The death of American boxer Leavander Johnson has led to calls for a change in the way the sport is monitored. Two months after Mexican Martin Sanchez died from boxing injuries, Johnson failed to recover from brain surgery following his IBF loss to Jesus Chavez.
"Something is wrong," said Margaret Goodman, head of the medical advisory board to Nevada's boxing commission.
"I don't know what, but we need to re-evaluate the entire way we approach the testing and treatment of boxers."
Goodman entered the ring at the end of the 10th round to check Johnson but saw no reason to stop the fight.
 | SELECTED 'DEATH' FIGHTS Benny Paret v Emile Griffith - 1962 Davey Moore v Ultiminio Ramos - 1963 Ulric Regis v Joe Bugner - 1969 Angelo Jacopucci v Alan Minter - 1978 Young Ali v Barry McGuigan - 1982 Duk-Koo Kim v Ray Mancini - 1982 Pedro Alcazar v Fernando Monteil - 2002 Martin Sanchez v Rustam Nugaev - 2005 Leavander Johnson v Jesus Chavez - 2005 |
"These kids trust their lives to us and we are failing them," she said.
"The commission is going to sit down and look at everything again and again and again."
Johnson's death has drawn stronger criticism from the US press.
"It is time to ban boxing," wrote The Spokesman-Review, asserting that nearly 900 boxers had died from ring-sustained injuries since 1920.
"It is time to ban boxing, a sport in which death is the predictable outcome of athletic proficiency."
Johnson died after absorbing about two dozen unanswered punches to the head and body.
He never regained consciousness after surgery and doctors decided to turn off life support on Thursday when his kidneys failed and his heart stopped beating.
"I don't think there's anyone to blame here other than the circumstances," said promoter Lou DiBella. "He's a victim of his own courage."
But the Spokesman-Review took a contrary view, stating: "It is surprising that more boxers don't die.
"Even among those who walk away, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimates 15-40% have some form of chronic brain injury and most - whether they have apparent symptoms or not - have some brain damage."
World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman promised an investigation into the death of Sanchez in July.
Sulaiman also pledged to improve safety in Indonesia, where he said five boxers had died in the past year.
Chavez was said to be inconsolable after hearing about Johnson's death.
"Every day I will think of him and say a prayer for him. He will never be forgotten," he said.
Chavez has pledged to donate a percentage of every purse he receives as lightweight champion to a fund set up to provide for Johnson's children.
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He's a victim of his own courage