Hi Pitbull, sorry I called you Bulldog!

While I agree about Rugby and other sports, the boxing industry always seems to go on the defensive whenever anybody dies or is seriously hurt, rather than expressing sympathy, rather than talking about looking at how things could be improved they seem to be saying it's not our fault and other sports are worse. Weight loss through dehydration has been shown to be dangerous but what are the sanctioning bodies doing about it? What level of self-regulation is there in Australia?

For example, in Thailand Muay Thai is being promoted as something that can keep kids off drugs.

A lot of people in the sport seem to enjoy it's bloodsport image, probably the crowds most of all, who only seem to be happy if someone gets KOed. The calls for bans are probably linked more to the image of the sport than its dangers. Compare Ali and Tyson, Ali could call the rounds when the fight would finish and showed himself to be a highly principled man of tremendous character. While Tyson may not be as bad as the media shows him, he's still a convicted rapists who bites. Ali 'floated like a butterfly' lifting the sport up with him, Tyson depends on a KO (what the spectators want) and seems to be in moare brawls outside the ring.

I'm curious to hear your opinions a a promoter on this. Is it a dilemma for you when trying to attract crowds? Do you think that more could be done to show why it's called martial arts, such as emphasizing the fitness/training/skill levels? Do the crowds want shows that resemble a Van Damme movie? How much do fans understand the sport when they seriously talk about Mundine fighting Fenech, who's retired and much lighter?

Please don't take any of this as criticism