Professional boxers compete with each other in fights that are organised by promoters and managers. Each fighter is pitted against someone of similar weight, and the weights are divided into categories called divisions.
Matches are mostly fought in rounds of 3 minutes, with a break of 1 minute between rounds. The number of total rounds varies but is often 8, 10 or 12 rounds. If a fighter is beaten enough, knocked out, or the the fight is stopped, a winner is declared.
The rounds are also scored by three judges at ringside, so that if the fight goes to the end and nobody has won, the points will determine the winner, or sometimes it is a draw.
There are many fight rules, and they’re covered in detail in other videos, but put simply the boxers can punch each other to the head and upper body, move around the ring and dodge the opponent. Feinting, to get a reaction from an opponent, and counter-punching when an opponent is not in a defensive position are techniques to gain advantage. Boxers must defend themselves at all times and obey the referee’s commands to stop and start.
What’s The Appeal?
The appeal of boxing is world-wide and fans enjoy the spectacle of seeing athletes in peak condition performing and out-boxing each other. It is highly skilled, and requires dedication and years of training and commitment to compete at the highest levels. Boxing events create excitement and entertainment, and as the rules have been adapted to make it safer, its goal is to be a sport of honor and respectful combat. Rivalries do exist between boxers; sometimes this is exaggerated to increase the hype of a fight.
Styles Of Fighting
Each boxer will have a unique style of boxing, which vary in stance and technique. They include ‘slugger’ and ‘counter-puncher’ and the matching of different styles makes for interesting combinations and ensures no two fights are the same.
The punches in a boxer’s arsenal include jabs, hooks and uppercuts. A fighter may have specialisms or strengths at particular punches or combinations. A referee enforces the rules and keeps the fight clean where possible.
Wrestling is not permitted but there can be certain amount of holding or clinching, which is often used tactically. A set of rules called the Queensbury rules have evolved over time and are generally accepted and adapted by the organising bodies for use in boxing matches.
They wear padded gloves, and these also vary in weight and padding, and are agreed on before the fight. They also wear boxing shorts and shoes.
Training
A boxer trains at a gym, and has help from a team including trainers, and sparring partners who help a boxer develop their skills in a controlled way. Professional fighters will often have paid sparring partners they work with. Trainers are experienced and help with technique and are sometimes ex-boxers.
As boxing is a physically demanding sport, most fighters stay in good condition between fights, but a pre-fight period of intense training takes place to prepare them into their best possible condition.
Injuries that occur during a fight can be treated in the breaks by cutmen and are overseen by ringside physicians who can also stop the fight if they think a boxer is too damaged to continue safely. Cuts and bleeding may cause a fight to be stopped early.
The ring, which is square shaped, is a canvas floor surrounded by ropes to keep the boxers contained and offer some cushioning when a boxer is on them, especially in the corners which have extra padding.
Why Box?
As well as for reputation, a boxer gets paid for fighting and the amounts vary according to the appeal of the fight and the deal made with the promoters. The amount of money, called a purse, for each fighter is split between the team, so the take-home pay for the fighter will be a percentage of this.
Boxers compete for titles and belts which are awarded by several sanctioning bodies. They can hold multiple titles at a specific weight, and move into different weight divisions. It is common for a fighter to change in weight as they progress their career. Holding a title gives a boxer more prestige, leads to more fights to defend the title, and increases the income a boxer can generate from future fights.
Boxing Unboxed 