plus, children are not as likely to recognize signs of injury, Huitink said. For example, a child might not know dizziness is a concussion symptom, he said.

Huitink said he fields quite a few questions from parents about the risk of football but doesn’t get asked about boxing. That’s likely because of the relative popularity of the two sports, he said.

But Huitink said he wouldn’t hesitate to bring up boxing’s risks.

“Parents just need to be aware,” he said.

Talked with parents

Gary Benton, whose 11-year-old son, Taylor, trains with the Waco club, said he talked with other parents before deciding to let his son start five months ago.

Although Taylor has not competed yet, he has sparred.

If Taylor does eventually participate in matches, Benton said he is confident his son will be as safe as possible.

He said he has observed youth competitions and been pleased with the safety measures, such as medical personnel examining the fighters before and after they box.

“They look out for the best interest of the kids at all ages,” Benton said.

cculp@wacotrib.com

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