Boxing has become one of the most celebrated sports of our time. With big name matches being held in glamorous locations like Las Vegas, it attracts the interest of media world wide as well as the attention of boxing enthusiasts.
The history of boxing shows us that the sport is basically the same as when it was first introduced. Granted some of the aspects have evolved considerably since then. However, the basic premise remains largely the same.
To trace the history of boxing to its roots we need to go back to North Africa during 4000 BC. Another place that participated in boxing early on was the Mediterranean during 1500 BC.
The first documented evidence of boxing was in Greece in 900 BC, when a ruler found the practice of watching two men beat each other entertaining. The difference between this early form of boxing and the boxing we enjoy today is that the ruler, a man named Thesus, allowed the boxing match to continue until one of the opponents was killed.
The history of boxing also indicates a very big difference in the attire worn by the boxers during the beginning of the sport and the safety equipment required today. Early boxers wore nothing except for padding on their arms and a pair of unpadded gloves.
Boxing was one of the first Olympic sports. It was part of the competition at the 668 BC Olympic Games. The competitors wore clothing but instead of gloves their hands were covered with leather straps that were designed to protect them from injury.
Looking at the more recent history of boxing we see that in 1681 in London the first bare-knuckled prize fight was fought. Very similar to the early fights that occurred in Greece, this type of boxing didnt afford any type of protection for the participants.
As the name indicates they fought with their bare hands. Throwing punches directly to the body and the head of their opponents. This continued for many years and in 1743 the first set of documented rules were introduced. This was done mainly to prevent the deaths that had been occurring during the matches.
The rules stated that if a man fell and didnt get up after a period of 30 seconds the boxing match would be over. It was also during this period that boxing gloves with padding were introduced and required.
Reviewing the history of boxing shows that the sport rose in popularity and championships with prize money were soon formed. This eventually graduated into the introduction of amateur boxing which is what we see during the Olympic Games today.
In amateur boxing the focus is mainly on landing punches that will score you points. The competitors are not as concerned with landing a knock-out as professional boxers are.
Throughout the recent history of boxing many amateur boxers, after competing in the Olympic Games will progress to the world of professional boxing. With the prize money many times in the millions of dollars and the endorsement deals exceeding that, its a lucrative career move. |
