If you are a boxing fan or ever watched boxing, you probably noticed that boxers usually don’t hit their opponents in the back of the head and when they do, they get a warning or point deduction from the referee. Just like you, I was curious why punches to the back of the head are illegal, so here’s what I found out:
Hitting the back of the head is illegal in boxing because it can cause brain damage to the athlete and lead to concussions. It’s dangerous for the brain because it can damage the cerebral vertebrae and affect the spinal cord.
Impacts of Hitting the Back of the Head in Boxing
1. Brain Trauma
Hitting the back of the head or throwing the so-called Rabbit punch, causes the brain to smash against the skull. The impact damages the brain stem, which connects to the spinal cord. Nerve functions like breathing, balancing, and digestion are affected. The condition can be fatal.
2. Loss of Consciousness
Punching of the back of the head may render the victim unconscious. The person develops memory loss, headaches, and nausea. The long-term effect could be severe. You lose the ability to learn new things, lack decision-making, and cannot live independently.
3. Skull Fracture
Due to loss of consciousness from hitting the back of the head, you might fall and hit your head on the ground. Hitting your head can fracture the skull. A fractured skull cannot protect the vital brain organ.
4. Brain Hemorrhage
Brain trauma from a blow at the back may lead to internal bleeding in the brain or skull. The supply of oxygen and nutrient to the brain is affected by the bleeding. The blood clot formed in the brain also presents a fatal condition.
5. Swollen Brain
Accumulation of fluids may occur due to brain injury. The fluids exert more pressure on the brain, pushing it out of the skull and may cut off blood circulation.
Doctors may perform surgery to drain the excess fluid and restore the brain to its normal size.
6. Long-Term Effects
Conditions like brain hemorrhage and loss of consciousness have a long-term effect on the body. If not managed properly, you lose the ability to operate independently. Memory loss, lack of proper communication, and inability to make decisions are associated with a head injury.
It would help if you had medication and treatments for the trauma. The severe effects of hitting the back of the head during boxing can cause permanent brain damage.
When Hitting the Back of the Head Became Illegal in Boxing
In July 2001 after a tragedy in New York City after the fight between light heavyweights Beethaeven Scottland and George Khalid Jones, boxing fans renewed calls for safety measures. Other combat sports such as MMA and kickboxing adopted this rule as well.
Injuries caused by Rabbit Punches
The long-term effects of rabbit punches can be fatal. In 2015, Prichard Colon, a former Puerto Rican amateur gold medalist, got a severe brain injury during a boxing fight with Tarell Williams because of series of illegal blows to the back of the head. To this day he hasn’t fully recovered.
Brock Lesnar lost one point in his first MMA boxing match with Frank Mir after hitting him at the back of the head. The fight stopped shortly when Frank became unconscious and restarted later after he received medical attention.
Measures to Prevent Hitting the Back of the Head in Boxing
Consequences of punching the back of the head include:
Point deduction
The referee can deduct points due to rabbit punches. A boxer might ultimately lose the bout due to the point deduction.
Suspension
Boxers face suspension in the ring for illegally punching an opponent at the back of the head. That can jeopardize their career.
Disqualification
Exhibiting unprofessional boxing behavior like illegally hitting the back of your opponent can make the referee disqualify a boxer.
Offering Training to Boxers
Professional boxers follow the rules of the game through training. Coaches educate the fighters on the effects of endangering the life of an opponent. Trainers and referees ensure the boxers know the impacts of hitting the back of an opponent’s head and its consequence on their careers.
Boxers train to protect themselves during a fight. You practice techniques on how to evade an opponent’s blows and attacks. Some of the methods to protect against brain injury are
1. Neck training
Professional boxers train their neck muscles. The neck is essential in supporting the skull and strong neck muscles absorb a big portion of the punching power. Neck muscles are important not only to protect you from rabbit punches but punches in general. Fighters like Mike Tyson have thick neck muscles to protect the head from any injury.
