Boxing |
Boxing is an athletic contest between two
persons, each of whom uses the fists to try
to knock the other unconscious or to inflict
enough punishment to cause the opponent
either to quit or to be judged beaten. History of Boxing In ancient Greece, boxing was a popular amateur competitive sport and was included in the first Olympic Games. In ancient Rome, boxers often wore the cestus, a metal-studded leather hand covering with which they maimed and even killed their opponents, sometimes as part of gladiatorial spectacles. The sport declined in popularity after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the 18th century, boxing was revived in London in the form of bare-knuckle prizefights in which the contestants fought for money and the spectators made wagers on the outcome. The first boxer to be recognized as a heavyweight champion was James Figg, in 1719. In 1743 a later champion, John Broughton, formulated a set of rules standardizing some practices and eliminating others, such as hitting opponents when they are down or seizing opponents by the hair. Broughton's rules governed boxing until 1838, when the Original London Prize Ring rules, based on those of Broughton, were devised. Modifications known as the Revised London Prize Ring rules were drawn up in 1853, and they controlled the sport until the end of the 19th century, when the Queensberry rules came into use. These rules were drafted in 1857 by a boxer, John Graham Chambers, under the auspices of John Sholto Douglas, 8th marquis of Queensberry. Emphasizing boxing skill rather than wrestling and agility over strength, the Queensberry rules helped to undo the popular image of boxing as a savage, brutal brawl. The new rules prohibited barefisted fighting, wrestling, hugging, hitting opponents while they are helpless, and fighting to the finish. Under the Broughton rules, a downed man was allowed 30 seconds to square off at a distance of 1 yd (90 cm) from the opponent, aided by handlers if necessary. If the boxer failed to square off, that fighter was considered beaten. Under the London Prize Ring rules, the boxer had to reach scratch (a mark located in the middle of the ring) unaided within 8 seconds after the 30-second time lapse; and a round ended when a boxer went down. Under the Queensberry rules, matches were divided into 3-minute rounds with 1-minute intervals of rest between them. A contestant who remained down, either recumbent or on one knee, after 10 seconds lost the match. The rules also stipulated that matches be conducted in a roped-in square, called a ring, measuring 24 ft (7.3 m) on a side. The last bare-knuckle heavyweight champion was the American John L. Sullivan, who fought and won the last sanctioned bare-knuckle fight in 1889, against Jake Kilrain. Fighting with gloves under the Queensberry rules, the popular Sullivan lost the world heavyweight boxing championship to James J. Corbett in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 7, 1892. The Queensberry rules have remained the code governing the conduct of professional boxing. The accompanying table lists heavyweight championship bouts, fought under Queensberry rules, in which the title changed hands. Professional Boxing The official state codes governing professional boxing include specifications for ring construction, 16 to 20 ft (4.9 to 6.1 m) square; a minimum weight, 6 to 8 oz (170 to 227 g) for padded gloves; a maximum number of rounds (usually 12 in championship bouts); specifications for the conduct of referees and judges; definitions and penalties for fouls; and systems of scoring points to decide winners of contests that do not end in knockouts. The state codes also define grounds on which a bout may be stopped to prevent serious injury to contestants who have not been knocked out, but who can no longer defend themselves. Such a decision is listed in official records as a knockout, and not, as is often assumed, a technical knockout (TKO). A TKO occurs when a boxer is unable to answer the bell for the next round and resume the contest. The bout is then considered ended. Although there are 17 recognized weight divisions, a majority of the professional boxers compete in only eight of those classes. These classes are, with maximum weight: (1) flyweight, 112 lb (50.7 kg); (2) bantamweight, 118 lb (53.5 kg); (3) featherweight, 126 lb (57.1 kg); (4) lightweight, 135 lb (61.2 kg); (5) welterweight, 147 lb (66.6 kg); (6) middleweight, 160 lb (72.6 kg); (7) light heavyweight, 175 lb (79.4 kg); and (8) heavyweight, 195 lb (88.5 kg) and over. After the Walker law initiated the legalization and regulation of boxing, the sport grew in popularity in the United States. American heavyweight champions were among the most celebrated athletes in the sport and inspired awe and respect for their punching power, both domestically and internationally. Jack Dempsey won the heavyweight championship in 1919 and defended his title in 1921 against the French fighter Georges Carpentier, in what was the first fight with a million-dollar gate (income from ticket receipts). Joe Louis held the heavyweight championship longer than any other fighter-from 1937 to 1949-and successfully defended his title 25 times. After winning a gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games, Floyd Patterson won the heavyweight title in 1956; he became the first heavyweight champion to regain his title in a victorious 1960 rematch with the Swedish fighter Ingemar Johansson. In 1962 Patterson was defeated by Sonny Liston, who was one of the most feared heavyweight boxers of all time. Liston subsequently lost the title in 1964 to perhaps the greatest and most popular boxer in history, Muhammad Ali (who fought under his birth name, Cassius Clay, until later that year). Possessing strength, speed, and ring savvy, Ali revitalized the heavyweight division and gained widespread international popularity with his charismatic personality. Renowned boxers in other weight divisions include American welterweight and middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson; Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran, who held world titles in the lightweight, welterweight, junior middleweight, and middleweight divisions; American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and won world championships in five different weight divisions (welterweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and super middleweight); and Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, who won world titles in the super featherweight, lightweight, and junior welterweight divisions and became a national hero in Mexico. Amateur Boxing Amateur boxing, which has been a feature of the Olympic Games since 1904, is conducted generally in accordance with international Olympic codes. In the United States, amateur boxing is controlled by such bodies as the USA Amateur Boxing Federation, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Golden Gloves Association of America. All amateur boxers are classified in the 12 Olympic weight divisions, which include the eight mentioned above, plus light flyweight, light welterweight, light middleweight, and super heavyweight. Bouts are no longer than three rounds, usually of 2 to 3 minutes each. Gloves are of greater weight than those of professional boxers, and often protective devices such as headgear are worn.
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