Boxing Vocabulary.

Fighting with the fists seems to come naturally to human beings. Whether kids are playfully
fighting for fun, or adults are fighting in anger, many will protect themselves by holding
their fists in front of the face, and attack by punching with their fists. The same actions form the
basis of boxing. For thousands of years, men and boys, and sometimes girls and women, have
fought in boxing matches, sometimes with gloves and protective gear, and sometimes with bare
fists and little or no protection. Boxing has always been a controversial sport, loved by some and
hated by others. Its fans see it as the most exciting and challenging of sports, a true test of a
person's physical strength, mental alertness and courage. But those who dislike boxing see it as a
brutal and dangerous activity, and some even believe it should be banned.

History

Carvings and paintings show people fighting with their fists over 5,000 years ago in ancient
Sumeria and over 3,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. We don't know if these fights were a regulated
sport like boxing, or a form of violent entertainment like gladiator fighting in ancient Rome. But by
the time of the ancient Greeks, boxing had become a sport and it was part of the Olympic Games
as early as 688 B.C. It then became popular in other parts of Europe, but in 500 A.D. it was banned
by the Roman Emperor Theodoric the Great. Theodoric was a Christian who believed that the
human face was made in God's image, and that by damaging the face, boxing also damaged God's
image.

Modern boxing had its origins in England during the early 18th century, when bare-
knuckled prizefighting was popular. This was not a regulated sport, however, but an illegal
business run by criminal gangs who earned money by selling tickets and taking bets. There were
no written rules, no weight divisions, no rounds or time limits, no protective gear like gloves, and
no referee. Many fighters were seriously hurt, and some were even killed.

Improvements began with the introduction of the London Prize Ring rules in 1743. Hitting a fighter
while he was down was no longer allowed, and if a fighter went down and could not continue after
a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. In 1853, more rules were introduced, with biting, head-
butting and hitting "below the belt" being banned and called fouls. Improvement continued with
the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry rules in 1867, which mark the real
transformation of prize-fighting into the sport of boxing. Matches would be held in a 24-foot-
square ring, with three-minute rounds and one-minute breaks between them. A fighter who was
knocked down was given a ten-second count, and if he couldn't get up in time, the referee would
stop the fight. Thickly padded boxing gloves had to be worn to protect fighters from facial and
hand injuries. The Queensbury rules still form the basis of boxing to this day.

Boxing's image was greatly improved by its return to the Olympic Games in 1908, and by the
establishment of boxing commissions to further regulate the sport. They developed a ratings
system, oversaw regional and national competitions and world championship matches, and
handled any disputes and protests.

How Boxing Works

Modern boxing has two main forms; amateur and professional. Amateur boxing can be seen at
colleges and universities, at national and international tournaments, and at major sporting events
such as the Olympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games. Protective headgear must be worn (see
photo at right), the bouts are limited to three or four two-minute rounds, and results are decided
on a strict points-scoring system. Professional boxing is far more popular than amateur boxing,
which is often seen as a way of developing the skills needed for the professional form of the sport.
Matches are usually much longer than amateur bouts, lasting for ten to twelve three-minute
rounds, and protective headgear is not permitted. Fights are more often decided by knockout or
technical knockout, meaning the referee decides a fighter cannot continue because of injuries
such as cuts to the face, or because of exhaustion. But if a fight goes the full distance, the result is
decided by a team of three judges who keep score during the fight by awarding points for legal
punches. The referee can also instruct the judges to deduct points if a fighter commits a foul. If all
the judges agree on which fighter is the winner, it is a unanimous decision, but if they disagree, the
result is a split decision.

