Quitting Smoking

[Caveman]

This question is to anyone who has been doing contact fighting such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing, MMA etc for a long time.

I was just wondering if fighting in the ring has many bad implications for later on in life, physical and mental.

If you kickbox etc. for a long time is there a big chance of getting arthritis, bad joints, weak ligaments, brain damage etc?

I really dont know much about this type of stuff so maybe some of the people who have been fighting for many years or people with the scientific knowledge could help me out.

Thanks!

In terms of what you are likely to do over a few years dont worry about it.
The advantage with thai boxing is the punishment is distributed over the body more evenly, fewer hits to the head.
Thais can end up punch drunk but they have 200 fights in their career roughly. Which is not something you are likely to be doing.
The training will be fine for your body, you wont be doing 6 hours a day and if you do it wont be for as many years.

Just train its ok.