Information AboutBoxing |
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)'' versus Rafael Ortiz]] Boxing (or '''pugilism''') is a Combat Sport of English origin in which two participants of similar Weight fight each other with their Fist s in a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. Victory is achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable to get up before the Referee counts to ten (a Knockout , or KO) or if the opponent is deemed too Injured to continue (a Technical Knockout , or TKO). If there is no stoppage of the fight before an agreed number of rounds, a winner is determined either by the referee's decision or by judges' scorecards. In some countries with their own fighting sports, the sport is referred to as "English Boxing" (e.g. in France to contrast with French Boxing ). ORIGINS fresco on the Greek island of Santorini]] Fist-fighting for sport probably arose independently in various prehistoric cultures. {Link without Title} Archaeological evidence indicates that Berber s and Egyptians may have practiced the sport as early as 3000 BC, and boxing is depicted in Sumerian relief carvings from the third millennium BC. The earliest evidence for boxing in the Mediterranean can be found in the Minoan civilization (c. 1500 BC). {Link without Title} Pugilism See Also: Ancient Greek Boxing The ancient Greeks, and later the ancient Romans, had a sport called 'pugilism' (a term now often used for boxing) which resembled boxing. It contrasted with ancient Greek wrestling in that it was based on the use of fists. Unlike modern boxing, there were no weight categories, fights were not separated into rounds, and the fight had no time limit, ending at a knockout, or at a fighter abandoning the fight, or sometimes (though rarely) at the death of one of the fighters. Instead of gloves, fighters wrapped their hands in strips of hardened leather which protected the fist and caused unpleasant injuries for the opponent. Long fights were decided by an alternation of free punches, with the first to strike a free punch being decided by tossing a coin. According to the ''Iliad'', Mycenaean warriors included boxing among their competitions honoring the fallen, though it is possible that the Homeric epics reflect later Greek culture. Another Greek legend holds that the heroic ruler Theseus , said to have lived around the 9th century BC, invented a form of boxing in which two men sat face to face and beat each other with their fists until one of them was killed. In time, the boxers began to fight while standing and wearing gloves (with spikes) and wrappings on their arms below the elbows, although otherwise they competed naked. Boxing was first accepted as an Olympic sport (the ancient Greeks called it Pygme/ Pygmachia) in 688 BC. Participants trained on punching bags (called a korykos). Fighters wore leather straps (called himantes) over their hands, wrists, and sometimes breast, to protect them from injury. The straps left their fingers free. Legend had it that the Spartans were the first to box as a way to prepare for sword and shield fighting. In Ancient Rome , there were two forms of boxing. The athletic form of boxing was adopted from the Greeks and remained popular throughout the Roman world. The other form of boxing was gladiatorial. Fighters were usually criminals and slaves who hoped to become champions and gain their freedom; however, free men also fought. Eventually, fist fighting became so popular that even Aristocrat s started fighting, but the practice was eventually banned by Caesar Augustus . In 393 A.D., the Olympics were banned by the Christian emperor Theodosius, and in 500 A.D., boxing was banned altogether by Theodoric The Great as being an insult to God because it disfigures the face, the image of God. However, this edict had little effect outside the major cities of the Eastern Empire. BBC. ''The origins of Boxing'', BBC History {Link without Title} By this time Western Europe was no longer part of the Roman Empire. Boxing remained popular in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. It should be noted that wrestling, fencing and racing (both chariot and foot) were never banned by the late Romans, as they did not cause disfigurement. Ancient Boxing outside Europe In China in the Zhou Dynasty (12th Century B.C.), Jiao li, a form of wrestling that included boxing, was recorded in the Classic Of Rites .Classic of Rites. Chapter 6, Yuèlìng. Line 108. This combat system included techniques such as Strikes , Throw s, Joint Manipulation , and Pressure Point attacks. Forms of boxing are mentioned in early Buddhist sources. In the '' Lotus Sutra '' (Chapter 14), Gautama Buddha (563-483 BC) refers to boxing while speaking to Manjusri . Another early Buddhist Sutra ''Hongyo-kyo'' describes a boxing contest between Gautama Buddha's half-brother Prince Nanda and his cousin Devadatta .Bruce A. Haines (1995). ''Karate's History and Traditions'' (p. 23-25). Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-1947-5. The boxing martial art of '' Vajra Mushti '' was described in the ''Buddharata Sutra'', written in the 5th century,Cezar Borkowski (1998). ''Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts''. though it was used by the Hindu Kshatriya caste centuries earlier. London Prize Ring rules (1743) See Also: London Prize Ring rules 's ''The Science of Self Defense: A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling'', 1867]] Records of Classical boxing activity disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire . However, there are detailed records of various fist-fighting sports that were maintained in different cities and provinces of Italy between the 12th and 17th centuries. The sport would later resurface in England during the early 18th century in the form of Bare-knuckle Boxing sometimes referred to as prizefighting. The first documented account of a bare-knuckle fight in England appeared in 1681 in the '' London Protestant Mercury '', and the first English bare-knuckle champion was James Figg in 1719 .James B. Roberts and Alexander G. Skutt (1999). ''James Figg'', IBOHF {Link without Title} This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used. Early fighting had no written rules. There were no weight divisions or round limits, and no referee. The first boxing rules, called the boxer 'William Futrell' who remained undefeated until his one hour and seventeen minute fight at Smitham Bottom, Croydon, on July 9, 1788 against a much younger "Gentleman" John Jackson which was attended by the Prince Of Wales . Although bare-knuckle fighting was in almost every aspect far more brutal than modern boxing, it did allow the fighters a single advantage not enjoyed by today's boxers: The London Prize Rules permitted the fighter to drop to one knee to begin a 30-second count at any time. Thus a fighter realizing he was in trouble had an opportunity to recover. Intentionally going down in modern boxing will cause the recovering fighter to lose points in the scoring system. In 1838 , the London Prize Ring rules were expanded in detail. Later revised in 1853 , they stipulated the following: Clay Moyle and Arly Allen (2006), ''1838 Prize Rules'' {Link without Title}
Through the late nineteenth century, boxing or prizefighting was primarily a sport of dubious legitimacy. Outlawed in England and much of the United States, prizefights were often held at gambling venues and broken up by police. Brawling and wrestling tactics continued, and riots at prizefights were common occurrences. Still, throughout this period, there arose some notable bareknuckle champions who developed fairly sophisticated fighting tactics. Marquess of Queensberry rules (1867) In 1867 , the Marquess Of Queensberry Rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweight s, Middleweight s and Heavyweight s. The rules were published under the patronage of the Marquess Of Queensberry , whose name has always been associated with them. There were twelve rules in all, and they specified that fights should be "a fair stand-up boxing match" in a 24-foot-square ring. Rounds were three minutes long with one minute rest intervals between rounds. Each fighter was given a ten-second count if he was knocked down and wrestling was banned. The introduction of gloves of "fair-size" also changed the nature of the bouts. An average pair of boxing gloves resembles a bloated pair of mittens and are laced up around the wrists. Gloves protected fighters from both facial and hand injuries, their considerable size and weight making knock-out victories more difficult to achieve.Encyclopedia Britannica (2006). ''Queensbury Rules'', Britannica The gloves could also be used to block an opponents blows. As a result of their introduction, bouts became longer and more strategic with greater importance attached to defensive maneuvers such as slipping, bobbing, countering and angling. Because less defensive emphasis was placed on the use of the forearms and more on the gloves, the classical forearms outwards, torso leaning back stance of the bareknuckle boxer was modified to more modern stance in which the torso is tilted forward and the hands are held closer to the face. The English case of '' R V. Coney '' in 1882 found that a Bare-knuckle fight was an Assault occasioning Actual Bodily Harm , despite the Consent of the participants. This marked the end of widespread public bare-knuckle contests in England. The first world heavyweight champion under the Queensberry Rules was "Gentleman Jim" Corbett , who defeated John L. Sullivan in 1892 at the Pelican Athletic Club in New Orleans .Tracy Callis (2006). ''James Corbett'', Cyberboxingzone.com {Link without Title} Throughout the early twentieth