I'm glad to see this question posed here and would like to take the opportunity to show why the Toughman (but not other amateur boxing organizations) should be outlawed here in Arkansas, just like it has been in 15 other states, including three of our neighbors: Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri.
As most of you know by now, one of our participants in the Texarkana Toughman contest died last week after suffering severe brain injuries in the competition. Meanwhile, Art Dore and his Toughman organization left town with their profits. End of story, right?
When Sen. John McCain filed legislation in 1997 in an attempt to ban the Toughman competition nationwide, he called the contest a form of "human cockfighting." That's one reason that other reputable amateur boxing organization detest the Toughman. Amateur boxing is governed by Colorado Springs-based USA Boxing, an organization that has banned Toughman participants from its sanctioned amateur bouts. They shouldn't be lumped in with the Toughman.
Are the participants aware of what they're getting into? The deceased Texarkana contestant's father told the Texarkana Gazette that his son "just thought it was going to be a night of recreation...with all of the super-sized head gear and gloves, he was sure he could not really be harmed.” Let me offer up a few other examples to show why the Toughman is not your ordinary amateur boxing competition, and why the participants aren't adequately informed of the dangers:
When first-time boxing amateur BobbyTroy DePue entered the Toughman ring, he didn't know his first opponent was a three-time Louisiana Golden Glove winner who had 56 amateur fights under his belt. Unfortunately, he'd never find out. You see, that fighter, Terry Vermaelen, had discovered in previous Toughman competitions that referees allowed fighters to use a variety of techniques that would be illegal in sanctioned boxing. One was holding the back of an opponent's head with one hand while hitting him with the other. By the second round, Vermaelen was punching at will, holding the back of DePue's head with his right hand and pummeling him with his left. DePue finally turned to the referee and said, "I've had enough." The referee stopped the match, and DePue walked a few feet before collapsing. He died later that night.
• Florida: After a death at a Sarasota Toughman event, it was found that there was no physician ringside, even though at least one is required by Florida law. Mr. Dore told the Wall Street Journal said there was a physician's assistant on duty and that besides, a physician isn't necessary at a fight. "Really, an EMT is a hell of a lot better to have in case anybody gets hurt anyway," he said. "You know, doctors don't know what they're doing."
• Michigan: During a period of time when the Toughman was under a cease-and-desist order issued by the state of Michigan not to hold events there, Dore set up an event at an Indian casino in Michigan, complete with a national pay-per-view audience. "That's a sovereign nation," he said. 31 year-old Scott Wood was killed at that event.
Is this the kind of event we want in Arkansas? If this group was willing to implement reasonable weight classifications and prohibit the elimination portion of the contest, that'd be one thing. Sanctioned amateur and professional boxing organizations separate contestants by weight classifications that rarely vary by more than 10 pounds. Toughman competitors can be outweighed by 100 pounds or more. Why? Weight disparities increase the odds of a knockout, and that is what fans pay to see.
The elimination aspect is why other boxing organizations detest the Toughman. If a contestant continues to win, they continue to fight and must also come back the next day to fight. Most professional boxers will tell you that this is the easiest way to get hurt and that amateurs can't possibly know the dangers associated with multiple fights in one day. Professional boxers are taught to protect their head, an objective that can be physically difficult in itself after a few rounds. Once a fighter becomes exhausted (especially those with little to no training), blows to his or her head are more easily accomplished, and that is what leads to the most common cause of death among Toughman fighters: multiple concussions and hemorrhaging of the brain. There are numerous others living in America today with brain injuries caused by these contests. For those that don't have insurance, you and I are footing the bill for their medical treatment.
How many more people are going to have to die before we at least set some additional parameters for this organization? The Toughman is on record as saying that it'll go anywhere where it can "make a buck." We can do better than this. Amateur boxing is great -- the Toughman is not. Let's work on enhancing and attracting other respectable amateur and professional sporting events to Arkansas.
