# Boxer dies 5 days after fight in Dallas



## Ceicei (May 5, 2009)

*Boxer dies 5 days after fight in Dallas*


Associated Press Sports
updated 1:58 p.m. MT, Tues., May  5, 2009

DALLAS (AP) -Boxer Benjamin Flores has died five days after he was hospitalized following a title bout with Al Seeger in a Dallas hotel.
Bout supervisor Bob Lenhardt says the 25-year-old Flores died Tuesday at Parkland Hospital.


Link below to full article:


http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30585174/

Sad....

Does anyone know more about this and what exactly from boxing was it that resulted in his death?

- Ceicei


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## Ronin74 (May 5, 2009)

I was just looking for some info on it, but I guess the COD still hasn't been released.

I can only guess that because of his collapsing in the ring, exhaustion may have been a cause, or at least be attributed to his death. I haven't watched the documentary in quite some time, but I believe there was some mention that after Ali vs Frazier I, both fighters had reached a point of exhaustion that could've been deadly had they not been brought to the hospital.

Sadly, it's a risk fight sports carry.


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## howard (May 6, 2009)

Not much info about this fight on the internet, but the most likely cause of death would be brain trauma. That's almost always the cause of death when boxers die after a bout.

In the absence of more info, I'd bet that exhaustion is unlikely. These were bantamweights - about 120 lbs. Those guys normally are in outstanding shape, and can handle the exertion of a title fight.

I'd watch for more info about the fight itself... for example, was the dead fighter in trouble, and did the ref let him absorb too much punishment? It appears that the TX boxing authority will review the fight to try to answer this and other questions.

There's just not nearly enough detail in that brief article to allow anybody to come to a firm conclusion.


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## Carol (May 6, 2009)

http://savannahnow.com/node/718372



> Boxer Al Seeger hopes his multitude of prayers can make up for his loss of words.
> 
> 
> His voice cracked Tuesday as he talked about his most-recent opponent, Benjamin Flores, who died earlier in the morning after sustaining injuries in their super bantamweight bout April 30 in Dallas.
> ...



Prayers for Mr. Seeger and for the family and friends of Mr. Flores :asian:


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## jarrod (May 6, 2009)

as much as i love boxing, it turns out that getting punched in the head a hundred or so times per fight isn't all that good for you.

R.I.P,

jf


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## seasoned (May 6, 2009)

I can't understand it myself. I respect boxing as a sport, and all that, but the pounding that some take goes beyond sport in my book.  :idunno:


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## Ronin74 (May 6, 2009)

What's scary is that, while it'll differ from person to person, head trauma- no matter how limited- takes some kind of toll. Even with a good ref, sometimes the beakdown isn't apparent until later.


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## IcemanSK (May 7, 2009)

Ring deaths often occur during long back & forth fights (usually the later rounds). Lots of punishment from both sides.

A tragedy to be sure. RIP Mr. Flores. Prayers for both fighters & their families.


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## Ronin74 (May 8, 2009)

IcemanSK said:


> Ring deaths often occur during long back & forth fights (usually the *later rounds*). Lots of punishment from both sides.


If I'm correct, this is also why fights have been shortened in terms of rounds. Where bouts could go up to 15 rounds (I believe this was also exclusive to title fights) before having to go to a decision, the bouts were shortened to 12 rounds, since studies done at the time determined that serious damage occured in rounds 13-15.


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## Kenpo1981 (Jun 18, 2009)

It is normally an accumulation of blows to the head that cause ring deaths. Boxers commonly begin the sport at a young age and can have 200-300 bouts before turning pro. The distance between opponents in boxing is normally shorter than kickboxers or MMA fighters because boxers do not have to be concerned with getting kicked or taken down. This leads to more head shots. Also, their target area is above the waist and that leads to more head shots as well.

   Those toe to toe matches where fighters endure numerous shots tend to produce head trauma. The championship matches used to be 15 rounds, but after way too many heavyweights laying on one another for the last three rounds it was wisely cut to 12 rounds. The smaller fighters tend to take more blows than the bigger guys because their hearts are roughly the same size as everyone elses, but their bodies are smaller and so they seem to have more endurance and can keep winging punches longer normally.

   It's always sad to hear of a fighter goin g down hard. All blessings to the fighter, and especially his family. Many blessings to his opponent, it was not his fault, it's the nature of the sport due to the things I listed above.


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## sgtmac_46 (Jun 26, 2009)

It's unfortunate.......but if folks want a safe sport, take up bowling.

The bottom line is that the inherent risks involved are part of the draw.......two men pounding on each other, until one can't continue.

Sometimes skydivers die, sometimes race car driver's die, and sometimes boxers die........it's the price of living on the edge.


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## Tez3 (Jun 26, 2009)

The problem too is that many boxers dehydrate to make weight before a fight and this reduces drastically the fluid surrounding the brain which usually provides protection. this I believe can be avoided and would go a fair way to make the sport safer. 
Many fighters will cut weight to enable them to be at the top of a weight category rather than at the bottom. It's done all through the ranks with amateurs and pros doing it, however it's a dangerous thing to do if you don't understand what you are doing.


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## Tensei85 (Jun 26, 2009)

sgtmac_46 said:


> It's unfortunate.......but if folks want a safe sport, take up bowling.
> 
> The bottom line is that the inherent risks involved are part of the draw.......two men pounding on each other, until one can't continue.
> 
> Sometimes skydivers die, sometimes race car driver's die, and sometimes boxers die........it's the price of living on the edge.




Bowling Maybe/Maybe not?? 

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=100829&catid=14


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## sgtmac_46 (Jun 27, 2009)

Tensei85 said:


> Bowling Maybe/Maybe not??
> 
> http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=100829&catid=14



It's not the bowling itself that's dangerous.......it's the beer and chili cheese fries they serve at the bowling alley and lack of aerobic activity.


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## BlueDragon1981 (Jun 29, 2009)

sgtmac_46 said:


> It's not the bowling itself that's dangerous.......it's the beer and chili cheese fries they serve at the bowling alley and lack of aerobic activity.


 ....lol

RIP Mr Flores and also hopefully Seegar is ok also. He must feel awful and hopefully everyone gets past it and is able to move on.


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## Kenpo1981 (Jul 2, 2009)

Tez3 said:


> The problem too is that many boxers dehydrate to make weight before a fight and this reduces drastically the fluid surrounding the brain which usually provides protection. this I believe can be avoided and would go a fair way to make the sport safer.
> Many fighters will cut weight to enable them to be at the top of a weight category rather than at the bottom. It's done all through the ranks with amateurs and pros doing it, however it's a dangerous thing to do if you don't understand what you are doing.


 

I forgot all about that point in my post. Thanks for bringing that up. It is definitely a contributing factor as well to ring deaths.


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