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Interview covers Arthur Liggins's death and Scott Wood, both in Toughman competitions.
This month, Stacy Young became the 13th fighter to die during a Toughman Contest. The barbaric and exploitive bouts should be banned nationwide.
Published June 27, 2003
While Stacy Young was being beaten to death in a boxing ring, the man who arranged the mismatch sought to whip the crowd into a frenzy of guilty pleasure. "A real cat fight!" urged Art Dore, founder of Toughman Contest. "Nasty women."
Some in the crowd had more sense. On a video tape of the fatal bout, one spectator is heard shouting for the fight to be stopped. Yet the man acting as referee did nothing until Young, a 30-year-old mother of two young daughters, lay lifeless on the canvas. Two days later, without regaining consciousness, she was declared dead.
No one ever again should suffer injury or death as Young did. Floridians should be so outraged by this senseless violence that they vow to rid the state of Toughman and other such exploitive contests.
Real boxing is brutal enough, but at least it involves trained athletes who understand the risks and fight under regulated conditions. The savage event of June 14 in Sarasota can't be called boxing. Young had never been in a fight before and was so exhausted by the third round that she could no longer raise her arms in defense, yet the punishment continued. Incapacitated fighters are supposed to be protected in the ring, but referees in Toughman contests are often unlicensed and act more as antagonists. In a recent Toughman event, a beaten contestant who asked twice to give up was told by the referee to continue, according to the Detroit News. The fighter later died of injuries he suffered in the bout.
A perverse reality show, Toughman is a throwback to the Roman Colosseum, only many of these gladiators, like Young, are unprepared and unaware of the risk they are taking. "In some ways, it's like trying to legitimize and make a sport out of bar- or street-fighting," said Dr. Robert Cantu of the American College of Sports Medicine.
At lease 13 people have died (four this year) and more have been seriously injured during Toughman fights. That was enough for lawmakers in 16 states, which have either outlawed Toughman and other such violent contests or are considering a ban.
In Florida and many other places, Toughman survives, self-regulated and making only a pretense of caring for its combatants. An earlier attempt by the Legislature to rid the state of these violent events left too many loopholes. Now, unwilling to wait for lawmakers to tighten the law, Sarasota city and county governments are considering ordinances that would keep Toughman out of their jurisdictions. Their concern is understandable, but it comes too late for Young and shouldn't stop at the local level.
Ironically, the Florida Legislature passed a law this year making it illegal to raise animals for fighting and a felony to attend a cock- or dog-fight. Don't humans deserve as much protection?
Legislators say they don't want to take up Toughman regulation in a special session, yet delay could lead to more injuries or deaths. In the final round of her bout, Stacy Young knew she was in trouble and turned away in resignation. Her opponent hit her three more times, knocking Young to the ring floor and ending her life. Lawmakers should not turn their backs on this tragedy. June 27, 2003.(STP. TIMES) |
