Boxing Fights

Boxing can be found in history all the way back in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It probably originated from hand to hand combat that turned into contests between two individuals for entertainment purposes. Early fights took place completely in the nude. Boxing without protective equipment meant bloodier fights with more serious injuries. Originally, the winner was declared as the person who was still alive at the end of the fight. As time went on, boxing competitors started using leather straps around their hands and sometimes wore shoes with spikes or studs in them. Early fighters were allowed to kick and stomp their opponents, and these shoes gave them an advantage. Due to some serious injuries and unintentional fatalities, rules were developed for the sport in the late 1800s as it grew in popularity in England.

Amateur Boxing Fights

Amateur boxing fights normally last about four rounds, not nearly as long as professional ones. Each round lasts just two minutes. During a regular match, if one person is scoring points heavily and surpasses their opponent by 20 points, the match is immediately stopped for safety reasons. Local, national, and international competitions are held for amateur boxing. It takes place in colleges, at the Olympic Games, and in private clubs around the world. Most amateur boxers wear more protective headgear and special gloves with a colored strip on the ends. If a fighter throws a punch that does not involve contact from the colored strip, they are penalized.

Professional Boxing Fights

Many years ago, professional boxing fights continued until one fighter quit or the police intervened. A fighter could end the contest by refusing to compete anymore, or the boxing staff could declare their fighter no longer able to participate. In the 1920s, boxers with seemingly countless amounts of energy were taking the sport to an extreme, often exceeding 15 rounds. The great Jack Dempsey was known for his endurance and long lasting boxing fights. 15 rounds became the standard limit for boxing matches until about 1980.

The present standard in professional boxing was adjusted primarily for safety reasons. A fighter who endures round after round of pummeling is likely to sustain injury. Present day professional fights are limited to 12 rounds. This protects the fighters, and also keeps contests short enough to broadcast in their entirety on television. Protective headgear or other such equipment is prohibited in professional boxing.