Is it right for a 17 year old to fight pro?

[mma boss]

I have seen that Coner hignett is to fight pro against Danny Missin but he is only 17!
What are people's thoughts on this?

No disrespect meant to coner

[Grizzly.]

If he wants to do it, then thats the end of it.

[Mike Persil]

Seen him fight a few times and he is good enough.

[Babycakes]

As long as he has the right experienced people around him then I don't see a issue. I don't know the lad so unfair to comment further.

[brashleyholland]

He's only a couple of months off 18 mind. I've seen him smash experienced guys over ten years older than him. He's got a good coach looking after him who wouldn't put him in harms way.

[iandean]

If he wants to do it, then thats the end of it.

But some people do need protection from themselves

e.g. If someone wanted to put their hand into boiling hot water, you should probably try to stop them

That kind of attitude could allow all sorts of dangerous unqualified or unskilled people compete and endanger the sport. What happens if a 15 or 16 year old wants to fight pro and ends up getting hospitalised and someone goes to the press and says. "Well he wanted to do it, so we let him".

As an industry we have to take some responsibility for the things that go on inside it

[Jimmy Boogaloo]

TTT for Ian's unassailable point.

[Grizzly.]

But some people do need protection from themselves

e.g. If someone wanted to put their hand into boiling hot water, you should probably try to stop them

That kind of attitude could allow all sorts of dangerous unqualified or unskilled people compete and endanger the sport. What happens if a 15 or 16 year year wants to fight pro and ends up getting hospitalised and someone goes to the press and says. "Well he wanted to do it, so we let him".

As an industry we have to take some responsibility for the things that go on inside it

I know what you're saying but what will pretty much happen 10 times out of 10 if someoned aged 17 said I want to fight pro and I'll fight that guy, the promoter will say 'ok will you sell tickets'. It's swings and round abouts I suppose and opinions count for nothing when there's money involved usually.

[Shaolin Exile]

I think that in this case though, Ian Dean's position is the right one. At the end of the day, as long as 18 is the age of majority, that has to be the cut off point for allowing people to take such risks.

Look on the bright side. I'm old enough to remember when 21 was the age of majority

[Evzy]

Its a tricky one, but 18 probably makes more sense from the point of view of protecting the sport as much as the individuals.

I could drive a car at 14, didn't mean I could get a license to then though.. 18 is plenty young enough to go pro, that extra time (for those wanting to turn pro sooner) could be spent developing as an Am anyway which isn't a bad thing.

Fuck when I was 18 all I wanted to do was hump everything, so in that regard it would have been safer to keep me out of a cage til I was at least 21!