Boxing

In the simplest sense, boxing is competitive fist-fighting. While the modern-day sport of boxing did not emerge until the 1700’s, various forms of boxing are said to have existed since the earliest civilizations. Ancient Greek artwork, for instance, has featured depictions of fist-fighting as a sport. The sport we know of today as boxing, however, emerged in England in the mid-18th century. It grew out of an earlier amateur sport, bare-knuckle fighting, which became popular as a prizefighting sport. Modern boxing was born out of efforts to give some element of safety to the notoriously cutthroat nature of bare-knuckle fights. In the latter, there were no restrictions or rules whatsoever. One of the most successful prizefighters of the era, Jack Broughton, established a new set of rules that became known as London Prize Ring rules. These rules in turn would eventually evolve to become the rules of modern boxing today. Broughton’s rules included such pioneering steps as counting a fighter out when he is down for a count, prohibiting shots below the belt, and promoting the use of padded gloves as opposed to bare knuckles.

Cyber Boxing

While it was first and foremost a prizefighting sport, boxing today is played by professionals and amateurs alike. Amateur boxing often involves the use of much more protective gear than professional boxing – after all, there’s even less sense in suffering facial swellings on a regular basis if you’re not even getting paid for it. Thusly, amateur boxing often utilizes padded headgear and padded gloves, the latter which feature a white patch across the front of the gloves. Punches only count when this marked area of the gloves connects. Amateur boxing is the chosen form of boxing in collegiate competition as well as the Olympic Games.

Doghouse Boxing

Professional boxing, which has not changed much since the modern rules were set in the mid-1800s, is the sport most people think about when they think of boxing. There is no protective gear in professional boxing besides the padded gloves and a mouth-guard.

Bikini Boxing

For much of the 20th century, professional boxing enjoyed huge popularity, first mainly in the English-speaking world and then spreading to an international audience. The most successful boxers, such as Mohammad Ali, are regarded as some of the greatest athletes ever. Into the 21st century, however, professional boxing has experienced a steady decline in popularity, as it is said that the talent in boxing is not as good as it used to be, and some of the audiences have shifted to watching increasingly popular mixed martial arts fights such as UFC.