Boxing

Some of these include:. These wicks eliminate the need for metal in the wick. Numerous metaphors common to everyday speech derive from the sport of boxing. Wicks made from specially treated paper and cotton are also available. Bill O'Neill, boxing spokesman for the British Medical Association, has said in support of the BMA's proposed ban on boxing, "It is the only sport where the intention is to inflict serious injury on your opponent, and we feel that we must have a total ban on boxing."[1]. Most metal-cored wicks use zinc or a zinc alloy. Dr. Lead core wicks have not been common since the 1970s: some candles may still be found to have lead core wicks, but these are extremely rare.

Many who support the ban proposal consider its main reason is not the fact that boxing is a dangerous sport, but the fact that the goal of the sport is to cause injury to the opponent. Concerns rose that the lead in these wicks would vaporize during the burning process, releasing lead vapours - a known health and developmental hazard. In response to such statistics, Lundberg has said, "It's not the deaths but the chronic brain damage that is so frequent." the AMA says about three out of four boxers who have twenty or more professional fights show some brain deterioration. Without a stiff core, the wicks of container candles would sag and drown in the deep wax pool. Russo, authors of an article entitled Brain Injuries in Boxing, which was published in 1984.). A former worry regarding the safety of candles was that a lead core is used in the wicks in order to keep the wicks upright in container candles. McCunney and P.K. Candles are a major cause of damaging fire in households.

(This table was compiled by R.J. The root form of chandelier is from the word for candle, though candles are rarely raised and hung today. Fatality rates per 100,000 participants. Decorative candle holders, especially those shaped as a pedestal, are called candlesticks; if multiple candles are held, the term candelabrum is also used. To put the risks in perspective, here are some US figures on sports fatalities:. The cleanest burning candles will therefore be unscented, undyed, and well constructed candles burning in a draft free area. Many who disagree with the AMA point out that boxing is far from being the most dangerous of sports. The type of wick and inclusion of any scents and/or dyes will increase the amount of particulates put into the air by any candle regardless of construction materials.

George Lundberg, called boxing an "obscenity" that "should not be sanctioned by any civilized society." Since the AMA called for abolition of boxing, the British, Canadian, Australian and World Medical Association have also called for the sport's abolition, as have the American Neurological Association and the American Academy of Neurology. However highly-refined paraffin wax, since it comprises mainly hydrocarbons, can burn almost cleanly into water vapor and carbon dioxide. The editor, Dr. It is commonly believed candles made of beeswax and/or soy burn more cleanly than petroleum based paraffin waxes. In 1983, The Journal of the American Medical Association called for a ban on boxing. The unit candela was originally defined to indicate the 'brightness' of a naked candle flame. For more information on the timeline of boxing history see. For comparison, note that a 40 watt incandescent light bulb produces approximately 500 lumens for the same amount of power.

The Hall of Fame holds it's induction ceremony every June as part of a four day event. A candle typically produces about 12.6 lumens of visible light and 40 watts of heat [1], although this can vary depending primarily on the characteristics of the candle wick. In 1990, the first group of legends were inducted, which included Jack Johnson, Benny Leonard, Jack Dempsey, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Archie Moore, and Muhammad Ali. In practical terms this is almost always an aniline-based dye, although pigments can be used in some circumstances. The International Boxing Hall of Fame opened in Canastota in 1989. Candles may also be colored by the addition of some sort of coloring agent. The people of Canastota raised money for the tribute, which was so success that some started to look into the idea of creating the sport's first hall of fame and museum. Natural scents, in the form of essential oils, can be used, but these are usually only found in premium, small-run candles.

The tribute was for Carmen Basilio, who was world welterweight and middleweight champion in the 1950s, and his nephew, Billy Backus, who was world welterweight champion in the early 1970s. Often, fragrance oils are added to the liquid wax prior to pouring. The inspiration for the boxing hall of fame evolved from a tribute the town of Canastota, New York held for two local heroes in 1982. This liquid is then poured into a mold to produce pillar candles, a fireproof jar to produce container candles, or a wick is repeatedly immersed in the liquid to create a dipped taper. For many years, the sport of boxing did not have a hall of fame. The most basic production method generally entails the liquification of the solid fuel by the controlled application of heat. is the current dominant figure in boxing. Candles are produced in various colors, shapes, sizes and scents.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Candles can be made of paraffin (a byproduct of petroleum refining), stearin (now produced almost exclusively from palm waxes), beeswax (a byproduct of honey collection), gel (a mixture of resin and mineral oil), some plant waxes (generally palm, carnauba, bayberry, or soy), or tallow (a rarely used byproduct of beef fat rendering). The first British woman to be issued with a license was Jane Couch from Fleetwood, who won the Women's International Boxing Federation (W.I.B.F.) welterweight title in 1996. Candles used in this way are called Advent candles. Sue Atkins (alias Sue Catkins) helped to pioneer women's boxing in Britain in the 1980s, but without any official recognition. In the days leading to Christmas some people burn a set amount to represent each day, as marked on the candle. He lost it to Mike Tyson in a rematch of their 1989 title bout. Some candles have these measurements, usually in hours, marked along the wax.

