###### Abstract  
The aim of this scoping review was to compile the current evidence and provide a summary of the acute and chronic effects of muscle strength training on the physical fitness of amateur boxers and provide recommendations to optimize their physical performance. This scoping review was developed using guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR. The search was conducted in the Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science databases between December 2023 and June 2024. In total, 50 full-text articles were assessed to determine eligibility, while 15 studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to detailed analysis and assessment of their methodological quality. Our findings indicate that muscular strength training interventions can improve punching performance in amateur boxers acutely and chronically, in addition to improving their physical fitness and generating increases in the capacity to generate maximum force and improvements in RFD and the power production of the upper and lower limbs of boxers. However, this scoping review only included one study in female boxers, so we recommend that future studies contain muscular strength training interventions in females to analyze their adaptations in punching force and physical fitness. boxing; combat sports; muscle strength; post-activation performance enhancement 2024 14 9706 10.3390/app14219706 10.  
the least amount of punches possible [3]. Punches are movements that involve muscular actions at high speeds [4; 5], where a transmission of muscle strength is required through the entire kinetic chain of the boxer, starting with the muscle strength applied against the ground of the lower body and subsequently transferring the energy generated through the middle zone to the upper extremities to impact the rival in the head or trunk [6]. There are different types of punches (e.g., jab, cross, hook) which require different biomechanical actions for their application [4; 7; 8; 9]. For example, a jab or punch with the lead hand has the shortest execution time of all the punches, probably due to the smaller displacement of the arm and the smaller contribution of other segments in its execution [9; 10]. In this sense, [PERSON] [10] with elite senior amateur boxers found the jab presented the lowest absolute maximum force of the punches (1645 \(\pm\) 537 N, 20.6 \(\pm\) 4.8 N.kg\({}^{-1}\)), possibly given the lower generation of reaction forces against the ground and the lesser contribution of the trunk in the execution of the punch [9]. In contrast, the hook with the rear hand has reported absolute maximum force values of 2624 \(\pm\) 581 N, 33.1 \(\pm\) 4.3 N.kg\({}^{-1}\); this is because it comprises a considerable peak of the ground reaction force (GRF) of the front leg (where the force is transferred from the back leg to the front leg), and it also has a greater trunk rotation that includes a stretch-shortening cycle component whereby a pre-stretch of the trunk is performed before propelling the upper limbs at high speeds towards the opponent [9; 11; 12; 13], therefore generating greater kinetic energy and transfer through the kinetic chain of movement. While technique plays an important role in a boxer's punching ability, current evidence has reported that the force production of the neuromuscular system can also limit the impact force of punches (i.e., rate of force development, RFD) [6; 14; 15]. In addition, [PERSON] et al. [16] have defined the ability to produce and maintain high levels of muscular strength during combat as a key factor in achieving success in boxing. Particularly, maintaining the strength of punches during combat can decrease the opponent's ability to fight, affecting their performance due to the damage received, increasing the chances of a victory by KO or TKO [17]. Additionally, more experienced athletes have been shown to produce greater impact forces [7; 10; 12] which would evidently result in greater damage to the opponent during combat.