Is Bare Knuckle Fighting Safer than Boxing?

By Arslan Saleem July 17, 2024 07:54

Photo by USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea

The world of sports continues to be split on the safety of bare-knuckle fighting versus traditional boxing, with modern-day combat sports having plenty more opinions regarding safety in the ring. This debate revolves around the examination of how each sport impacts physiology, what kind of injuries are sustained in it, and the rules & protective gear involved in these games, and much more.

Physical Impacts and Injuries

Bare Knuckle Fighting

Hand-to-hand combat with fists to the opponent's body is known as bare-knuckle fighting. Those in favor say no gloves mean lighter, less dangerous shots are thrown because the fighters have to worry about damaging their hands. However, this type of fight also comes with the risk of cuts on faces and soft tissues because there is no headgear.

Traditional Boxing

The padded gloves spread the force upon contact, which may lessen the instantaneous effect on an opponent's body. Yet the repeated head trauma caused by punches present significant risks, particularly for lifelong cognitive health.

What are the rules?

Bare Knuckle Fighting

For this variant of prizefighting, bare-knuckle fighting follows a set of rules fairly different from modern boxing. They cannot wrap to within one inch of the knuckle, which must be exposed for offense. The length of each fight and the amount of rounds is less than traditional boxing.

Traditional Boxing

There are specific rules and regulations in boxing regarding what type of gloves can be used, the length of matches, and medical intervention. Protective gear such as gloves and headgear is present with the intention of decreasing direct impact injuries.

Medical Research

Bare Knuckle Fighting

Many people are beginning to form their opinions, and some with data support the belief that bare-knuckle fighting may be as safe, if not safer, than gloved boxing. The lighter fists and lack of any padding in the gloves, proponents say, could result in fewer head punches, which are a long-term risk for CTE. But more soft tissue injuries and facial cuts would seem inevitable.

Traditional Boxing

These effects, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), led to a decline in traditional boxing. The use of repetitive head trauma and its long-term health implications ignited a major debate in the medical community.

Long-term Health Implications

Prospective long-term health hazards exist from the same bare-knuckle fighting as they do boxing. Repeated brain trauma also carries significant risks for future health when it comes to CTE, neurological impairments, and other long-term consequences, which is a shared concern among all combat sports. Bare-knuckle fighting does not include the use of protective gear, which may raise concern for facial injuries right away, as opposed to traditional boxing, which is less likely to involve an immediate risk of neurological damage.

The Safety Debate

Theoretical benefits of decreased head trauma from punches to the skull may be offered by bare-knuckle fighting, though specific risks, including significantly greater likelihoods of facial cuts and soft tissue injuries, are present as well. While classic sports like boxing using padded gloves and strict regulation aim to establish a compromise between safety and competition, they still lead to significant unfinished concerns over long-term brain trauma. The potential health ramifications in the long term for athletes involved in both combat sports suggest that continued research, regulation, and conscious decision-making are crucial to protect their safety within this arena.

While the conversation surrounding this issue continues, we must approach it from an educated and cohesive standpoint, which reflects a broader view of what each fighting system entails within its right and possible fates should one rule over another.