world heavyweight title from 1995 and 1996, after beating the man who beat Lewis, Oliver McCall. With the fairly consistent and measurable burning of a candle a common use was to tell the time, though the accuracy is debatable. Frank Bruno held the W.B.C. Candles are also frequently used by Wiccans and other Neopagans for magical and meditative purposes. title in 1993. When used in this manner, lighting and extinguishing the candles marks the opening and closing of the ritual. Lennox Lewis became undisputed champion in 1999, having first gained the W.B.C. In Wicca and related forms of Neopaganism, candles are frequently used on the altar to represent the presence of the God and Goddess, and in the four corners of a ritual circle to represent the presence of the four elements.

Britain had to wait 100 years to have its first heavyweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons lost his title in 1899. The Humanist festival of HumanLight often features a candle-lighting ceremony. Subsequently, he lost to De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. This association was inspired by Carl Sagan, who subtitled his 1997 book The Demon-Haunted World with Science as a Candle in the Dark. After, the Randall fight the once invincible Chavez was see as vulnerable. For Humanists, skeptics, and nontheists (and particularly secular humanists), candles have become a symbol of the light of reason or rationality. However, his illustrious streak was broken by Frankie Randall. Candles are also used in celebrations of Kwanzaa, which is an African American holiday which runs from December 26 to January 1.

He defeated many big name fighters like: Roger Mayweather, Melderick Taylor, and Hector Camacho. Candles are also used in remembering a deceased loved one, especially on their Yahrzeit, the anniversary of their death according to the Hebrew calendar, when a 24-hour candle is lit. Julio Cesar Chavez was the most dominant fighter of this era. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by lighting a candle in a special candelabrum (menorah) each night during the eight-day holiday to commemorate the dedication of the altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. With good looks and charisma, along with plenty of boxing talent, he became the richest non-heavyweight in the history of boxing. In Judaism, candles are traditionally lit on Friday evening at the start of the weekly Sabbath celebration, and Saturday night during the Havdalah ritual, which ends the Sabbath. He won titles from junior lightweight to middleweight. Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13 with the crowning of a young girl with a ring of candles.

Oscar De La Hoya was possibly the most popular American boxer of his era. In Sweden (and other Scandinavian countries), St. When he defeated John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title, he was the first former middleweight champion to win a heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons accomplished the feat over one hundred years earlier. They are also used in Advent wreaths. He won world titles in four different weight divisions, from middleweight to heavyweight. They are still, even today, commonly used to decorate Christmas trees in Denmark and other European countries. was the most dominant fighter of the 1990s and early 2000s. Candles were traditionally used to light up Christmas trees before the advent of electric lights.

Roy Jones, Jr. Candlemas marks the end of the season of Epiphany. Lewis, a Canadian trained British born heavyweight titleholder, retired as champion. See also Paschal candle and Dikiri and trikiri. When he fought his last title fight, against Lennox Lewis in 2002, he was beaten thoroughly and knocked out. Candles are lit by worshippers in front of icons in Orthodox and other churches. He was jailed multiple times, barred from boxing for a year after biting a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear, and going into bankruptcy. Votive candles may be lit as an accompaniment to prayer.

Both in and out of the ring, he was always in the news. In Christianity, they typically represent the light of God, or specificially the light of Christ, and are often placed on the altar. The most dominant figure on the heavyweight division in the mid-to-late 80s, he ran through his opponents like a wrecking ball, becoming the first undisputed champion in a decade. See Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" because of his devastating punching power, Tyson took the world by storm. Candles are used in religious ceremonies. If there was ever a bad boy of boxing, the title surely would go to a man who burst into professional boxing like a hurricane; Mike Tyson. Small candles are often placed on birthday cakes.

In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Leonard won world titles in five different weight divisions, and was the first boxer to make 100 million dollars during his career. Scented candles are common in aromatherapy. After the retirement of Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard became the biggest star in the sport. Today, candles are usually used for their aesthetic value, particularly to set a soft, warm, or romantic ambience, and for emergency lighting during electrical power failures. Larry Holmes (a former sparring partner of Ali) and the electric promoter Don King both gained prominence during this time. Makers of candles were known as chandlers. Ali had tough opponents like Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and George Foreman, but proved himself to be the best heavyweight of his era, if not of all time. Due to local availability and the cost of resources, for several centuries up to the 19th century candles were more common in northern Europe, and olive oil lamps more common in southern Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea.

Many sociologists, observers, and critics now view Ali as a reflection of the changing society of that time. Prior to the domestication of electricity, candles were a common source of lighting, before, and later in addition to, the oil lamp. The decades of the 1960s & 1970s are best remembered by the dominance of a boxer once named Cassius Clay, who said he would "shock the world." He joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and declared himself against war. . featherweight title in 1985. Portions of the wick that are not evaporating the liquid fuel are themselves consumed in the flame, limiting the exposed length of the wick. In Northern Ireland, Rinty Monahan held the flyweight title from 1947 to 1950, and Barry McGuigan won the W.B.A. As the mass of the solid fuel is melted and consumed, the candle grows shorter.

