Put a pair of people in a ring, strap red gloves to their hands, and they will almost certainly know what they’re supposed to do. Chances are you won’t even have to explain the rules, given how universally understood boxing is. Throw out punches, avoid your opponent’s punches, and hopefully the opponent will go down before you do. Knocking an opponent out isn’t necessary, but is applauded. If both are still standing after 12 rounds, 3 minutes each, scoring will determine the winner.
This is boxing as we know it today. What most don’t appreciate is that boxing is amongst the oldest sports in the world. It was included in the 23rd Olympic Games, putting its popularity as far back as 688 BCE. Though, this is simply noting the moment it was part of the Olympic Games, with the sport itself going back even further.
A History Beyond Comprehension
If we want to truly appreciate how old boxing is we need to go back way further. Sumerian carvings dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE seem to depict was is most likely boxing. It is, of course, very debatable as to whether any rules were followed at that time, but the activity depicted is clearly the trading of punches.
A clearer depiction of boxing as a sport comes from 1350 BCE, in which boxers are even shown with spectators. The boxers here are not wearing any hand protection, but that spectators are present indicates that this was clearly a sport. But this single image doesn’t mean that gloves were entirely absent from boxing in that era. A vase from Minoan Crete, 1500 BCE, shows not only helmets but also hand protection.
How fascinating is it that we humans today, living in a world where online Keno real money can be played wirelessly, share the same understanding as those living in 1500 BCE. Of course boxers should wear helmets!
Emphasis On Violence
Or should they? In Ancient Greece, 1200 BCE – 323 BCE, only basic rules were applied to boxing. The fight went on until one of the boxers gave up or could not continue. Clinching was also strictly forbidden. However, although the Greeks appreciated rules, they were not as concerned as we are about avoiding unnecessary injury. The era often saw praise heaped on the bloodiest fights, with it being acknowledged that many boxers left the ring permanently disfigured.
An Evolving Sport
Between 1681 and 1698 boxing was popular in the Royal London Theatre, but with contestants being bare fisted. There were also no weight restrictions, all but guaranteeing that the biggest man was the champion. Although some degree of wrestling was permitted, it was forbidden to hit a man that was down.
A popular reigning champion, James Figg, trained a successor named Jack Broughton. Broughton was instrumental in introducing the rules we know today. His rules were implemented in 1743, making official ‘mufflers,’ or padded gloves. Broughton’s rules were replaced by the similar, but more detailed London Prize Ring rules in 1838.
Thus, modern boxing as we know it was born.