Boxing involves techniques for both attacking and defending. The only attacking move allowed in
boxing is punching. Kicking, kneeing, elbowing, head-butting, holding and throwing are not
allowed. There are four basic punches; the jab, the cross, the hook and the uppercut. The jab is a
quick, straight punch thrown with the lead hand, which for a right-handed, orthodox fighter, is the
left hand, and for a left-handed, southpaw fighter is the right hand. The jab is not a powerful
punch, but it's good for scoring points, for checking distance, and for starting a combination of
punches. A cross is a powerful, straight punch thrown with the rear hand, which is the right hand
for orthodox fighters and the left hand for southpaws. It can follow a jab to create the classic "one-
two" combination. The hook is a semi-circular punch thrown with the lead hand to the side of the
opponent's head. A hook can also target the lower body and this punch is sometimes called a
"rip". The uppercut is a rising punch thrown with the rear hand, aimed at the jaw or deep into the
stomach area. The right uppercut followed by a left hook is a powerful and dangerous
combination.

Just as important as the attacking techniques are the defensive techniques. These include the
protective guard, as well as techniques to evade and block punches. There are several defensive
positions, called guards, which boxers use. In a high guard both hands are raised to protect the
face, while in a low guard the rear hand is held lower to add protection to the body. To evade
punches and avoid being hit, boxers use a number of moves. One such move is slipping, in which a
boxer turns his body slightly from the hips to let a punch "slip" past. Another is swaying, in which a
boxer "sways" straight back from the hips in order to move his head back and out of way of an
approaching punch. Boxers also bob and weave, meaning they evade a punch by bobbing, or
bending the legs and lowering the head, and then move into an attacking position by weaving, or
straightening up while stepping in towards the opponent. Other defensive techniques
include parrying, blocking and clinching.

In order to win a fight, a boxer must use these techniques for attacking and defending within a
good overall strategy. In the early rounds of a fight, boxers figure out what their opponent's strong
points and weak points are, and then try to find a winning strategy, taking into account their own
strengths and weaknesses as well. As such, boxing is very much a "mental" contest as well as a
physical one, and champion boxers need to be quick thinkers as well as quick punchers and
movers.

Most Famous Boxer

Muhammad Ali

On January 17, 1942, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A. He grew up
to become the most famous boxer of all time, though most people now know him as Muhammad
Ali, the name he adopted in 1964 when he converted to Islam. Ali is a former three-time World
Heavyweight Champion and winner of an Olympic gold medal. In 1999, he was crowned
"Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and the BBC. Ali had the perfect body for a boxer.
He stood 6-ft 3-in tall (1.91 m) and had a strong physique, but he was as fast as a much smaller
man. He used his foot-speed and quick body movement to avoid punches, and this allowed him to
use a low guard instead of the high guard usually used to protect the face. This made Ali look very
relaxed in the ring, and he would often seem to be "playing" with his opponent, in the way a cat
might "play" with a mouse, before suddenly stepping up the pace and going "in for the kill". Later
in his career, when he slowed down a little, Ali developed a new style he called "rope-a-dope".
With this technique he would stay on the ropes with a high guard and cover up to absorb punches
to his arms and body, or lean back on the ropes and sway to avoid the punches, until his opponent
wore himself out. Then Ali would begin a strong attack which usually ended the fight with a
knockout. Muhammad Ali retired from boxing in 1981, though his influence on the sport will
continue forever. The beauty of his early style, which Ali himself described as "Float like a
butterfly, sting like a bee", will never be forgotten by boxing's many fans.
Boxing Vocabulary List

word example sentence meaning

bare-knuckled Bare-knuckled fighting was without protective gloves

popular until the nineteenth
century.

block He could block most of the use the hands, arms and shoulders to
punches, but some got through stop punches from landing on the face
and hit his face. or body

blow A blow to the stomach can make strike or hit; punch with a clenched fist
it difficult to breathe.

bout Mike had his first bout in organized fight in boxing or wrestling
professional boxing when he
was sixteen.

clinch Both fighters were tired and lean on and hold one's opponent
clinching too much, so the instead of fighting
referee told them to "break".

combination His best combination was a left series of punches thrown in sequence
jab followed by a right cross,
and then a left hook.

counterpunch After throwing a right hook, he punch thrown after an opponent has
left himself open and got hit by thrown a punch
a strong counterpunch.

cross An orthodox boxer usually a straight power punch thrown directly

throws a cross with his stronger at the target
right arm.