Another great of this period was Archie Moore, who held the world light heavyweight title for ten years and scored more knockout victories than any other boxer in history. The brighter, yellower part of the flame is the remaining carbon soot being oxidized to form carbon dioxide. Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and the world middleweight title a record five times from 1951 to 1960. Within the bluer, hotter regions, hydrogen is being separated from the fuel and burned to form water vapor. This era also had Sugar Ray Robinson, who most experts rate as the best pound-for-pound boxer of all time. The burning of the fuel takes place in several distinct regions (as evidenced by the various colors that can be seen within the candle's flame). The title of the movie Rocky was inspired by this legend. This flame then provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel, the liquified fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action, and the liquified fuel is then vaporized to burn within the candle's flame.

The 1950s had a boxer who would go down in history as the only undefeated world heavyweight champion: Rocky Marciano. Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form a flame. Among the flyweights, Jackie Brown won the title in 1932, Peter Kane in 1938 and Terry Allen. The heat of the match or other flame being used to light the candle first melts and then vaporizes a small amount of the fuel. England, too, had its successes at the lighter weights. Prior to the candle being ignited, the wick is saturated with the fuel in its solid form. Ken Buchanan won the title in 1971 and Jim Watt in 1980. However in recent years new soy and vegetable candles have become popular.

Scots have also had success in the lightweight division. Typically the fuel is some form of wax - paraffin wax being the most common. Over the years, Scots have had great success at this weight; Jackie Paterson won the title in 1943 and Walter McGowan in 1966. A candle is a light source usually consisting of an internal wick which rises through the center of a column of solid fuel. The Scots had a similar pride in Benny Lynch, a flyweight from Glasgow, who held the world flyweight title in 1935 and again in 1937. Nevertheless, the successes of Nigel Benn, Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank, Joe Calzaghe, and Ricky Hatton continued to bring extensive media coverage to boxing and sustained a considerable public following.

With so many title-awarding bodies in the 1980s and 1990s, the public became unsure about who actually was the champion. and in the 1970s, John Conteh and John Stracey won the light heavyweight and welterweight titles respectively. In the 1950s and 1960s, Randy Turpin and Terry Downes won middleweight titles. In the 1940s, Freddie Mills won the light heavyweight title.

In the 1930s, Jackie Berg won the light welterweight title. Britain has had other popular world champions. Braddock finally lost his title to Joe Louis but made financial arrangements with him to receive 10% of the profits from the rest of Louis's fights. He eventually fought his way to the heavyweight title and won against Max Baer who had 10 to 1 odds in his favor.

Another famous boxer, James Braddock (better known as the Cinderella Man) inspired many with his rags to riches story. Louis is considered by many one of the best boxers of the Depression and possibly of all time. Shortly before the beginning of WW2, the battles between Louis and Max Schmeling were seen as battles between America and Nazi Germany. Joe Louis dominated the heavyweight scene for 12 years before retiring as world champion in 1949.

Jack Dempsey was one of the most important athletes of roaring twenties and became the World heavyweight champion after defeating Jess Willard. He was described as the "Mighty Atom" and "the ghost with a hammer in his hand". He was idolized in Wales, where they commonly believed him to be the best boxer, pound-for-pound, that ever lived. Between 1911 and 1923, he won seventy-five of his fights by a knockout.

He once had a sequence of eighty-eight fights without defeat. The best example was Jimmy Wilde, a Welsh flyweight who won the world Flyweight Championship in 1916 and held it until 1923. Successful fighters have provoked fierce local pride. It is the post-Queensberry (or Modern) era that has the greatest number of legendary boxers, such as world heavyweight champions Jim Jeffries (the first Great White Hope) and Jack Johnson (the first black world heavyweight champion), who fought each other in 1910 in the first "Fight of the Century".

Sullivan has been called the first great American sports hero. Sullivan, the first world heavyweight champion. The bareknuckle era produced legends like John L. They included Harry Mallin (Middleweight), 1920 and 1924), Terry Spinks (Flyweight, 1956), Dick McTaggart (Lightweight, 1956) and Chris Finnegan (Middleweight, 1968).

Among British amateur boxers, only those who won Olympic gold medals tended to achieve recognition beyond the limits of boxing enthusiasts. Great Britain, the birth place of modern boxing, has produced numerous boxing legends. He fought his last bout at the age of fifty-two. He weighed less than 12 stone but won world titles at Middleweight (1892), Light Heavyweight (1903), and Heavyweight (1897).

In the post-Queensberry era, the first British fighter to achieve superstar status was Bob Fitzsimmons. He carried many of the traditions of the old London Prize-Ring, but promoted the use of gloves and helped to popularize the sport in the United States and Australia. In the period between bare-knuckle pugilism and post-Queensberry boxing, Jem Mace was important. It is the professional side of boxing, however, that has produced the celebrities whose activities the public have generally followed.