century, boxing struggled to achieve legitimacy, through the influence of promoters like Tex Rickard and the popularity of great champions from John L. Sullivan to Jack Dempsey . Shortly after this era, boxing commissions and other sanctioning bodies were established to regulate the sport and establish universally recognized champions. RULES The '' Marquess Of Queensbury Rules '' have been the general rules governing modern boxing since their publication in 1867. A boxing match typically consists of a predetermined number of three-minute rounds, anywhere from three for an Olympic bout to up to fifteen for a professional fight. A minute is typically spent between each round with the fighters in their assigned corners receiving advice and attention from their coach and staff. The fight is controlled by a referee who works within the ring to judge and control the conduct of the fighters, rule on their ability to fight safely, count knocked-down fighters, and rule on fouls. Up to three judges are typically present at ringside to score the bout and assign points to the boxers, based on punches that connect, defense and knockdowns. Each fighter has an assigned corner of the ring, where his or her coach, as well as one or more "seconds" may administer to the fighter at the beginning of the fight and between rounds. Each boxer enters into the ring from their assigned corners at the beginning of each round and must cease fighting and return to their corner at the signaled end of each round. A bout in which the predetermined number of rounds passes is decided by the judges. The fighter with the higher score at the end of the fight is ruled the winner. With three judges, unanimous and split decisions are possible, as are draws. A boxer may win the bout before a decision is reached through a knockout. If a fighter is knocked down during the fight, determined by whether the boxer touches the canvas floor of the ring with any part of their body other than the feet, the referee begins counting until the fighter returns to his or her feet and can continue. Should the referee count to ten, then the knocked-down boxer is ruled "knocked out" (whether he or she is unconscious or not) and the other boxer is ruled the winner by knockout (KO). A "technical knockout" (TKO) is possible as well, and is ruled by the referee, fight doctor, or a fighter's corner if a fighter is unable to safely continue to fight, based upon injuries or being judged unable to effectively defend themselves. Many jurisdictions and sanctioning agencies also have a "three-knockdown rule", in which three knockdowns result in a TKO. A TKO is considered a knockout in a fighter's record. A "standing eight" count rule may also be in effect, in which the referee counts no higher than eight to a boxer who regains his or her footing after a knockdown, allowing the referee time to assess if the boxer is able to continue. In general, boxers are prohibited from hitting below the belt, holding, tripping, pushing, biting, spitting or wrestling. They also are prohibited from kicking, head-butting, or hitting with any part of the arm other than the knuckles of a closed fist (including hitting with the elbow, shoulder or forearm, as well as with open gloves, the wrist, the inside, back or side of the hand). They are prohibited as well from hitting the back, back of the neck or head (called a "rabbit-punch") or the kidneys. They are prohibited from holding the ropes for support when punching, holding an opponent while punching, or ducking below the belt of their opponent. If a "clinch," a defensive move in which a boxer wraps his or her opponents arms and holds on to create a pause, is broken by the referee, each fighter must take a full step back before punching again (alternatively, the referee may direct the fighters to "punch out" of the clinch). When a boxer is knocked-down, the other boxer must immediately cease fighting and move to the nearest neutral corner of the ring until the referee has either ruled a knockout or called for the fight to continue. Violations of these rules may be ruled "fouls" by the referee, who may issue warnings, deduct points, or disqualify an offending boxer, causing an automatic loss, depending on the seriousness and intentionality of the foul. An intentional foul that causes injury that prevents a fight from continuing usually causes the boxer who committed it to be disqualified. A fighter who suffers an accidental low-blow may be given up to five minutes to recover, after which they may be ruled knocked out if they are unable to continue. Accidental fouls that cause injury ending a bout may lead to a "no decision" result, or else cause the fight to go to a decision if enough rounds (typically four or more, or at least three in a four-round fight) have passed. PROFESSIONAL VS. AMATEUR BOXING Throughout the 17th through 19th