2. Wearing Big Boxing Gloves in Sparring
Wearing big, well-padded gloves in sparring such as 16 oz gloves will protect both you and your sparring partner by reducing the impact of the punches. Of course, you shouldn’t hit your sparring partner on the back of the head, to begin with, but sometimes it can happen accidentally.
Medical Assistance
Even though hitting the back of the head is illegal, it can still happen. The action can either be accidental or intentional from an unprofessional opponent. Doctors give the boxers immediate medical attention if it happens.
There is a team of physicians during professional boxing matches. Between the rounds or after a punch to the back of the head physicians perform a medical assessment to confirm the extent of any injury suffered in the ring. Matches can also be stopped in case of any concussion when an athlete is injured to give them relevant assistance.
For severe cases, the boxers are rushed to the hospital to prevent any fatal incidence from occurring. Common medical procedures include:
1. Brain surgery
Surgery can be done for fluid accumulation in the brain from hitting at the back of the head. Doctors perform surgery when there is internal bleeding in the brain.
2. Medication
Fighters get pain medication to ease the pain from a head injury. Common symptoms like headaches and nausea are relieved by the drugs.
3. Therapy
Psychologists give therapy sessions to professional boxers. Brain injuries have a psychological impact on your life. Therapy ensures the fighters integrate easily into everyday life.
Effects of head injuries go beyond the boxing career. You require therapy even after retirement to ensure normal brain functions are intact.
4. Brain scans
Doctors perform scanning to determine the full extent of your injuries if there are such. Performing a brain scan detects fatal conditions like hemorrhage.
Why is it Legal to Hit the Face but Illegal to Hit the Back of the Head in Boxing
You may be wondering why only punches in the back of the head are illegal when you can get knocked out by a punch in the face as well. Why not forbid punching to the face at all like in other combat sports such as taekwondo.
Hitting the face is allowed due to several factors
1. Skull Protection
The skull is one of the most protected parts of the body. It is made of complex bones to shield the vital brain organ from injury.
Rabbit punches target the brain stem that connects the back of the head to the spinal cord.
The brain stem is a weak spot. It easily snaps, leading to fatal injury. The back of the head lacks the necessary skull protection.
2. Mouthguards
Boxers use mouthguards not only to protect their teeth but also to absorb the impact of punches.
Functions of the mouthguards include:
- They act as a barrier between the top and bottom teeth. They prevent the two portions from slamming onto each other during punching.
- Prevent underlying bone fracture or damage caused by movement of the teeth.
- They cover the teeth to prevent any cut to the inner cheeks or tongue.
- Mouthguards save you money on dental fees to repair the broken teeth.
- As I mentioned above, they absorb some of the impact when you get hit.
For adequate efficiency, bite as hard as possible on the mouthguard to flex both neck and chin muscles to minimize the impact of the blow.
3. Anticipation
Anticipating your opponent’s moves prevent you from suffering severe injury. Even if you don’t manage to block or defend the punch, you subconsciously will flex your neck muscles if you manage to see it.
And obviously, seeing a punch to the face is much easier than a punch to the back of the head.
Also, considering it is illegal, boxers are less prepared to being hit at the back of the head compared to the face.
4. Less Medical Risk
Hitting the face doesn’t pose a severe medical risk compared to hitting the back of the head. Physicians efficiently assess the physical injuries resulting from punching the jaw and offer medical assistance to the fighters.
Doctors quickly treat you for cuts, headaches, from face-punching. On the other hand, fatal conditions resulting from spinal cord injury or brain damage require extensive treatments and therapy sessions for recovery.
Hitting the face is less likely to endanger an opponent’s career.
Importance of Boxing Rules
In boxing, there are several rules to ensure the safety of the fighters in the ring. And the rule forbidding hitting the back of the head is one of the most important ones because it can endanger your opponent’s life.
Endangering an opponent’s life through illegal punching at the back of the head has many consequences on their health. Illegally hitting the back of the head is also punishable by boxing rules and criminal law.