The Olympics have long been considered a springboard for professional entry, though some Olympic champions prefer to retain their amateur status, including two Cuban three-time gold medalists, Teófilo Stevenson and Félix Savón. Famous amateur boxers have usually been Olympic medallists. The boxing world has produced talented and world famous personalities in both the amateur and professional realms. Bolo punch.

Ring Control. Brawling. Stick and Move. The "Peek-a-Boo" Style.

The "Rope-a-dope" Strategy. A left-handed boxer is called an unorthodox boxer or a Southpaw. A right-handed boxer's handedness is commonly described as orthodox. The following techniques apply to a right-handed boxer.

If a boxer is right-handed, his left hand is the lead hand, his right hand is the rear hand and vice versa. There are four basic punches in boxing: the Jab, Cross, Hook and Uppercut. During lateral motion the leg in the direction of the movement moves first while the opposite leg provides the force needed to move the body. Rearward motion involves lifting the rear leg and pushing with the lead leg.

Forward motion involves lifting the lead leg and pushing with the rear leg. Modern boxers are taught to "push off" with their feet in order to move effectively. Movement. Modern boxers can sometimes be seen "tapping" their cheeks or foreheads with their fists in order to remind themselves to keep their hands up (which becomes difficult during long bouts).

The chin is tucked into the chest to avoid punches to the jaw which commonly cause knock-outs. The right (rear) fist is held beside the chin and the elbow tucked against the ribcage to protect the body. The left (lead) fist is held vertically about six inches in front of the face at eye level. The boxer stands with the legs shoulder-width apart with the right foot a half-step behind the left foot.

The following stance applies for a right-handed boxer. The Boxer's Stance. When engaged in hand to hand combat, the Filipinos would slash the wrists of the American soldiers, the Americans adapted by changing the guarded stance and thus just one example of a boxing technicality evolving. It's been stated that Americans adopted a more upright vertical armed guard (as opposed to more horizontally held, knuckles facing the ground guard as seen when looking at early 20th century boxers such as Jack Johnson) due to the Americans' confrontations with the Filipino natives as a result of the Philippines Spanish-American war.

It differs in many ways from the typical boxing stances of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The modern boxing stance is a reflection of the current system of rules employed by professional boxing. Development. By 1988, to the displeasure of many boxing purists, all fights had been reduced to a maximum of 12 rounds only, partially for safety, and partially for television, as a 12-round bout could take one hour to broadcast, while a 15-round bout could requre 90 minutes to broadcast.

The World Boxing Association even stripped a fighter of his championship in 1983 because the fight had been a 15-round bout, shortly after the rule was changed to 12 rounds. Exactly three months after the fatal fight, the World Boxing Council reduced the number of their championship fights to 12 rounds. For decades, from the 1920s to the 1980s, world championship matches in professional boxing were scheduled for fifteen rounds, but that changed after a November 13, 1982 WBA Lightweight title bout ended with the death of boxer Duk Koo Kim in a fight against Ray Mancini in the 14th round of a nationally televised championship fight on CBS. Thus, a powerpunch can do a lot of damage to a boxer, and even a jab that connects to the chin can cause damage, regardless of whether or not headgear is being utilized.

Also, most boxers aim for the chin on opponents, and the chin is usually not padded. Headgear does not sufficiently protect the brain from the jarring that occurs when the head is struck with great force. Headgear, used in amateur boxing, protects against cuts, scrapes, and swelling, but does not protect very well against concussions. 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.

Today, most trainers do not allow boxers to train and spar without handwraps and gloves. There are many bones in the hand, and striking surfaces without proper technique can cause serious hand injuries. Boxing techniques utilize very forceful strikes with the hand. The first sanctioned bout between women was in November 1998 at Streatham in London, between Jane Couch and Simona Lukic.

By the end of the century, however, they had issued five such licenses. refused to issue licences to women until 1998. Although women fought professionally in many countries, in Britain the B.B.B.C. Ring Magazine also continued listing the World Champion of each weight division, and its rankings continue being of the most appreciated by fans.

Regional sanctioning bodies such as the North American Boxing Federation, the North American Boxing Council and the United States Boxing Association also awarded championships. By the end of the 20th century, a boxer had to be recognized by the three separate bodies to be the "Undisputed World Champion". In 1983, another world body, the International Boxing Federation (I.B.F.) was formed. The following year, a rival body, the World Boxing Council (W.B.C.), was formed.

was renamed in 1962 and became the World Boxing Association (W.B.A.). The N.B.A. Also during that time, Ring Magazine magazine was founded and it listed champions and awarded championship belts. After 1920, the National Boxing Association (N.B.A.) began to sanction "title fights".

