Sven Fornling: "I know I can die in the boxing ring"

The night before Thursday came the news that American Patrick Day died in the suites after a match this past weekend. The news has shaken the boxing world, which has had several notable deaths in recent months.

Swedish IBO world champion in light heavyweight, Malmöbon Sven Fornling, says that as a professional boxer you are well aware of the risks.

- We boxers probably think more about the risks than everyone else because we live with it every day. But I think that if you are passionate about something you should do it regardless of the risks, he tells SVT Sport and continues:

- The boxes themselves must take the greatest responsibility here and listen to their bodies. For example, you have to get prepared and well-trained for the matches, and you go on a heavy bang during sparring and something feels strange to listen to the body. Then it's about having the right people around you who help.

Fornling sees no connection between the recent deaths, but believes it is a tragic accident.

- It is super sad everything that has happened, but it is also interesting with the debate that always follows. Equestrian has more deaths than martial arts, but you don't see any riders getting questions about whether they really should be doing equestrian? Within boxing, a sense of morality should always be mixed and discussed if it is right to box.

You can never eliminate the risks completely, but how can martial arts take steps in development and reduce the risks?

- Allies in each country need to be tougher with brain X-rays and other medical follow-ups. They need to keep track of what matches the boxers have gone to and when they can be allowed to go match again.

- Sweden is a country that does not abide by the rules, here you have good order and safety, but I know for example that in Germany you release boxers who have ten wins and 40 losses but still have to go two matches in the same week.

The Swedish world champion thinks that the regulations can be followed more closely, but emphasizes that the boxes themselves bear the utmost responsibility.

Ten days ago, 30-year-old Fornling became a father for the second time.

- I have a wife and two children that I leave if I die. Therefore, it is important that I take my responsibility if I feel something is wrong, he says.

After his last match - when he won the IBO belt against Karo Murat in December - he visited the hospital himself a week later.

- I asked for a brain x-ray to make sure everything was fine and explained to them that I had been boxed and received hard bangs. All boxers must take that kind of responsibility. Then it's up to everyone if they want to drink alcohol, smoke, eat fatty foods or box. There are many risks here in life and boxing is just one of them. I am an extremely poor car driver and there is a greater risk that I die in the car than in the ring.

Have you ever questioned why you keep boxing?

- No, as long as I'm healthy and strong I want to box. That's my choice. You could say that I take greater risks than other people because I go up in the ring, on the other hand, I have 35 in rest and never eat pastry, so I eliminate many other risks by being in incredibly good shape.

A specific event that affected Sven Fornling was when Swedish Erik Skoglund, who competed in the same weight class, suffered a brain haemorrhage during a training session in December 2017.

- I chased a match against Erik quite a lot at the beginning of my career. Was excited and said I would beat him. But when something like this happens everything is put on its head. I don't want any other person bad, but I just wanted a match against him. It affected me and made me sad. Erik seems to be a fantastic person, says Fornling.