Headaches After a Fight ...

[Ben Bolt]

I recently read about Regis Prograis, who spoke about his defeat to Josh Taylor.
“My head was hurting, [before] I’d never had a headache after a fight.”
Should he take that as a warning signal?

I remember Timothy Bradley complaining about severe headaches after his win over Ruslan Provodnikov. Though his brain told him, blows to the head ain’t good, he had six more fights. Will he pay the bill for ignoring the alarm in coming years?

I was very surprised when Leo Randolph hang up the gloves, only 22 years of age. He was a member of the great 1976 US Olympic team, winning the flyweight gold medal.
As a pro, he clinched the WBA super bantam title, before losing it in five rounds to Argentinian Sergio Palma. Tormented by headaches the next day, he decided to call it quits.
“I always told myself that if I was ever in a fight and had no control, I would quit!” Wise move.

We bystanders want to keep the risk of dementia away from us as long as possible. Do we want boxers to do the same? What advice do you want to give Prograis?

[GhostofDempsey]

Tell Prograis to keep his hands up, his chin down and move his head. One of the first times I ever sparred O was in with a seasoned amateur and he caught me with a straight right I didn’t see, almost knocked me, I stayed on my feet but I was buzzed from that shot. Later that night and the next day I had a headache. It passed. All of my sparring and fights since then I never got caught like that again, and no more headaches afterward. He needs to work on his defense. Boxing is a brutal sport and every punch delivers trauma.

[Ben Bolt]

I stayed on my feet but I was buzzed from that shot. Later that night and the next day I had a headache.

Well, be cautious. The brain - our computer- is our most important organ, however very vulnerable. We want it to function also by the time when we’re in our 60s-70s.

I've been following the sport for more than 40 years now, and - over and over again - seen its devastating effect on its practitioners. And it was several years ago, that I stopped defending its existence.
Still, I can’t prevent myself from following it. Am I a hypocrite? ... Unfortunately, yes ...