It was generally accepted that the "world champions" were those listed by the Police Gazette. In the first part of the 20th century, the United States became the centre for professional boxing. In Britain, Jack Solomons' success as a fight promoter helped re-establish professional boxing after the Second World War and made Britain a popular place for title fights in the 1950s and 1960s. Georges Carpentier, in 1921).

They were also responsible for the first live radio broadcast of a title fight (Dempsey v. Together they grossed US$ 8.4 million in only five fights between 1921 and 1927 and ushered in a "golden age" of popularity for professional boxing in the 1920s. The most famous of all three-way partnership (fighter-manager-promoter) was that of Jack Dempsey (Heavyweight Champion, 1919-1926), his manager Jack Kearns, and the promoter Tex Rickard. The best promoters and managers have been instrumental in bringing boxing to new audiences and provoking media and public interest.

Promoters who could stage profitable title fights became influential in the sport, as did boxers' managers. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, there were title fights at each weight. The "title fight" has always been the focal point in professional boxing. continued to award Lonsdale Belts to any British boxer who won three title fights in the same weight division.

In 1929, the B.B.B.C. In 1909, the first of twenty-two belts were presented by the fifth Earl of Lonsdale to the winner of a British title fight held at the N.S.C. closed. The British Boxing Board of Control (B.B.B.C.) was first formed in 1919 with close links to the N.S.C., and was re-formed in 1929 after the N.S.C.

These rules specified more accurately the role of the officials, and produced a system of scoring that enabled the referee to decide the result of a fight. In 1891, the National Sporting Club (N.S.C.), a private club in London, began to promote professional glove fights at its own premises, and created nine of its own rules to augment the Queensberry Rules. If it has reached beyond the end of round three (or four), then the scorecards are read and whoever is ahead, wins by a technical decision. If a fight can not go on because of an injury caused to one of the competitors by a headbutt, there are different rules: If the fight has not reached the end of round three, (in some places, round four), the fight is declared a technical draw or a no contest.

In Britain, the bout is only scored by the referee, except when a title is at stake, in which case it is scored by three judges. It is also a draw when two judges score the fight a tie, regardless of who the third judge score the bout for. When one judge gives his or her vote to one boxer, another one gives it to the other boxer, and the third judge calls it a tie, this is a draw. When two judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other judge has the other boxer winning, this is called a split decision.

When two judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other one has it a tie, this is called a majority decision. When all three judges have the same boxer as the winner, this is an unanimous decision. When the fight reaches its scheduled distance, all scores are added, round by round, to determine who won on each judges' cards. If the judge deems the round to be a tie, he or she may score it 10-10.

Professional fights have three judges each, and each of the judges must use the 10 point must system: Under this system, each time a boxer wins a round in the judges' eyes, the judge gives that boxer 10 points, and the other 9 or less. If a knockout or disqualification does not occur, the fight must go to the scorecards. If a boxer simply quits fighting, or if his corner stops the fight, then the winning boxer is also awarded a technical knockout victory. 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.

In that case, the other participant is awarded a technical knockout win, which appears on the boxer's record as a knockout win (or loss). At any time, however, the referee may stop the contest if he believes that one participant can not or should not continue to box. Professional bouts are far longer than amateur bouts (ranging from four to twelve rounds), headgear is not permitted, and boxers are generally allowed to take much more punishment before a fight is halted. At any point of the fight in which a fighter is leading by twenty points (or sometimes more), the referee is indicated and the fight is stopped, the leading fighter winning by "mercy", and credited with a knockout.

Punches to the head or face of an opponent usually score the most points for a competitor. When three or more of the five judges press the button within a second of each other, the punch counts as a "point" for the fighter that landed it. A new scoring system was invented for amateur boxing: using a computer, judges must press a button every time they think a boxer landed a punch. Women's boxing will be an exhibition sport at the 2008 Olympics, but it won't become an official Olympic sport until the 2012 Olympics.

accepted new rules for Women's Boxing at the end of the 20th century and approved the first European Cup for Women in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001. The A.I.B.A. Four weeks later, an event was held between two sixteen-year-olds. The first event was to be between two thirteen-year-olds, but one of the boxers withdrew because of hostile media attention.

The British Amateur Boxing Association sanctioned its first boxing competition for women in 1997. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1904.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, amateur boxing was encouraged in schools, universities and in the armed forces, but the champions usually came from among the urban poor. The first World Amateur Boxing Championships were staged in 1974. has continued to be the official world federation of amateur boxing ever since. In 1946, however, when the International Amateur Boxing Association (A.I.B.A.) was formed in London, twenty-four nations from five continents were represented, and the A.I.B.A.

Internationally, amateur boxing spread steadily throughout the first half of the 20th century, but when the first international body, the Federation Internationale de Boxe Amateur (International Amateur Boxing Federation) was formed in Paris in 1920, there were only five member nations. From 1972 through 2004, Cuba and the United States have won the most Gold Medals, 29 for Cuba and 21 for the U.S. Boxing first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1904 and, apart from the Games of 1912, has always been part of them. had 105 clubs in affiliation.

