Boxing Through The Ages

By Nolan Barias


Boxing has transformed from ancient bare-knuckle competitions into a complex sport that you will see not only in the boxing ring, but also during many mixed martial arts contests. As with all components of mixed martial arts, boxing is an ancient sport pre-dating the modern era by many centuries. Evidence of boxing matches can be found as far back as 4,000 or more years ago and took place in ancient Sumer, Greece and Babylon to name a few.

While one can presume that boxing didn't suddenly disappear, recordings of boxing matches are fairly scarce until the late 17th century when there are published accounts of bare-knuckle boxing in England. The sport was highly popular in England, and there were even official rules for the sport, known as Broughton's Rules. Broughton not only created rules for the game, he also invented the first type of padded gloves.

Broughton's rules continued to evolve and change until about 1867, when the Marquess of Queensbury financed the publication of uniform boxing rules, and while they weren't written by him, they are known as the Marquess of Queensbury Rules. Most of these rules are still in practice today in the professional boxing world.

There were 12 rules, which include setting the length of boxing rounds, as well as setting the number of rounds. The size of the boxing ring and the type of gloves to be worn also are written down in these rules, as well as where fighters should stand between rounds.

The sport of boxing was primarily a way for fighters to earn money during this time and, of course, gambling was a huge part of every fight. However, when the modern Olympic Games were formed, amateur boxing leagues were established with the emphasis resting on boxing as an art form and sport and not as a financial enterprise. The rules for amateur boxing are different, with shorter bouts and more protective gear being among the differences.

For mixed martial arts fighters, learning boxing skills is a great way to improve one's footwork and hand combat skills. While historically, boxers have not fared well in mixed fights, it is always wise to expand your skill set. A well-rounded fighter is more likely to be successful in MMA, so it is important to train at a gym that offers classes and training in Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu and boxing, as well as strength training and conditioning.




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