centuries, boxing bouts were motivated by money, as the fighters competed for prizes, promoters controlled the gate, and spectators bet on the result. The modern Olympic movement revived interest in amateur sports, and amateur boxing became an Olympic sport in 1908. In their current form, Olympic and other amateur bouts are typically limited to three or four rounds, scoring is computed by points based on the number of clean blows landed, regardless of impact, and fighters wear protective headgear, reducing the number of injuries, knockdowns, and knockouts. Professional boxing remains by far the most popular form of the sport globally, though amateur boxing is dominant in Cuba and some former Soviet republics. For most fighters, an amateur career, especially at the Olympics, serves to develop skills and gain experience in preparation for a professional career. Amateur boxing is mandatory in amateur boxing]] See Also: Amateur boxing Amateur boxing may be found at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games , and in many other venues sanctioned by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing has a point scoring system that measures the number of clean blows landed rather than physical damage. Bouts consist of four rounds of two minutes in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and three rounds of two minutes in a national ABA (Amateur Boxing Association) bout, each with a one-minute interval between rounds. Competitors wear protective headgear and gloves with a white strip across the knuckle. A punch is considered a scoring punch only when the boxers connect with the white portion of the gloves. Each punch that lands on the head or torso is awarded a point. A referee monitors the fight to ensure that competitors use only legal blows (a belt worn over the torso represents the lower limit of punches - any boxer repeatedly landing "low blows" ( Below The Belt ) is disqualified). Referees also ensure that the boxers don't use holding tactics to prevent the opponent from swinging (if this occurs, the referee separates the opponents and orders them to continue boxing. Repeated holding can result in a boxer being penalized, or ultimately, disqualified). Referees will stop the bout if a boxer is seriously injured, if one boxer is significantly dominating the other or if the score is severely imbalanced.Andrew Eisele (2005). ''Olympic Boxing Rules'', About.com {Link without Title} Amateur bouts which end this way may be noted as "RSC" (referee stopped contest) with notations for an outclassed opponent (RSCO), outscored opponent (RSCOS), injury (RSCI) or head injury (RSCH). Professional boxing See Also: Professional boxing Professional bouts are usually much longer than amateur bouts, typically ranging from ten to twelve rounds, though four round fights are common for less experienced fighters or club fighters, there are some two and three rounds professional bouts[http://www.boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=521719 , especially in Australia. Through the early twentieth century, it was common for fights to have unlimited rounds, ending only when one fighter quit or the fight was stopped by police. In the 1910s and 1920s, a fifteen-round limit gradually became the norm, benefiting high-energy fighters like Jack Dempsey . Fifteen rounds remained the internationally recognized limit for championship fights for most of the twentieth century, until the late 1980s, when championship bouts were shortened to twelve rounds to improve safety. Headgear is not permitted in professional bouts, and boxers are generally allowed to take much more punishment before a fight is halted. At any time, however, the referee may stop the contest if he believes that one participant cannot defend himself due to injury. In that case, the other participant is awarded a technical knockout win. A technical knockout would also be awarded if a fighter lands a punch that opens a cut on the opponent, and the opponent is later deemed not fit to continue by a doctor because of the cut. For this reason, fighters often employ Cutmen , whose job is to treat cuts between rounds so that the boxer is able to continue despite the cut. If a boxer simply quits fighting, or if his corner stops the fight, then the winning boxer is also awarded a technical knockout victory. In contrast with amateur boxing, professional male boxers have to be bare chested.Bert Randolph Sugar (2001). "Boxing," World Book Online Americas Edition {Link without Title} BOXING STYLE TERMINOLOGY In boxing, no two fighters' styles are identical. A boxer's style is evolved as he applies what he has been taught or picked up in practice, and performs it in such a way as to suit himself. Nonetheless, many terms are used which broadly describe a boxer's style. Note that a boxer is not necessarily limited to being described by one of