By 1924, the A.B.A. Championships, which, therefore, took on an international complexion. By 1902, American boxers were contesting the titles in the A.B.A. (A stone is equal to 14 pounds).

Four weight classes were contested, Featherweight (9 stone), Lightweight (10 stone), Middleweight (11 stone, 4 pounds) and Heavyweight (no limit). It held its first championships the following year. In Britain, the Amateur Boxing Association (A.B.A.) was formed in 1880 when twelve clubs affiliated. The Queensberry Amateur Championships continued from 1867 to 1885, and so, unlike their professional counterparts, amateur boxers did not deviate from using gloves once the Queensberry Rules had been published.

As a result, the risk of grievous injury is considerably reduced in amateur boxing versus professional boxing. Also, in amateur boxing, referees will readily step in and stop the contest even if the competitor is only relatively lightly injured. Repeated holding can result in a boxer being penalized, or ultimately, 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.

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" is disqualified). Each punch that lands on the head or torso is awarded a point. A punch is considered a scoring punch only when the boxers connect with the white portion of the gloves. Gloves in amateur boxing have a white strip across the knuckle.

Competitors wear protective headgear and box for three to five rounds of two or three minutes each. In amateur boxing (the version of the sport found at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games) the primary emphasis is on landing scoring punches rather than concern with doing physical damage to one's opponent. The boxing rules enforced by governing bodies worldwide today at the local, national and international level are all derived in some way from the Marquis of Queensberry Rules. With the gradual acceptance of formalised rules, two distinct branches of boxing emerged; Professional and Amateur.

Sullivan in 1892 at the Pelican Athletic Club in New Orleans. The first world heavyweight champion under the Queensberry Rules was "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, who defeated John L. Resultantly, bouts became longer and more strategic with greater importance attached to defensive maneuvers such as slipping, bobbing, countering and angling. Gloves protected the hands of both fighters but their considerable size and weight made knock-out victories more difficult to achieve.

An average pair of boxing gloves resembles a bloated pair of mittens and are laced up around the wrists. The introduction of gloves of "fair-size" also changed the nature of the bouts. Each fighter was given a ten-second count if he was knocked down and wrestling was banned. Rounds were three minutes long with one minute rest intervals between rounds.

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. The rules were published under the patronage of the Marquess of Queensberry, whose name has always been associated with them. In 1867, the Marquess of Queensberry rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweights, Middleweights and Heavyweights. Later revised in 1853, they stipulated the following:.

In 1839, the London Prize Ring rules were introduced which superceded Jack Broughton's rules. Broughton also invented "mufflers" (padded gloves), which were used in training and exhibitions. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over.

The first boxing rules were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred. Modern rules banning gouging, grappling, biting, headbutting, fish-hooking and blows below the belt were absent. There were no weight divisions, round limits and no referee. Early bare-knuckle fighting was crude with no written rules.

This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used. 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. The sport would later resurface in England during the early 18th century in the form of bare-knuckle prizefighting. Records of boxing activity disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire.

In 500 A.D., the sport was banned by Theodoric the Great. Eventually, fist fighting became so popular that even aristocrats started fighting, but that was banned by the ruler Augustus. However, free men also fought. They hoped to become champions and gain their freedom.

In Ancient Rome, fighters were usually criminals and slaves. Keeping their fingers free, fighters then wore leather straps (called himantes) on their hands, wrists, and sometimes lower arms, to protect them from injury. First accepted as an Olympic sport (the ancient Greeks called it Pygme/ Pygmachia) in 688 BC, participants in the ancient games trained on punching bags (called a korykos). In time, the fighters fought on their feet and wore gloves (not padded) and wrappings on their arms below the elbows, but were otherwise naked when competing.

A Greek ruler named Thesus, who ruled around 900 B.C., was entertained by men who would be seated in front of each other and beat another with their fists until one of them was killed. Earliest evidence suggests that boxing was prevalent in North Africa during 4000 BC and the Mediterranean in 1500 BC. . Victory may also be achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable 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).

The fighter with the most points after the scheduled number of rounds is declared the winner. Points are awarded for clean, solid blows to the legal area on the front of the opponent's body above the waistline, with hits to the head and torso especially valuable. In both Amateur and Professional divisions, the combatants (called boxers or fighters) avoid their opponent's punches whilst trying to land punches of their own. Boxing, nicknamed the "sweet science" and also called pugilism or prizefighting, is a sport where two participants of similar weight attack each other with their fists in a series of two to three-minute intervals called "rounds".

EA Sports fight night 2004 and Fight Night: Round 2 (formerly Knockout Kings). Later adapted to SNES as Super Punch-Out!!. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! A Nintendo game. Activision Boxing, one of the first console games about boxing.

Hajime no Ippo A manga/anime about a young featherweight boxer. The Contender 2005 Reality TV series. Cinderella Man (2005 film) Based on the true story of Jim Braddock starring Russell Crowe. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004 film) Documentary directed by Ken Burns.

