July 24, 2025 • 5 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I was watching nine News last night, marning nine News,
nine Now, and I saw Paul Griffin. Professor Paul Griffin,
a great friend of ours, and he usually is talking
about COVID and the flu vaccines because he's an infectious
diseases expert, but last night something different. Have listen to this,
no gloves.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
No frills, just fists. This is bare knuckle fighting, Australian
boxing legend Anthony Mundine planning to bring it down under.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Bring the best shows, the best fights and the best
entertainment we can bring.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
The reason this event can go ahead here in Queensland
is where the only state without a combat sport authority
betting bare knuckle fighting is self regulated and the state
government can't step in. Queensland's peak medical body also taking
a job at the dangerous venture.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Soft tissue injuries both to the face and hands, lacerations,
significant cuts, significant bone fractures.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
But allowing an.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Activity like this where there simply is not enough protection,
not enough mitigation employed, just simply can't be supported.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And he joins us now, Professor Paul Griffin, good morning, oh,
good morning, thanks for having me, how pleasure you don't
you don't sound too happy about van knuckle boxing.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
No, that's right. I mean, you know we've discussed this
at AMA Queensland and simply cannot support it for many reasons.
It's just such a dangerous sport. And when we look
at you know, what's happening with you know One Punch
and Coward Punch campaigns that's done a fantastic job of
addressing violence in the community. And you look at our
contact sports has done a great job of reducing the
risks from head injuries in those codes and then see
(01:28):
something like this go ahead where it's essentially encouraged for
that to happen, just you know, simply can't be supported.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Have you spoken to the people like Anthony Mundine about
the risks involved and what have you? Are able to
contact these people or they just won't listen.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Well, we haven't contacted them directly, but you know every
AMA around the country has put out statements essentially about this,
and you know there's even some studies where you know,
it was looked at. It in just over one hundred
and forty fives there are one hundred and twenty three
significant injuries from you know, lacerations and cuts to the
hands and fail aspect fractures both of the small bones
in the hand and around the face the orbit dental
(02:05):
fractures for example, and three people ended up in hospital
with traumatic brain injuries. So that's the rate of injury.
That's just unacceptable. And you know some of the things
the AMA have pointed out. You know, our hospitals are
struggling under the winter surge, and then you know, to
allow an activity like this where there's inevitably going to
be injuries, it's just, you know, something that doesn't make
sense to us.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Well, it's a bit like that run It Straight, you know,
where they run down the hill and run into each other.
These ridiculous sports that are appearing and the danger behind them.
It's just it's unbelievable what they're thinking, really, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, we're learning so much more about
brain injuries and CTE. We're hearing stories of sports stars
twenty or thirty years down the track still suffering the
consequences of you know, repeated head injuries. And you know,
in those sports codes, they're now showing that there's a
duty of care of the code itself and even the players,
even for accidental head injuries. You know, there's penalties now
(02:59):
to try and stat that sort of thing out and
you know, as I say, this is kind of the
opposite where it's encouraged, and you know, we also worry
about the message that it sends for the public that
you know, these sort of activities just sort of you know, violence,
unmitigated violence with no regulation and no mitigation to reduce injuries,
just you know, it certainly can't be supported.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Yeah, well, Paul, you've just said basically, you know, our
hospitals at the moment, which I agree with, through winter,
how quick is this coming in? Firstly, like is this
actually happening or what's what's the go.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
My understanding is there's still lots of discussions. I mean,
you know, as you heard in that package, most other
states wouldn't allow this because there's regulations in place, but
we don't have that in Queensland and so that's why
it's been talked about a lot here. My understanding is
they're trying to do it fairly quickly, and that it's
even potentially booked in for the next few months and
so you know, we're certainly trying to just make sure
that common sense prevails and that you perhaps we look
(03:51):
at regulating this a little bit better. And you know,
I understand people need an outlet and ways to express themselves,
but there's so many other combat sports where there are
protects in place, there are rules and regulations that reduce
the risk of injury, and you know, perhaps deviating these
people towards that rather than something that just appears way
too dangerous.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Well, I know you're the number one Lines ticket holder,
and Marti's son just had an injury over the weekend
where he had his eye cut and he's got five
stitches and had a little bit of concussion. You know
that's in a controlled environment.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Well that's with headgear and all that type of thing.
But that's what you said, Paul. I mean you do
see it in football obviously a lot, right when you're tackling.
I mean, you're AFL fan his union, so a little
different in some but you come together. I've got friends
who play AID class I just head clash, bang into
each other. It happens.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Yeah, that's right. I mean we can never prevent it completely.
