Brain injuries in professional and amateur sports have been the focus of a lot of debate lately. Now experts are taking aim at boxing. A Canadian pediatricians' group is urging children and teenagers to stay out of the boxing ring.

They say amateur boxers face a serious risk of suffering head injuries.

Boxing enthusiast, Natasha Armstrong is aware of the dangers but that doesn't bother her. The 14-year-old started boxing last December. "Everyone can get hurt in any other sport, especially hockey," she says.

The Canadian Pediatric Society is now urging people under the age of 18 to stay out of the ring. The group says amateur boxers are at serious risk of suffering face and brain injuries including concussions.

Those are injuries that experts say are much more dangerous for youth because it takes them longer to recover.

"This particular risk of injury raises the question, ‘how many more concussions are we going to allow before we ban this sport for children and youth?'" asks Dr. Claire Leblanc of the Canadian Pediatric Society.

Experts say head gear and mouth guards used in boxing aren't as protective as many think.

Still, Brandon Boxing Club trainer, Noel Harding argues it's no more dangerous than other sports. "There's a doctor, a referee all at ringside. There's many safety precautions that go in to amateur boxing and actually appalls me that they've said kids under the age of 18 shouldn't do it," says Harding.

The Canadian Pediatrics Society acknowledges the overall risk of injury in amateur boxing seems to be lower than in sports like football and hockey. But the group's big concern is the intentional blows to the head that are a part of boxing.

"Because boxing does reward participants for direct blows to the head and face, we would direct parents to not enroll their children in this sport," explains Dr. Leblanc. She also says the Pediatric Society is at least recommending banning shots to the head.

Kent Brown of the Manitoba Amateur Boxing Association doesn't think that is reasonable. "That's impossible. I don't think it'll happen. How are you going to prevent head shots from hockey or football?" he asks.

Armstrong agrees. She has a 5-and-1 record so far and plans on continuing to participate in the sport she loves for years to come.

The Canadian Pediatric Society says information collected from 15 hospitals across the country shows more than 270 boxers reported injuries between 1990 and 2007 and nearly 70 per cent of those were under the age of 18.

- with a report by CTV's Josh Crabb