The Calcium Kid (2004 film). Black Cloud Directed by and starring Rick Schroder. Against the Ropes (2004 film) Starring Meg Ryan as Jackie Kallen famous female boxing promoter. Million Dollar Baby (2004 film) Multiple Oscar winner about a female boxer directed by Clint Eastwood.

Undefeated (2003 TV movie) Starring John Leguizamo. Champion (2002 film) South Korean film about Duk Koo Kim, a South Korean boxer who died after a bout against Ray Mancini. Ali (2001 film) Starring Will Smith. Girlfight (2000 film).

Billy Elliot, about a young dancer whose father and brother wanted to become a boxer, like Ken Buchanan. The Hurricane (1999 film) Starring Denzel Washington as middleweight Rubin Carter. Don King: Only in America (TV movie) Starring Ving Rhames. 24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997 film) Starring Bob Hoskins.

When We Were Kings (1997 film) The story of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman and The Rumble in the Jungle. The Great White Hype (1996 film) Starring Samuel L Jackson and Jeff Goldblum. Spike of Bensonhurst (1988 film). Raging Bull (1980 film) A classic boxing movie, starring Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.

The Prize Fighter (1979 film), starring Don Knotts and Tim Conway. The Champ (1979 film) Starring Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, and Rick Schroeder; remake of 1931 film. The Main Event (1979 film) Starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal. Rocky Oscar winning movie in 1976 and its sequels, starring Sylvester Stallone (also scriptwriter).

Fat City (1972 film) Starring Stacey Keach and Jeff Bridges. The Great White Hope (1970 film) Starring James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander. Golden Boy (1964 musical stageplay). Kid Galahad (1962 film) Musical starring Elvis Presley.

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962 film) Starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney. Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956 TV play) Starring Jack Palance, written by Rod Serling. Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film) Starring Paul Newman. The Harder They Fall (1956 film) Starring Humphrey Bogart.

On the Waterfront (1954 film) Starring Marlon Brando. Day of the Fight (1951 short subject) first film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The Set-Up (1949 film) Starring Robert Ryan. Champion (1949 film) Starring Kirk Douglas.

Body and Soul (1947 film) Starring John Garfield. Gentleman Jim (1942 film) Starring Errol Flynn. Golden Boy (1939 film) Starring William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck. Golden Boy (1937 stageplay) written by Clifford Odets.

Robinson. Kid Galahad (1937 film) Starring Edward G. Two-Fisted (1935 film) Comedy. The Champ (1931 film).

Battling Butler (1926 film) Starring Buster Keaton. Boxing: 1.3. College football: 3. Motorcycle racing: 7.

Scuba diving: 11. Mountaineering: 51. Hang gliding: 56. Sky diving: 123.

Horse racing: 128. Boxing in the 1980s. Boxing in the 1970s. Boxing in the 1960s.

Boxing in the 1950s. Boxing in the 1940s. Boxing in the 1930s. Boxing in the 1920s.

This is more of a gimmick than a technical maneuver, this punch is not taught, it is on the same plane in boxing technicality as is the Ali shuffle. Occasionally seen in amateur boxing, the bolo is an arm punch which owes its power to the shortening of a circular arc rather than to transference of body weight; it tends to have more of an effect due to the surprise of the odd angle it lands at rather than the actual power of the punch. The trapped fighter will not be able to move side to side for defense, and will be forced to hold his ground until he can make the attacking fighter retreat. When this happens, the boxer will attack more aggressively, keeping his opponent trapped.

If possible, the boxer will trap his opponent in the corner of the ring. As they fight, the boxer will attempt to push his opponent backwards toward the ropes, cutting down on the amount of space available for him to maneuver as he circles the center. He must not let his opponent push him backward too far, or he will lose control of the center. A fighter employing this method will position himself at the center of the ring, and allow his opponent to circle around him as they fight.

A boxer can gain advantage through strategic control of the space inside the boxing ring. Often considered the strategy of unskilled fighters, this method is often used by skilled fighters after they have gained an advantage by first injuring their opponent. Contests tend to finish quickly when one of the fighters chooses to employ this method. This is a risky tactic, as defense becomes difficult for both fighters when so many punches are being thrown together.

This strategy involves attacking aggressively without backing away for rest or defense. In this way, a fighter can slowly wear down an adversary in relative safety. The boxer will land well-timed jabs, then back away again without giving the opponent opportunity to launch an attack of his own. The "stick and move" method involves avoiding the opponent through elusive footwork.

It is also used extensively by many professional fighters. This strategy is very popular in amateur boxing where points are often more important than damage. A method made famous by Mike Tyson, the peek-a-boo involves heavy emphasis on "bobbing and weaving." Through elusive head movement, the boxer frustrates his opponent's attempts to land blows, and counters them with powerful punches of his own. However, the rope-a-dope is generally discouraged in modern boxing since most opponents are not fooled by it and few boxers possess the physical toughness to withstand a prolonged, unanswered assault.

