ORLANDO, Fla. – When Amanda Serrano’s cut reached its widest in the eighth round of their rematch with Katie Taylor, many observers thought the fight had to be stopped. As horrific as any punch wound in recent memory, the skin peeled away from her right eyelid, revealing red, unprotected flesh.
As commentators speculated about the consequences of the impending suspension, the sideline doctor examined the injury before saying the game could continue. Serrano would hear the final bell, but unfortunately, after 10 rounds, Serrano lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Louis Durkin, MD, who attended the WBA convention as president of the Ring Doctors Association, revealed that the decision not to stop the fight was the right one.
In explaining the complex role of a doctor, Durkin discussed the process from conducting physical, psychological and neurological testing before a fight to scrutinizing a boxer’s condition afterward. However, it is during combat that the Doctor’s performance is most evident.
“Of course there will be a lot of people saying this is an ugly cut and the fighting has to stop. It [the cut] There’s definitely an element of ugliness,” Durkin, who has been boxing for more than 20 years, said of Serrano’s injury.
“When you look back on it, you have to go back to where you started,” he continued. “I think it opened up in the fourth round and it was a little small and close together and then there were multiple headbutts and it got wider and wider – the skin just hung down. When the cut hangs like this, You have to pay close attention.”
However, there is more to consider than just the size or appearance of the incision. The overall health of the boxer and their position in the fight provide a baseline for the decision-making process. Essentially, if they are healthy and not at risk of serious injury, doctors will not advise referees to stop the game.
“If you’re a sideline doctor and you’re wondering whether this game should go on or not go on, you have to understand what’s going to happen if we stop this game or you let the game go on, in terms of cuts,” Durkin explained road. “Will it affect vision? Is it likely to have long-term, permanent effects on vision, eyelid movement? Is it near any important buildings?
“In this case, I think, absolutely hands-off. It was a 20-minute stitch job. It looked terrible, but it was all thrown together in no way. It wasn’t near any important buildings and it wasn’t would get into the eyes – and editor Mike Bazzel did a great job; there’s almost no blood; and, of course, her vision is intact.
“It’s not just about the cut; it’s the cut. You want the whole picture. How is that soldier? Is this a competitive battle? Are they still in there? if they don’t protect themselves and With the cut there, it’s easier for you to stop it. Trying to make decisions in a vacuum is difficult—that’s why I tell all the doctors I work with to keep the battle in mind. You have to capture the whole picture.
“I think you’d be forgiven if you thought Serrano won that fight. Of course, it’s competition, it’s not a problem. Wounds open from head-butts or clashes of heads. But it shows you know yourself The full picture of what is being dealt with and whether this fight should be stopped.”
On Friday night, Serrano expressed her desire to fight Taylor for a third time. “I fight with one eye, she [Taylor] She kept headbutting me, she kept holding me,” Serrano recalled. “There were no excuses, I showed my heart, I showed courage, and I was willing and able to fight her a third time. When she speaks, it’s been four weeks since the battle and the signs of injury are barely noticeable.
“Five years ago, this would absolutely have been prevented,” Durkin concluded. “But our knowledge and thresholds are constantly evolving to prevent competition based solely on elimination.”