these terms. A fighter may be described as a boxer-puncher or may be skilled at both in-fighting and out-fighting, for example. Out-fighter ]] A classic "boxer" (also known as an "out-fighter") seeks to maintain distance between himself and his opponent, fighting with faster, longer range punches, most notably the jab. Since they rely on weaker punches such as the jab, boxers tend to win by points decisions rather than by knockout, although some boxers (such as Lennox Lewis ) have notable knockout records. Boxers attempt to control the fight by using their jab to keep their opponent at range, and using fast footwork to evade any opponent that closes in. They are often regarded as the best boxing strategists due to their ability to control the pace of the fight and lead their opponent, wearing him down gradually, and exhibiting more skill and finesse than a brawler. Notable boxers include Muhammad Ali , Sugar Ray Robinson , Sugar Ray Leonard , Gene Tunney , Carlos Monzon, Pernell Whitaker , Roy Jones Jr. , Floyd Mayweather Jr. , Lennox Lewis , Winky Wright , Larry Holmes , Hilario Zapata , Chris Eubank , Joe Calzaghe , and Oscar De La Hoya . Boxer Puncher A boxer-puncher is an out-fighter who has heavy fire power in his punches. They use the same hit-and-move tactics of an out-fighter, but instead of winning by decision, they tend to wear you down before scoring the knockout. For a fighter who uses this style to be effective, they need to have good footwork, good stamina and endurance, good jabs and/or leads, and good speed and power. Notable boxers include Muhammad Ali , Joe Louis , Gene Tunney , Roy Jones Jr. , Sugar Ray Robinson , Sugar Ray Leonard , Floyd Mayweather Jr. , Lennox Lewis , Larry Holmes , Chris Eubank , Mikkel Kessler , Joe Calzaghe , Jermain Taylor , and Oscar De La Hoya . Brawler/Slugger A brawler is a fighter who generally lacks finesse in the ring, but often makes up for it by volume of sheer punching power. Many brawlers tend to lack mobility in the ring and have difficulty pursuing fighters who are fast on their feet. They prefer a more stable stance from which they may throw the harder, slower punches (such as hooks and uppercuts) and tend to ignore combination punching. They may also have a tendency to load up on their punches more (to pull back the arm before throwing the punch so as to have a greater distance to gather momentum over before the punch's impact). Their slowness and predictable punching patterns (single punches with obvious leads) often leaves them open for counterpunching. Some notable brawlers include George Foreman , Ricardo Mayorga , Samuel Peter , Rocky Marciano , and Manny Pacquiao . In-fighter In-fighters or swarmers stay close to an opponent, throwing intense flurries and combinations of Hooks and uppercuts. A successful in-fighter often needs a good " Chin " because this usually involves being hit with many Jab s before they can maneuver inside where they are more effective. A fighter who operates best at close range is generally shorter and has less reach than his opponents and thus is most effective at a distance where the longer arms of his opponents' make punching awkward. However, several fighters tall for their division have been relatively adept at in-fighting as well as out-fighting, including Riddick Bowe and Bernard Hopkins . Notable in-fighters include Shane Mosley , Mike Tyson , Jake LaMotta , Ricky Hatton , Jose Luis Castillo , Julio César Chávez , Joe Frazier , Roberto Duran , Rocky Marciano , Harry Greb , Jack Dempsey , Henry Armstrong , and James Toney . Bob-and-Weave Fighter Many short in-fighters utilise their stature to their advantage, employing a bob-and-weave defense by bending at the waist to slip underneath or to the sides of incoming punches. Unlike blocking, causing an opponent to miss a punch disrupts his balance, permits forward movement past the opponents extended arm and keeps the hands free to counter. Some bob-and-weave fighters have been known for being notoriously hard to hit, a well-known example being Mike Tyson early in his career. Another example is Joe Frazier . Puncher The term 'puncher' refers to a fighter with a powerful punch, but is not a true descriptor of boxing style. Punchers are capable of knocking out their opponents with few punches if given the opportunity to land them cleanly, and in some cases, scoring a KO with only a single blow. Notable punchers include Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson , George Foreman , Joe Louis , Lennox Lewis , Marvelous Marvin Hagler , Thomas Hearns , John Mugabi , Julian Jackson , Felix Trinidad , Earnie Shavers , Rocky Marciano , Joe Frazier , Roy Jones Jr. , Nigel Benn , Naseem Hamed , Diego Corrales , Jose Luis Castillo , Chris Eubank , Kelly Pavlik , Manny Pacquiao . Style matchups There is a generally accepted rule of thumb about the success each