Boxing is a combat sports with two participants fighting with similar heights and weights. The two opponents fight each other using their fists.
Fighting with fists come naturally to human beings. It was the ancient Greeks who were able to establish a sport out of the natural act. Rules eventually evolved and staged the tournaments with two professionals playing.
The official birth of boxing was in 688 B.C. when it was played at the Olympics. It was called Pygme or Pygmachia then. The players trained on korykos or punching bags and wear himantes or leather straps. The straps did not cover the whole hand but left the fingers exposed and free. It was believed that the Spartans were the first to experience boxing to prepare them to battle using swords and shields.
Boxing mainly focuses on striking an opponent. It is also known as pugilism, coined by the Greeks and later on the Romans, or fist fighting. During this time, there were no weight classes, no separating of fights in rounds, and no time limits. The fight would only end if one of the fighters is unable to get up, gave up the fight, or died during the battle. Gloves were only used during practices. In actual fights, players wrap their hands with strips of hardened leather. The material protects their fists but causes unlikely injuries on the opponent.
Traditional boxing practiced two forms: the athletic form and gladiatorial form. Fighters were mostly criminals and slaves who would fight to gain their freedom. However, there were also free men who fought to gain honor. Then the elite started to join the fighting sport making it sophisticated rather than survival.
As years passed, ancient boxing started to evolve in Europe and Great Britain to become the modern boxing recognized today. There are numerous boxing styles practiced in the world. Generally, it is considered the “English Boxing” though in France it is called “French Boxing”. Others call it “American Boxing” or “Western Boxing”.
Boxing Today
As what it is today, the game is regulated with a three minute interval series called “rounds” and a one minute rest intervals between rounds. The player is considered the winner if he is able to knock down an opponent. The player is considered defeated if he is no longer able to get up before the tenth second count made by the referee which is qualified as a Knockout or KO; and if too injured to continue fighting which is qualified as a Technical Knockout or TKO. If the fight continued on without stops in between agreed rounds, the judges’ or the referee’s decision will determine the winner. Wrestling type of fighting is totally banned in boxing.
A pair of average “fair sized” gloves changed the nature of the fight. It resembles a pair of bloated mittens laced up around the wrist. It protects both the fighter and the opponent from serious hand and facial injuries. It is also used to block the strong blow of the other player making it even harder to achieve victory through a knockout or a technical knockout. It explains why the bouts of modern boxing are longer and needs skilled strategies and maneuvers to achieve success.
As time went on, it wasn’t only the men who were heroes in the boxing rings. Women were brave enough and started to invade the world of fighting sports as well.
