sparring against heavy hitters

Be careful, they say boxers get ALL their brain damage from sparring. These days however, I believe allot of modern boxers are careful how they spar. If you know how to hit hard, if you know you hit hard, if you understand timing/reaction/aggressive emotional attacks etc.... then why spar 1000000 rounds going ALL OUT wearing headgear. Headgear doesn't protect against brain damage; it just makes you a bigger target, and it improves your ability to absorb/take way more hits. Headgear actually increases the possibility of brain injuries.

Save your brain for the actual sanctioned matches and for normal every day life!!!!!! Work on drills instead, work on defense ONLY. Work on AVOIDING getting hit with sparring partners that are TRUSTED. Save your offence for the actual sanctioned match (s). However, there are obviously allot of people that just don't care. Obviously everyone is different. What works for you might not work for someone else. If you are willing to take those hits to the brain because sparring with headgear is FUN, then that's on you.....just know that you DON'T have to take those hits to the head, you have a choice, and you can minimize those hits based on how you train.

Boxing is about hitting and not getting hit. Boxing is not about being a tough guy. Boxing is NOT about accumulating 10,000 hits to the brain in sparring over several months; then going on and having a professional bout/match. Then possibly ending up in a coma after the fight and/or death, or possibly ending up in a wheel chair, or possibly talking funny by the age of 45-50 etc. etc. etc.

Stop being tough, its okay to be scared. Scared = faster reflexes. Work with the fear. Fear is good. Fear will save your brain. Being tough will NOT save your brain in boxing.

/r/amateur_boxing Thread