Nick Blackwell: The Risks Of The Ring… Is Anyone To Blame?

By Sean “Oldest Youngest Man” Walsh

I would first like to start by making it clear that I do not wish this article to cause upset or hurt to the people around Nick Blackwell, 19-4-1, 8 KO’s or those of any boxer who suffers tragedy within the sport. This article is simply to give what I hope is a fair and unbiased observation on the events which have been discussed in all corners of the boxing community regarding the events after the fight with Chris Eubank, JR. and the more recent events which led to the promising young boxers return to hospital.

On the 26th March 2016, Chris Eubank, JR. and Nick Blackwell met in the ring at the Wembley Arena, London to fight for the BBBofC British Middleweight Title in what was a promising fight. Eubank, JR.with slick skills, sharp powerful shots and the ever-present eccentric corner featuring his father were hoping to make a statement to finally silence the critics over his performance against Billy Joe Saunders in 2014 where the young Eubank had seemed to try showboat his way to victory in the first half of the fight, and had been dogged with criticism since.

Blackwell though not a household name to many was known in the boxing community for his ability to take shots and pull out a victory, a style while not as flashy as some fighters could get the job done. Like all the best build ups a contrast of personality was at its heart, the ego vs the everyman.

The fight does not need any more analysis, Eubank, JR. was accurate and powerful, Blackwell was dogged and determined but the rounds were in the Eubank corner. Blackwell’s corner had seen their man ride out storms before and come back for a victory, they knew that’s what was needed. This time however that was not to happen. With swelling above and around the eye in the 10th round the ringside doctor called a halt to proceedings and on his 3rd defense of his prized belt Nick Blackwell was withdrawn after a brave and gutsy performance that any fighter would be proud of.

The rest of the night’s events do not need to be dragged out as we know the terrible outcome and heartache that the Blackwell camp and family endured. With a bleed on the brain, Blackwell was induced into a coma as the world watched and waited to see the outcome hoping for the best and not a repeat of the tragedies suffered by fighters before, the one which was mostly mentioned been the fight between Eubank, SR. and Michael Watson on September 21st 1991. After an agonising wait, Blackwell awoke from his coma and though unable to ever return to the ring in a fighting capacity was going to have the fortune of living his life on with relative normality. It is worth mentioning at this time that overall the boxing community were truly amazing, across the globe monies were raised and help given to Nick and his family and a united front was given by all to show that the days of damaged fighters been left on the scrapheap were perhaps over.

The boxing world moved on, updates came into the news that Blackwell was training gently to regain fitness and some reports that perhaps he had something left to give the sport within a training capacity. The boxing world, his family and above all himself had thankfully rode the storm and emerged with the ability to rebuild and move on. The investigations found no one to blame and were able to report that all that could be done had been done and the events of that night showed that the changes to the sport concerning a fighter’s safety had worked.

Fast forward to October 2016 news breaks that Blackwell had been granted his training license and was looking at his future down that avenue of the sport. This happy news that had been rightly celebrated however was short lived. In late November of the same year reports came in the Nick Blackwell had once again been admitted to hospital and was sadly in a coma once again. With an outpouring of well wishes and concern from the world of boxing all hoped for the best, shortly after shocking news rang through forums and sports pages. The reason for the second coma was that Nick Blackwell had ignored the doctors and others and climbed into the ring for a sparring session against a young fighter, under the supervision of a young trainer who had not had his licence for a huge length of time. I will not go into names as there is no need to badger or bait the individuals involved and many articles have done enough by way of turning this tragic and frankly bizarre series of events into a modern-day witch hunt. In reading the boxing pages and many, many Facebook comments I was intrigued by several things.

Firstly, I was shocked at the fact some of the “boxing fans” were saying Blackwell deserved what had happened due his own stupidity, which I hope the majority reading this piece will agree is quite sickening considering a young man’s life was hanging in the balance. Secondly, I was surprised by how much discussion was to be had concerning the roles within the boxing world, that of when a trainer/coach should step in to save a fighter from themselves and how closed off that side of boxing seems to be. Some were of the mindset that the trainers word is final and the buck stops with him, others believed the fighter is solely responsible for the risks he takes and the trainer can only do so much. I pondered this for some time and in the end I think I sit somewhere in the middle of the debate.