of these boxing styles has against the others. In general, an in-fighter has an advantage over a boxer, a puncher has an advantage over an in-fighter, and a boxer has an advantage over a puncher. Naturally, many other factors, such as the skill level and training of the combatants, determine the outcome of a fight, but the widely held belief in this relationship among the styles is embodied in the cliché amongst boxing fans and writers that "styles make fights". Punchers tend to overcome swarmers or in-fighters because, in trying to get close to the slugger, the in-fighter will invariably have to walk straight into the guns of the much harder-hitting puncher, so, unless the former has a very good chin and the latter's stamina is poor, the brawler's superior power will carry the day. Two famous examples of this type of match-up are George Foreman defeating Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson knocking out Joe's son, Marvis Frazier (in just 30 seconds). Although in-fighters struggle against heavy punchers, they typically enjoy more success against out-fighters or boxers. Out-fighters prefer a slower fight, with some distance between themselves and the opponent. The in-fighter tries to close that gap and unleash furious flurries. On the inside, the out-fighter loses a lot of his combat effectiveness, because he cannot throw the hard punches. The in-fighter is generally successful in this case, due to his intensity in advancing on his opponent and his good agility, which makes him difficult to evade. For example, the swarming Joe Frazier, though easily dominated by the slugger George Foreman, was able to create many more problems for the boxer Muhammad Ali in their three fights than Foreman could. Joe Louis, after retirement, admitted that he hated being crowded, and that a swarmer like Rocky Marciano would have caused him style problems even in his prime. The boxer or out-fighter tends to be most successful against a brawler, whose slow speed (both hand and foot) and poor technique makes him an easy target to hit for the faster out-fighter. The out-fighter's main concern is to stay alert, as the brawler only needs to land one good punch to finish the fight. If the out-fighter can avoid those power punches, he can often wear the brawler down with fast jabs, tiring him out. If he is successful enough, he may even apply extra pressure in the later rounds in an attempt to achieve a knockout. Most classic boxers, such as Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis, enjoyed their best successes against sluggers. EQUIPMENT Since boxing involves forceful, repetitive punching, precautions must be taken to prevent damage to bones in the hand. Most trainers do not allow boxers to train and spar without Hand/wrist Wraps and gloves. Handwraps are used to secure the bones in the hand, and the gloves are used to protect the hands from blunt injury, allowing boxers to throw punches with more force than if they did not utilize them. Gloves have been required in competition since the late nineteenth century, though modern boxing gloves are much heavier than those worn by early twentieth-century fighters. Prior to a bout, both boxers agree upon the weight of gloves to be used in the bout, with the understanding that lighter gloves allow heavy punchers to inflict more damage. The brand of gloves can also affect the impact of punches, so this too is usually stipulated before a bout. Boxers practice their skills on two basic types of punching bags. A small, tear-drop-shaped "speed bag" is used to hone reflexes and repetitive punching skills, while a large cylindrical "heavy bag", filled with sand or a synthetic substitute, is used to practice power punching and body blows. In addition to these distinctive pieces of equipment, boxers also utilize more general use training equipment to build strength, speed, and agility. Common training equipment includes free weights, rowing machines, Jump Rope , and medicine balls. Headgear, required in amateur boxing and used by professionals when sparring, protects against cuts, scrapes, and swelling. It does not protect very well against concussions, since it does not sufficiently protect the brain from the jarring that occurs when the head is struck with great force. Also, most boxers aim for the chin on opponents, and the chin is usually not padded. Thus, a power punch or even a well-placed jab to the chin can inflict serious damage, even when headgear is worn. TECHNIQUE Stance The modern boxing stance differs substantially from the typical boxing stances of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The modern stance has a more upright vertical armed guard, as opposed to more horizontally held, knuckles facing the ground guard as seen among early 20th century boxers such as Jack Johnson ). |
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