Dr Kerryn Phelps, AMA President, with Grant Goldman, Radio 2SM

Should they ban boxing? I'm one of those people who thinks that maybe it shouldn't be around anymore. I know the Australian Medical Association has called for Anthony Mundine's fight against Lester Ellis to be stopped due to serious fears for the safety of the ageing former champion. Of course, it's for Anthony Mundine to find people he can beat. Maybe he should fight me.

From the AMA we have the President, Doctor Kerryn Phelps, on the line at the moment. Good morning, Kerryn.

PHELPS: Good morning, Grant.

GOLDMAN: I know a lot of my mates love boxing and they all talk about it, but I always sit there and think, 'why is it a sport'?

PHELPS: I think they'd have to ask themselves if they'd let their own son get in the ring under those circumstances. I really do think that we have to show some caring for the people who are involved in this and, if they won't save themselves then I think someone has to show some responsibility and speak up.

GOLDMAN: Surely, you're smart enough to have a look around at a whole lot of ex-boxers and see where it's left them.

PHELPS: I think certainly the Muhammad Ali example is one that is tragic and one that should really serve as a warning for any young person or family who are thinking of letting their child go into a sport that has really well and truly run its course.

GOLDMAN: Yes. You've called for this fight between Anthony Mundine and Lester Ellis to be stopped - it won't happen, but why in particular?

PHELPS: I don't think that any professional bout of boxing ought to go ahead because the point is, of the whole exercise, to inflict a head injury on your opponent. To knock out somebody is the aim of the game and when you knock somebody out you're inflicting brain damage, whether that's temporary or permanent, and I just don't think that in this day and age, with all that we now know about the delicate functioning and the nature of the brain, that that can be tolerated in a civilised society.

But in particular in this case - you said in your introduction that it was about looking for someone for Anthony Mundine to beat … we're looking at somebody who's really been out of professional boxing for…

GOLDMAN: In fact, I'll give you the exact time. His last meeting was six years ago and he was knocked out in his last fight.

PHELPS: Yes, so what's it all about?

GOLDMAN: It's about trying to keep Anthony Mundine in the boxing game.

PHELPS: And make money for promoters and I don't think that's good enough.

GOLDMAN: And unfortunately, the sad part is your warnings could come home to roost quite easily with Lester Ellis. You call him a soft target and that makes you sound like a boxing expert, but it's not, he's a soft target because of his age and the fact that he's been knocked out before.

PHELPS: Well, this is right. As I said, if I was a boxing commentator that's what I'd be saying, but as a health professional I'm really saying the same thing, that you're talking about a mismatch and it's all basically aimed at making money for promoters and for getting somebody into the ring with Anthony Mundine, and I don't know that that's a good enough reason to risk permanent injury to an opponent.

GOLDMAN: Is the medical world around the globe in agreement with the way the AMA thinks about boxing?

PHELPS: Very much so. The American Medical Association, the British Medical Association, the World Medical Association are all on song with the Australian Medical Association. I mean you can't really look at the evidence and come to any other logical conclusion than this is a sport that ought not to be continued.

GOLDMAN: I think you got that right, well done. Thanks, Kerryn.

PHELPS: Thanks, Grant.

Ends