As one of the oldest forms of prize fighting, boxing is an intricate spectacle. A form of separating those who think from those who do, it’s the ultimate test of courage.
Sadly, any form of fighting comes with a risk; and today I awoke to some terrible news which reaffirmed just how dangerous boxing can be.
On March 28th, novice light-middleweight prospect Michael Norgrove took on fellow novice Tom Bowen on the undercard of a Steve Goodwin small hall show in London.
After knocking Bowen down in round one, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight at the beginning of round two, reportedly seeing something not quite right with Zambian-born Norgrove, especially odd as Norgrove was standing and had not taken a shot of note.
Norgrove then collapsed in the ring and was rushed to hospital, where he underwent an operation to treat a bleed on the brain.
Complications following surgery meant he remained in a bad way, and he was only taken off of sedation this week, with doctors awaiting his awakening to tell what lasting damage had been done.
Tragically that moment never came, and Norgrove sadly passed away in hospital this morning aged just 31.
Hearing sad stories like this always prove a stark reminder of the potential damage that goes with leading a life of taking punches to the head repeatedly.
Even the greatest ever wasn’t immune, after all.
It also of course brings back memories of other high profile tragedies in big fights. As someone lucky enough to witness the era of Nigel Benn & Chris Eubank’s dominance, I will never forget the names Michael Watson and Gerald McClellan.
Watson was a solid fighter, with a good record, who lost a split decision to Chris Eubank in June of 1991, in his second world title challenge.
Watson’s brave showing earned him a rematch at White Hart Lane three months later, which would bring about the end of his career, and almost his life.
After knocking down his opponent in round 11 while in control of the fight, Watson was knocked down himself almost immediately after Eubank got up, with a devastating uppercut that threw Watson back onto the ropes. Watson was able to last the round but was stopped in the final round, after which he collapsed in the ring.
There were no paramedics or ambulances in attendance that night. Not one. That meant it was nearly half-an-hour before Watson received any specialised treatment. He would spend the next 40-days in a coma, and have six operations to remove blood clots from his brain.
It would be more than six years before Michael Watson would walk again, and Eubank himself was never the same afterwards, losing the ruthless edge that had marked his rise to the top.
Just four years later, Gerald McClellan was to suffer a similar fate, during a tussle for the WBC super middleweight title held by Britain’s Nigel Benn.
The fight itself was a real see-saw affair, with Benn being knocked clean out of the ring early on by McClellan, and again floored in round 8.
The Dark Destroyer was able to continue however, and after unleashing a torrent of shots, knocked down McClellan in round ten. Gerald got up, but after more punishment from Benn again took a knee and was counted out.
As he returned to his corner, it was apparent that McClellan was not well, and he slumped in his corner unable to stand. Gerald had passed out, suffering a similar blood clot to that of Michael Watson.
Like Watson, McClellan underwent immediate surgery to remove the clot, and spent a fortnight in a coma. Unlike Watson though, Gerald would never regain his eyesight, or 80% of his hearing; and has only recently been able to take his first steps unaided, nearly two decades later.
Thankfully not all injuries are as severe. Young lightweight prospect Kieran Farrell’s career was ended in December after a brutal ten round fight with fellow Manchester fighter Anthony Crolla.
The pair would exchange blows for the duration of a fight, a contender for Fight of the Year, and at the end of the contest Farrell collapsed in the ring.
It brought back horrible memories of previous tragedies, and for a number of days it was feared that Kieran was as badly injured.
Thankfully although Kieran had suffered a bleed on his brain, it did not require surgery to clear, and as I write this he is an inspirational story of overcoming adversity.
After the horrible realisation that his boxing career was over, Farrell has applied a similar warrior spirit that he displayed in the ring. In the process of opening his own gym, Kieran has so much to offer the fight game.
And as someone who has seen first hand the risks involved, who better to pass on his knowledge and experience than Farrell?
People will question of course whether boxing is worth the potential risks. Maybe it isn’t, but as long as people can lace up a glove, boxing will continue.
If one positive thing has come out of the tragic history of the sport, the medical care on offer within seconds now is top notch.
And for people like Farrell, boxing isn’t just a hobby, but a way of life from an early age. There are risks, of course; but I believe our society would be in a far worse state without the discipline and respect taught by mentors in local boxing gyms.
“It’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you can get up again.”
Is it worth it? Maybe not for everyone.
Mark McBurney's Blog 