By Gerardo Granados: We all know that boxing is a dangerous sport, as amateurs or professionals all boxers are regulated by commissions to protect their health and life. Boxing must be regulated because by it´s practice, a boxer can and will be injured, lets not name the worst things that can happened, lets just say it´s normal to suffer cuts, broken: nose, teeth, jaw, ribs, hand; tore a muscle or suffer a concussion. To practice this sport you must be in real good shape, its not enough to be young, you must be healthy, but what happens after fifteen years of fighting? Well, as the saying goes “god may forgive you, but Kronos never will”. It´s normal to age, it’s unavoidable.
Athletes around the globe retire in their mid thirties, because they are no longer competitive against the young newcomers. For example, an NFL running back that gets pounded every game, lets say Emmit Smith the NFL rusher leader, he retired at 35 year of age (2004 – 937 yards/15 seasons), now Barry Sanders retired at just 30 years old (1998 – 1,491 yards /10 seasons), and the greatest NFL rusher of all time Mr. Walter Payton retire at 33 years old (1987 – 533 yards /13 seasons); at tennis: Andre Agassi retired at 36, Pete Sampras at 32, Ivan Lendl at 34, Boris Becker at 32.
Back to boxing, Ali was 39 when he lost UD 10 against Trevor Berbick who was 27; Chavez was 38 when he lost via TKO6 to Kostya who was 31; De la Hoya was 36 when was clobbered by Pacquiaou who was 28; Pernell was 35 when he lost UD 12 to Trinidad who was 26; Kostya was 35 when he lost RTD 11 to Hatton who was 27; Jose Luis Castillo former lightweight WBC champion was 35 when he lost RTD 6 in an uneven fight with Alfonso Gomez who was 28. There are exceptions to the rule but that is why they are exceptions. Roberto Duran at 37 won the WBC middleweight title defeating Iran Barkley who was 29, Old Mongoose Archie Moore was 43 when he beat Yvon Dorelle who was 29 to claim the World light heavyweight title; others stay active but wont shine as when they were young, for example Evander Holyfied (48) or Bernard Hopkins (45).
I think 35 would be a good age limit, you start to get old but you are not really old, maybe 35 would not be fair for boxers like Floyd, but if you make your professional debut at twenty one fifteen years still a long time to fulfill a boxing career. Have you seen a retired boxer who can’t even speak or walk straight? Let’s not be selfish, we all don’t want to see a great fighter retire while he is competitive, but it’s not us who is exposed to get hurt.
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