As one of the most popular forms of fighting, it has evolved into a combat sport that fans around the world would flock around for. Two opponents would test their reflexes, stamina, speed, strength and willpower, with only gloves and guts as both weapon and shield. Fights are conducted by a referee and rounds are consisted of only three minutes where fighters armed with skills acquired from rigorous training would battle for as long as their endurance would hold. A winner is decided when the side of one opponent throws in a towel as a sign of surrender, when the fighter is deemed unable to go much further with fighting, or when disqualified for breaking the rules. Scorecards are also used and both fighters are marked. If they got the same points, the fight would eventually end in a draw.
Historically, it was also a very popular sport in ancient Rome. Amphitheaters served as the venues for boxing matches. Fighters would wrap leathers straps around their fists. Needless to say, these pseudo gloves simply protected the knuckles and during those days, matches are a fight to the death. Spectators simply enjoyed the ruthlessness and brutality as they do with gladiator fights at the coliseum. The popularity of the sport, however, prompted organizers to rethink and decide that the deaths of the fighters won’t do anymore and it was eventually banned. Boxing was resurrected in England in the seventeenth century, where public matches would be held from alleyways, to the docks to the town’s central square. Both the poor and the genteel enjoyed these matches and at that time, it was the only sporting event that would bring different people from different social status together in one place.
Forms of boxing
Modern day boxing has two forms: amateur and professional.
Amateur boxing matches are leaning more into the competition side where athletes are not paid to fight. It is similar to early boxing with the absence of a headgear. This is the case with college-level sporting events such as the Olympics. Scoring is based on clean blows landed against the opponent and fighters are given one minute of rest between rounds. The duration consists of three rounds with three minutes each. In amateur boxing, an athlete can also win A.B.A titles, commonwealth, European, and world championships.
Professional boxing matches are longer and take ten to twelve rounds. Fighters back then had to endure indefinite number of rounds and winners are decidedly if one of the opponents was knocked out or has quit. Today, it is highly more organized, and governed by rules authorized by sporting officials. Professional boxers are paid because of its more brutal and bloody nature compared to amateur boxing. Scoring is based on physical injury. Professional boxing has several different titles which can be won. These titles are WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO and others.
In both amateur and professional, tough trainings coupled with hard work and determination is keys to mastering series of the attacks and defense strategies. Learning different techniques and how to incorporate them with proper timing is a recipe to the best boxing athlete one can be.
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