The Boxing Junkie staff members decided weeks ago to put together a boxing wish list – one wish each – for the coming year.
The obvious ideas came to mind first: rival managerial/promotional companies working together more than they have (still hoping!), a Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. showdown, more unified champions. That kind of thing.
Then staffer Norm Frauenheim sent over his wish for 2020.
The award-winning boxing scribe wrote: “A Wish For a Safer New Year:
“American Patrick Day, Bulgarian Boris Stanchov, Russian Maxim Dadashev and Argentine Hugo Alfredo Santillan. The bell tolls for them. They are all gone, dead from injuries suffered in 2019.
“As the year ends, remember them. As the new one begins, take their memory and use it to enhance safety in the ring.”
So much for our initial thoughts.
We at Boxing Junkie have tremendous admiration for anyone with the courage to step through the ropes and engage in combat. They risk their well being to pursue their dreams, feed their families and entertain us.
We don’t want to take them granted. As Frauenheim wrote, we hope the powers that be do what’s right for the fighters and enhance safety as much as humanly possible.
Rest in peace Patrick, Boris, Maxim and Hugo.