I do not wish to sound insulting to Nick Blackwell or his family and friends but I do believe the decision to put on a pair of gloves and step back inside the ring to take shots was a very poor decision, and one I hope he has the clarity to see. I can however see how this happens, a boxing life is despite the lights and the crowd often a very lonely sport, a small group of people are around but to reach a certain level requires a certain mindset. That mindset is to break down barriers of training, doubt, pain, endurance and limits. Many fighters know nothing else, from an early age they are trained and driven by something to need that test to climb into the ring and either have hand raised in victory or leave with a loss but know that all they had was left in the ring. The boxers are the modern-day gladiators, the Spartans who live only to fight.

To have that taken away is hard, look at the number of fighters who struggle once away from the ring Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Ricky Hatton, Arturo Gatti, Joe Calzaghe and many more all carried inner demons that were exasperated once the lights had dimmed and the crowds had fallen silent. This goes against everything a fighter is, a fighter sees a wall that is blocking their way they only know one way move on, they must break the wall down.

Psychologically that is I believe what drove Blackwell to climb in the ring and though far from a good idea, it can perhaps be understood. What then of the trainer who has since been banned from boxing, what was his role in this. Should he have let a man who had suffered such injuries take part in a sparring session, light or otherwise. If I am honest I would have to say no, I think it was reckless and goes against all a trainer should be. The role of the trainer is a fine balancing act, you must push a fighter on, drive them forward force them through the pain. A good trainer is both the angel and the devil on a fighter’s shoulders, the devil tells them it’s not over, that they have more to give that they can beat anything they face.

Then there are times they must be the angel, telling a fighter it is over, that they must pull the plug on this battle to fight another day or to walk away knowing they gave it all they could. The people in the corner are often a second family to a boxer and I’m sure many of us know how difficult it can be to walk the line of push or hold back when in a position of responsibility. It is worth mentioning that the trainer in question was not the man who had helped during Nick Blackwell’s career and he was unaware of the events that transpired. Was the decision to ban the trainer indefinitely the right one, I think it was the only option available considering any other action would have opened the sport on a whole up to widespread criticism and attack from the many anti-boxing groups, it also served as an example to the trainers in the boxing world that they have a duty of care to all in their gyms and under their guidance.

There was of course a third man involved who to my knowledge has received a six month ban from boxing and will no doubt struggle to deal with the consequences of agreeing to the sparring session knowing his hands put a man in a coma. This is where it gets a little trickier as nobody apart from the three involved and anyone else present knows what discussion took place prior to the session. However, I am inclined that given the punishments received to think perhaps some pressure was on the young man’s shoulders to go along with Blackwell and the trainer, we must remember that the mindset of this fighter is along the same as that of any focused on the job at hand which is to train and fight to achieve their own claim at glory.

This does not mean I think the fighter made the right choice I am sure many others would refuse to lay hands on Blackwell and walk away however the pressures on a fighter and the focus on honing their skills can at times overrule the process of when to say no.

I do not think that there were many options available to the BBBofC and any other parties involved in the ruling as this series of events is pretty much unprecedented to my knowledge and the outcome was destined to raise more questions than answers. We have all made mistakes, and had errors of judgement that have led to negative outcomes but how many of us have been in positions where a man’s life is at stake and we make the wrong call. Three men made the mistake of ignoring all the warnings and the advice of medical professionals and a price was paid. Perhaps the rules of gaining a training licence need to be looked at, perhaps this is the tip of the iceberg as to what constitutes a reliable trainer.

I myself have misgivings about some establishments and trainers especially on grass roots level, where I have seen children as young as six using poorly fitted gloves and headgear sparring and hitting heavy bags before any fundamentals have become second nature and ignoring the possible long lasting damage to young bones and joints such high impact work can cause. If this is seen at the lowest level then what is the snowball effect, and where will it lead.

At the time of writing it is unknown what lasting damage if any Nick Blackwell will have or if he will face further action from the governing bodies but I am sure the everybody reading this article will wish him a swift recovery and all the best for the future, whilst hoping no further tragic events befall him or anyone else who laces up the gloves and enters the ring. We cannot deny that boxing is a sport that carries risk, no matter if it is a one-off charity white collar event, a step into the world of amateurs or the bright lights of Vegas vying for a belt. We can however continue to ensure all is done to deal with tragedy when it strikes, when lives are at stake one mistake can cost the ultimate price and at times the worst outcome will occur, it is down to all involved to make sure that we continue to strive to protect and support those who enter the ring.

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