fist He raised his arms and held his tightly closed hand with the fingers
fists in front of his face to bent in towards the palm
word example sentence meaning

protect himself.

foul The referee warned Mike after unfair act or un-sportsmanlike conduct
he threw another foul punch.

gloves / boxing Boxing gloves help to prevent protective padded coverings for the
gloves damage to the hands, especially hands, usually made of leather
the knuckles.

head-butt The referee stopped the fight foul of hitting an opponent with the
after a head-butt opened a cut head
over Ali's left eye.

holding After warning Joe for holding foul of preventing an opponent from
several times, the referee punching by holding their arms against
deducted points. their body

hook He finished the combination short sideways inside punch delivered

with a right hook to the jaw. with the elbow bent

jab Fighters use the jab to earn quick punch with the leading hand,
points, but it's not a powerful straight from the chin to the target
punch.

kidney punch Referees disqualify fighters who illegal blow to the lower back which
use kidney punches to hurt their can damage the kidneys
opponent.

knockdown A referee usually starts an eight occurs when a boxer is hit and any part
count after a knockdown. of his body, other than the feet,
touches the floor

knockout / KO He has won seventeen fights, occurs when a boxer is hit hard and
thirteen of them by knockout. loses consciousness
word example sentence meaning

low blow The referee stopped the fight to foul blow to the area below the
let Harada recover from a low stomach, including the genitals
blow.

match Our son won his first boxing an organized contest between people
match last night, and we're very or teams
proud of him.

neutral corner He went to the neutral corner corner of the ring a boxer must go to
and waited for his opponent to after knocking down an opponent
get up off the floor.

parry He stood on the ropes with his fend off punches with the gloves
gloves up, parrying the punches
as they came.

promoter The fighters said the promoter company or person who finances and
didn't pay them as much as he organizes a sporting or entertainment
said he would. event

punch People say he can't take a good strike with a clenched fist
punch, and is easily knocked
out.

rabbit punch Dirty fighters try to hurt their illegal punch to the back of the head or
opponents with illegal blows like neck which can damage the spinal cord
rabbit punches.

ring The fighters climbed through raised square platform on which

the ropes and into the ring. boxing matches are held

ropes Ali would stay on the ropes and lengths of strong cord enclosing a
wait for his opponent to wear boxing ring
himself out.
word example sentence meaning

rounds In men's boxing rounds last for time periods in a boxing match for
three minutes, but in women's fighting, separated by one-minute
boxing they last for two breaks
minutes.

southpaw Good boxers know how to deal left handed fighter who jabs with the
with any opponent, including right hand and throws power punches
unorthodox fighters like with the left hand
southpaws.

sparring He was one of Ali's regular when boxers make the motions of
sparring partners. boxing without landing heavy blows, as
a kind of training

split decision It was a close fight, and the occurs when two of the three judges
winner won it on a split score one boxer as the winner, while
decision. the third judge scores the other boxer
as the winner

standing eight The referee checked the fighter occurs when a boxer looks hurt and
count during the standing eight count, the referee stops the fight and counts
and then let him continue. to eight to see if he can continue

sucker punch I was hurt by a sucker punch unexpected punch that catches a
that got me in the stomach boxer by surprise
when I wasn't looking.

technical Robert says he would have won occurs when a fighter loses because a
knockout / TKO the fight if it hadn't been legal punch causes a cut, usually on his
stopped on a technical face, that stops the fight
knockout.

unanimous He won the fight easily and got a occurs when all three judges agree on
decision unanimous decision from the who is the winner of a fight
judges.
word example sentence meaning

upper cut My best punch was an upper cut upward punch aimed at the jaw or the
that hit him on the jaw and stomach
nearly knocked him out.

weight classes Boxers sometimes move to a competition divisions based on weight,

different weight class, often to a such as "heavyweight"
heavier one.

weigh-in The boxers tried to upset each pre-fight meeting for boxers to be
other with insults at the weigh- weighed to make sure they are within
in before the fight. their weight class limits