When should fighters stop fighting?

When it comes to the question of when fighters should stop participating in combat sports, opinions vary widely. Some see fighting as a business opportunity, aiming to maximize earnings and maintain their health. Others view it as a lifestyle, akin to an addiction that cannot be easily quit. The rise in popularity of new-age combat sports, such as UFC fights on the White House South Lawn or Jake Paul's success in boxing, has led to an overexaggeration of the sport's bravado and theatrics.

Regardless of the sport's image, the brutal nature of combat sports remains unchanged when the bell rings. Fighters willingly accept the risks of serious injury or death as they enter the ring, often describing the sensation of vitality inside the ring as unmatched.

For Darren Till, a former UFC star turned bare-knuckle boxer for BKFC, this is certainly the case. At 33, he shows no signs of considering retirement, having recently beaten 49-year-old Cuban boxer Yoel Romero by decision in a blockbuster BKFC clash. Romero, an Olympic wrestling silver medallist, began his career in mixed martial arts at 36, 13 years after his triumph in Sydney.

Known for his remarkable UFC run, Romero continues to fight into his fifties, with many predicting he will continue well into his fifties, perhaps as old as 52. Despite the risks, Till and Romero are not alone in their commitment to their sport. Concerns about the long-term health of fighters, particularly in retirement, have long been a top issue in combat sports.

Tragic stories of ex-athletes suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) or pugilistic dementia have become all too common. Dave Harris, from the Ringside Charitable Trust, sees the deterioration of former elite athletes, both physically and mentally, as a result of their chosen profession. Harris has seen cases where ex-boxers have left his care home due to aggressive behavior stemming from pugilistic dementia.

One such case involved Jimmy Revie, a former British featherweight champion, who passed away in September at the age of 79 after battling the disease. Harris believes that the concerns regarding fighter health are often preventable and that today's promoters and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) need to take better action.

He criticizes the "soft mafia" within boxing, who allow fighters to continue competing for too long, ultimately letting them down over time. The BBBofC, on the other hand, defends its stringent medical standards and asserts that it supports the Ringside Charitable Trust in its mission to help retired boxers.