I don’t consider myself a boxing fan, but this particular story caught my eye because boxing is a sport in which Blacks are disproportionately overrepresented, which leads to its image as a viable way for young poor Blacks to escape poverty and attain fame and fortune.

Unfortunately, the boxing world is entering a tumultuous period right now, as there have been several high-profile deaths of boxers as a result of their bouts, including the most recent one involving American boxer Leanvander Johnson. His and other recent deaths and severe injuries have reignited the debate over whether the sport should be banned altogether:

An editorial in The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Washington, after the fight said nearly 900 boxers had died as a result of injuries in the ring since 1920. “It is time to halt that tabulation,” the newspaper said. “It is time to ban boxing, a sport in which death is the predictable outcome of athletic proficiency…it is surprising that more boxers don’t die.

“Even among prizefighters who walk away, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimates 15-40 percent of ex-boxers have some form of chronic brain injury and most professional fighters -- whether they have apparent symptoms or not -- have some degree of brain damage.”

This is another issue in which there are conflicting points of view. On the one hand, the U.S. is (supposedly) a free country and that means that people should be allowed to do whatever they feel they’re best at doing (as long as it’s legal) to make a living. Further, if boxers know the risks and knowingly accept them, it becomes a matter of personal choice if they want to take those risks to have a chance at earning the rewards.

On the other hand, society has identified and treated many activities as inherently dangerous. Gambling is one example. While there are certainly many forms of legal gambling in the country, many states have specifically prohibited gambling in their states, or at least severely restricted them. There are also lots of organizations who treat gambling as a destructive addiction.

So should boxing be banned as an inherently dangerous sport that has little socially redeeming value? I’m not sure I would go all the way and say that it should be totally banned, but clearly something needs to be done to protect the lives of its participants, even if they don’t feel that they need the protection.

Perhaps they should mandate headgear in professional bouts, just as they’re mandated in amateur fights. Or maybe they should limit the number of rounds to ten instead of the current 12. I’m no expert on boxing, but there are probably plenty of other proposals out there that can accomplish the goal of limiting irreversible head injuries without depriving disadvantaged individuals one opportunity to fulfill their dreams.