I think that's what you know. All the codes have said,
but they have put so many you know, good innovations
Disney in place. You know, there's good rules around when
you can play afterwards, so the risk of repeated hand
injury is reduced. And you know, there's now a lot
of rules that greatly reduce the risk of head high
impact in all codes. And never said we can't make
it zero, but it's certainly a lot better and a
(05:03):
lot better managed when it does happen as well. And
so you know that that's a big difference with this
is that you know, and some suggest that the absence
of gloves make those head injuries less likely, but it
also then increases the risk of things like facial fractures,
and you know the trouble with some of those, and
we've seen that happen infrequently in some of those other
sports codes. But some of those facial fractures can cause
life long disabilities. So you know, it's not something that
(05:26):
we can take lightly.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
We can hear your passionate definitely, Thank you, Paul, Thank
you so much, pleasure. Thank you, Marty. I know Anthony Mundine, Marny,
I might I might give him a call a little
later and ask him what he what he's doing. Okay,
I'm sure, I'm sure. Well I'm not happy either. Really,
it is a bit big time
I was watching nine News last night, marning nine News,
nine Now, and I saw Paul Griffin. Professor Paul Griffin,
a great friend of ours, and he usually is talking
about COVID and the flu vaccines because he's an infectious
diseases expert, but last night something different. Have listen to this,
no gloves.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
No frills, just fists. This is bare knuckle fighting, Australian
boxing legend Anthony Mundine planning to bring it down under.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Bring the best shows, the best fights and the best
entertainment we can bring.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
The reason this event can go ahead here in Queensland
is where the only state without a combat sport authority
betting bare knuckle fighting is self regulated and the state
government can't step in. Queensland's peak medical body also taking
a job at the dangerous venture.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Soft tissue injuries both to the face and hands, lacerations,
significant cuts, significant bone fractures.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
But allowing an.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Activity like this where there simply is not enough protection,
not enough mitigation employed, just simply can't be supported.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
And he joins us now, Professor Paul Griffin, good morning, oh,
good morning, thanks for having me, how pleasure you don't
you don't sound too happy about van knuckle boxing.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
No, that's right. I mean, you know we've discussed this
at AMA Queensland and simply cannot support it for many reasons.
It's just such a dangerous sport. And when we look
at you know, what's happening with you know One Punch
and Coward Punch campaigns that's done a fantastic job of
addressing violence in the community. And you look at our
contact sports has done a great job of reducing the
risks from head injuries in those codes and then see
(01:28):
something like this go ahead where it's essentially encouraged for
that to happen, just you know, simply can't be supported.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Have you spoken to the people like Anthony Mundine about
the risks involved and what have you? Are able to
contact these people or they just won't listen.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Well, we haven't contacted them directly, but you know every
AMA around the country has put out statements essentially about this,
and you know there's even some studies where you know,
it was looked at. It in just over one hundred
and forty fives there are one hundred and twenty three
significant injuries from you know, lacerations and cuts to the
hands and fail aspect fractures both of the small bones
in the hand and around the face the orbit dental
(02:05):
fractures for example, and three people ended up in hospital
with traumatic brain injuries. So that's the rate of injury.
That's just unacceptable. And you know some of the things
the AMA have pointed out. You know, our hospitals are
struggling under the winter surge, and then you know, to
allow an activity like this where there's inevitably going to
be injuries, it's just, you know, something that doesn't make
sense to us.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Well, it's a bit like that run It Straight, you know,
where they run down the hill and run into each other.
These ridiculous sports that are appearing and the danger behind them.
It's just it's unbelievable what they're thinking, really, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, we're learning so much more about
brain injuries and CTE. We're hearing stories of sports stars
twenty or thirty years down the track still suffering the
consequences of you know, repeated head injuries. And you know,
in those sports codes, they're now showing that there's a
duty of care of the code itself and even the players,
even for accidental head injuries. You know, there's penalties now
(02:59):
to try and stat that sort of thing out and
you know, as I say, this is kind of the
opposite where it's encouraged, and you know, we also worry
about the message that it sends for the public that
you know, these sort of activities just sort of you know, violence,
unmitigated violence with no regulation and no mitigation to reduce injuries,
just you know, it certainly can't be supported.
Speaker 5 (03:18):
Yeah, well, Paul, you've just said basically, you know, our
hospitals at the moment, which I agree with, through winter,
how quick is this coming in? Firstly, like is this
actually happening or what's what's the go.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
My understanding is there's still lots of discussions. I mean,
you know, as you heard in that package, most other
states wouldn't allow this because there's regulations in place, but
we don't have that in Queensland and so that's why
it's been talked about a lot here. My understanding is
they're trying to do it fairly quickly, and that it's
even potentially booked in for the next few months and
so you know, we're certainly trying to just make sure
that common sense prevails and that you perhaps we look
(03:51):
at regulating this a little bit better. And you know,
I understand people need an outlet and ways to express themselves,
but there's so many other combat sports where there are
protects in place, there are rules and regulations that reduce
the risk of injury, and you know, perhaps deviating these
people towards that rather than something that just appears way
too dangerous.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Well, I know you're the number one Lines ticket holder,
and Marti's son just had an injury over the weekend
where he had his eye cut and he's got five
stitches and had a little bit of concussion. You know
that's in a controlled environment.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Well that's with headgear and all that type of thing.
But that's what you said, Paul. I mean you do
see it in football obviously a lot, right when you're tackling.
I mean, you're AFL fan his union, so a little
different in some but you come together. I've got friends
who play AID class I just head clash, bang into
each other. It happens.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Yeah, that's right. I mean we can never prevent it completely.
I think that's what you know. All the codes have said,
but they have put so many you know, good innovations
Disney in place. You know, there's good rules around when
you can play afterwards, so the risk of repeated hand
injury is reduced. And you know, there's now a lot
of rules that greatly reduce the risk of head high
impact in all codes. And never said we can't make
it zero, but it's certainly a lot better and a
(05:03):
lot better managed when it does happen as well. And
so you know that that's a big difference with this
is that you know, and some suggest that the absence
of gloves make those head injuries less likely, but it
also then increases the risk of things like facial fractures,
and you know the trouble with some of those, and
we've seen that happen infrequently in some of those other
sports codes. But some of those facial fractures can cause
life long disabilities. So you know, it's not something that
(05:26):
we can take lightly.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
We can hear your passionate definitely, Thank you, Paul, Thank
you so much, pleasure. Thank you, Marty. I know Anthony Mundine, Marny,
I might I might give him a call a little
later and ask him what he what he's doing. Okay,
I'm sure, I'm sure. Well I'm not happy either. Really,
it is a bit big time
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