No Headgear Makes For Better Viewing At USA Boxing Nationals

by Sarah Deming

SPOKANE, Wash.–Knuckles were white on press row as Marshall Sanchez and Abel Soriano traded punches in the first U.S. amateur bout since 1984 without headgear.

The young flyweights seemed nervous, darting in and out, while clashing heads repeatedly. By the third round, Soriano was cut over the right eyebrow, but he still finished on his feet.

“You see?” said Raquel Ruiz. “The first bout and there is already blood.”

A certain schadenfreude was noticeable among those members of the press who think boxing without headgear is a terrible idea. But after that first cut, there were no others.

The absence of headgear unquestionably made the bouts more compelling. The boxers’ young faces were on display, and you could almost feel them learning. Most seemed tentative at first, keeping their weight back on the rear foot. Some were quick to adjust. Others, like absurdly tall featherweight Dennis Galarza of Orlando, Florida, stayed in a shell and lost.

My hometown fighter Earl Newman looked ill at ease, squeaking out a split decision over a fantastically dressed Californian. Earl said he felt awkward, but was glad to have the first bout behind him.

“Adapt or perish,” wrote H.G. Wells, “Is nature’s inexorable imperative.”

“It was easy,” said Brooklynite Jayquran Hazel, who dominated his light welterweight bout with a long southpaw jab. “I could see everything.”

Many of the old timers displayed a similar enthusiasm. Angel Villarreal, USA Boxing’s Head of Officials, told me he had never worn headgear in over a hundred bouts, which is kind of impressive given the unboxerly way he looks and talks. He repeated the contention that headgear doesn’t do anything to lessen the concussive impact of blows, and in fact gives boxers a false sense of security.

I think the study everyone keeps citing is the Cleveland Clinic one (pdf here: http://thejns.org/doi/pdf/10.3171/2011.12.JNS111478 ) which showed that headgear reduced linear, but not rotational impact forces, the latter being more dangerous.

The authors concluded, “Of the 3 real-world conditions (MMA glove–bare head, boxing glove–bare head, and boxing glove–boxing headgear) studied, the boxing glove–boxing headgear condition had the most meaningful reduction in most of the parameters quantified and should provide the best overall head and neck injury protection for competitors.”

The authors went on to emphasize the need for more research so that headgear could be improved. How ironic that by the time this study trickles down to conversational level at boxing matches, the take-home message has become “headgear is harmful!”

It’s not just the boxers who must adapt or perish. USA Boxing is trying to move forward, leaving behind the resignation of reptilian ex-president Hal Adonis and the scandalous performance of the men’s 2012 squad in London. Doing away with headgear is one way to change the conversation in a hurry, especially at a time when amateur boxing seems less relevant to the professional game than ever.

We are just the second country, after Kazakhstan, to hold a national tournament without headgear. Why so fast? New USA Boxing President Charles Butler is also the Chair of AIBA’s Medical Commission, so none of this is without political motivation. Butler’s eagerness to lead his own national federation into the breach is either heartening or creepy, like Salk testing his new Polio vaccine on himself and his family.

Here’s hoping these changes cure what’s ill in amateur boxing. As several posters on the USA Boxing Facebook page have remarked, “I don’t get paid for this. If I’m fighting without headgear, I might as well go pro.”

Full results available here. DMV-area fighters advancing on Monday included Malik Jackson of Lime Lite Boxing, who beat David Carlton of Cincinnati 3-0 in the 114-lb Elite division. Gary Antuanne Russell, younger brother of featherweight contender Gary Russell Jr., won by TKO-3 over Brannon Terry of Little Rock, Ark. in the 132-lb Youth division. Gary Riley of Temple Hills, Md. lost to Dustin Southichack of San Antonio 2-1 in the 132-lb senior division.

Tuesday morning saw a Maryland-Virginia matchup as Lamont Roach Jr. of Upper Marlboro, Md. beat Kelvin Davis of Norfolk 3-0 in the 132-lb Youth division. Gary Antuanne Russell won his second fight in the 132-lb Youth division 3-0 over Christian Bermudez of Brooklyn. A third brother, Gary Antonio Russell, fights tonight in the 123-lb Elite division. We’ve been very high on Antonio for a while, and think he might end up bigger than his famous older brother.

This post was updated on April 3 at 6:18 p.m.