If successful, the attacking opponent will eventually tire, creating defensive flaws which the fighter now exploits. Weathering the blows, the fighter lures the opponent into expending his energy whilst conserving his own. The rope-a-dope method involves laying back on the ropes, covering up defensively as much as possible and allowing the opponent to land punches. A tactic famously used by Muhammad Ali in his 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" bout against George Foreman.

Clinching is a temporary match state and is quickly dissipated by the referee. In this position, the opponent's arms are pinned and cannot be used to attack. To perform a clinch, the boxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms tightly against his own body. In this situation, the boxer attempts to hold or "tie up" the opponent's hands so he is unable to throw roundhouse punches or uppercuts.

The Clinch - Clinching is a rough form of grappling and occurs when the distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be employed. When protecting the head, the boxer presses both fists against the front of the face with the forearms parallel and facing outwards. When protecting the body, the boxer rotates the hips and lets incoming punches "roll" off the guard. Generally speaking, the hands are held high to protect the head and chin and the forearms are tucked against the torso to impede body shots.

The Cover-Up - Covering up is the last line of defense against an incoming strike to an unprotected face or body. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer delivers a sharp, lateral, open-handed blow to the opponent's wrist or forearm, redirecting the punch. Parry - Parrying uses the boxer's hands as defensive tools to deflect incoming attacks. To move inside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the inside".

To move outside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the outside". Once the punch has been evaded, the boxer "weaves" back to an upright position, emerging on either the outside or inside of the opponent's still-extended arm. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer bends the legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Bob and Weave - Bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming punch.

This turns the chin sideways and allows the punch to "slip" past. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer sharply rotates the hips and shoulders. Slip - Slipping rotates the body slightly so that an incoming punch passes harmlessly next to the head. The right uppercut followed by a left hook is a deadly combination.

The strategic utility of the uppercut depends on its ability to "lift" the opponent's body, setting it off-balance for successive attacks. At the same time, the knees push upwards quickly and the torso and hips rotate anti-clockwise and the rear heel turns outward, mimicking the body movement of the cross. From this position, the rear hand is thrust upwards in a rising arc towards the opponent's chin or torso. From the guard position, the torso shifts slightly to the right, the rear hand drops below the level of the opponent's chest and the knees are bent slightly.

Uppercut - A vertical, rising punch thrown with the rear hand. The hook may also be thrown with the rear hand. A hook may also target the lower body (the classic Mexican hook to the liver) and this technique is sometimes called the "rip" to distinguish it from the conventional hook to the head. Upon contact, the hook's circular path ends abruptly and the lead hand is pulled quickly back into the guard position.

At the same time, the lead foot pivots clockwise, turning the left heel outwards. The torso and hips are rotated clockwise, propelling the fist through a tight, clockwise arc across the front of the body and connecting with the target. The rear hand is tucked firmly against the jaw to protect the chin. From the guard position, the elbow is drawn back with a horizontal fist (knuckles pointing forward) and the elbow bent.

Hook - A semi-circular punch thrown with the lead hand to the side of the opponent's head. The cross can also follow a jab, creating the classic "one-two combo." The cross is also called a "straight" or "right.". It can be used to counterpunch a jab, aiming for the opponent's head (or a counter to a cross aimed at the body) or to set up a hook. After the cross is thrown, the hand is retracted quickly and the guard position resumed.

Like the jab, a half-step forward may be added. Body rotation and the sudden weight transfer is what gives the cross its power. Weight is also transferred from the rear foot to the lead foot, resulting in the rear heel turning outwards as it acts as a fulcrum for the transfer of weight. For additional power, the torso and hips are rotated anti-clockwise as the cross is thrown.

At the same time, the lead hand is retracted and tucked against the face to protect the inside of the chin. The rear shoulder is thrust forward and finishes just touching the outside of the chin. From the guard position, the rear hand is thrown from the chin, crossing the body and travelling towards the target in a straight line. Cross - A powerful straight punch thrown with the rear hand.

A half-step may be added, moving the entire body into the punch, for additional power. Due to its relatively weak power, the jab is often used as a tool to gauge distances, probe an opponent's defenses, and set up heavier, more powerful punches. It has the longest reach of any punch and does not require commitment or large weight transfers. The jab is the most important punch in a boxer's arsenal because it provides a fair amount of its own cover and it leaves the least amount of space for a counterpunch from the opponent.

After making contact with the target, the lead hand is retracted quickly to resume a guard position in front of the face. The rear hand remains next to the face to guard the jaw. As the punch reaches full extension, the lead shoulder is brought up to guard the chin. The jab is accompanied by a small, clockwise rotation of the torso and hips, while the fist rotates 180 degrees, becoming horizontal upon impact.

Jab - A quick, straight punch thrown with the lead hand from the guard position. Biting, headbutting and hitting below the belt were declared fouls. If a fighter was knocked down, he must rise within 30 seconds of his own power to be allowed to continue. Fights occur in a 24-foot-square ring surrounded by ropes.