Olympic Boxing Rules, Scoring and Judging By Andrew Eisele Updated October 12, 2016. What are the rules for boxing at the Olympic Games ? Several rule changes were made in 2013 that affected the Games from 2016 onward. These included allowing professional boxers to qualify, eliminating headgear for men, raising the minimum age to 19, and changing the scoring system. Qualifying for Olympic Boxing Unlike most sports, slots are limited for Olympic boxing and just because you qualified nationally does not mean you are going to the Games. Professionals qualify through their ranking and an international Olympic qualifyer tournament. Amateur boxers qualify for the Olympics through performances at regional tournaments in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania, or at a world qualifying tournament. More: How to Become an Olympic Boxer Olympic Tournaments The boxers are paired off at random for the Olympic Games, without regard to ranking. They fight in a single-elimination tournament, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser dropping out of the competition.

continue reading below our video How Boxing Is Scored: Amateur Winning boxers progress through the preliminary rounds to the quarterfinals and semifinals. The two semifinals winners fight for the gold and silver medals, while both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals. Men's bouts consist of a total of three rounds of three minutes each. Women's bouts consist of a total of four rounds of two minutes each. There is a one-minute rest interval between each round. Contests are won by knockout or on points. Scoring was switched to the 10-point must system as of the 2016 Olympic Games. Scoring for Olympic Boxing Through 2012 Before 2016, Olympic boxing matches were scored by hits. A panel of five judges pressed buttons when they believed the boxer had delivered a scoring hit with a marked part of the glove on the opponent's head or body above the belt. The electronic scoring system counted a point when three or more judges scored a hit within one second of each other. Under this system, the total points at the end of the bout determined the winner. Ties were determined first by who took the lead with better style, and if still a tie, by who showed the better defense.

Scoring for Olympic Boxing 2016 and Onward As of the 2016 Olympic Games, scoring is done with the traditional 10-point must system that is commonly used in boxing. Rather than the total points, each round is scored by the five judges and a computer randomly selects three of their scores to count. Each judge must award 10 points to the boxer they judge to have won the round within 15 seconds of the end of the round. The judging criteria are the number of target-area blows landed, domination of the bout, technique and tactical superiority, competitiveness, and infringement of the rules. The winner of the round gets 10 points, while the loser gets a lower number from six to nine points. Nine points would denote a close round, eight points a clear winner, seven points total dominance, and six points overmatched. After the final round, each judge adds their round scores to determine a winner. In an unanimous decision, all of the judges gave the same boxer two or more rounds. If there is a disagreement among the judges, it is a split decision. Fouls When a boxer commits a foul, he faces a caution, a warning or, in extreme cases, disqualification.

Two cautions for a particular offense mean an automatic warning, and three warnings of any kind mean disqualification. Some of the more common fouls include hitting below the belt, holding, pressing an arm or elbow into the opponent's face, forcing the opponent's head over the ropes, hitting with an open glove, hitting with the inside of the glove and hitting the opponent on the back of the head, neck or body. Others include passive defense, not stepping back when ordered to break, speaking offensively to the referee and trying to hit the opponent immediately after the order to break. Down and Out During a bout, a boxer is considered down if, as a result of being hit, he touches the floor with any part of his body besides his feet. He also is down if he is even partly outside the ropes or hanging on them helplessly from being hit, or if he still is standing but is judged to be unable to continue. When a boxer is down, the referee starts counting from one to 10 seconds. The count now is timed electronically, with a beep sounding for each number, but referees often still choose to call them out.

The referee also is required to signal the count to the downed boxer by holding a hand in front of him and counting with his fingers. If the boxer is still down after the 10 seconds, the opponent wins on a knockout. Even if a boxer gets back on his feet immediately, he is obliged to take a mandatory eight-count. After the eight seconds, the referee will give the command "Box" if he feels the match should continue. If the boxer gets to his feet but falls again without receiving another blow, the referee starts counting at eight. A boxer who is down and being counted can be saved by the bell only in the final round of the final. In all other rounds and bouts, the count continues after the bell sounds. If any boxer takes three counts in one round or four counts in the bout, the referee will stop the fight and declare the opposing boxer the winner. Three doctors sit at ringside and each has the authority to stop a bout if medical reasons appear to necessitate it. If the referee has to stop a bout in the first round because a boxer has suffered a cut eye or a similar injury, the other boxer is declared the winner.

If it happens in the second or third round, though, the judges' point tallies up to that time determine the winner. If both boxers go down at the same time, counting continues as long as one remains down. If both remain down at 10, the boxer with the most points is declared the winner. Other ways a boxer may be declared the winner during a bout include the referee stopping the bout because the opponent is taking too much punishment, or the opponent being disqualified or withdrawing, perhaps because of injury. Also, the opponent's seconds could decide he is suffering too much punishment and throw in the towel. Rules for Olympic Boxers Boxers are required to shake hands before the first round and after the results have been declared. The age limits for Olympic boxing are a minimum age of 19 (raised from 17 in 2013) and a maximum age of 34. Boxers must be clean shaven or facial hair restricted to a small mustache no longer than the length of the upper lip. Beards are banned. Before every bout, a medical examiner must declare the boxers fit. Boxers must weigh in every day. Boxers must wear boxing gloves conforming to AIBA standards.

Gloves weigh 10 ounces and feature a white strip to mark the main hitting area. Competitors wear either red or blue. Headgear was eliminated for men in 2013 as studies found the risk of concussion was higher for those who wore headgear. Olympic Boxing Rings Bouts are conducted in a square ring measuring 6.1 meters inside the ropes on each side. The floor of the ring consists of canvas stretched over a soft underlay, and it extends 45.72 centimeters outside the ropes. Each side of the ring has four ropes running parallel to it. The lowest one runs 40.66 cm above the ground, and the ropes are 30.48 cm apart. The corners of the ring are distinguished by colors. The corners occupied by the boxers are colored red and blue, and the other two corners, called "neutral" corners, are white. Olympic Boxing middleweight 75kg Olympic Games Boxing Trivia Under Swedish law, boxing was not allowed at the 1912 Stockholm Games. This is the only time that boxing has not been on the program since it was introduced in 1904.

Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1904. It was not until the 2012 Olympics that it was again included on the Olympic program. Until 1936, weight classes were measured in pounds, and changed to kilograms from 1948 onwards. American Eddie Eagan, who was a boxing gold medalist at the 1920 Games, became the only person to have won gold medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. He also won gold at the 1932 Lake Placid Games in the team bobsled event. During the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, Romanian Boxer Nicolae Berechet was eliminated in the first round of the featherweight class. On August 11, 1936, a few days after match, he died mysteriously of blood poisoning and was buried in Berlin. In Rome, 1960, 18-year-old boxer Cassius Clay - later to be known as Muhammad Ali - became the light heavyweight boxing champion. In 1996, he returned to the Olympic Games to light the cauldron at the start of the Centennial Games.

Future professional boxing star George Foreman won the heavyweight gold medal at Mexico City in 1968 Lennox Lewis , fighting for Canada, won the super heavyweight gold medal at Seoul in 1988 before switching allegiance to Britain and becoming the country's greatest ever heavyweight. In 1976, five American boxers won gold medals, including three future world boxing champs: Ray Leonard , Michael Spinks, and Leon Spinks. In 1980, super-heavyweight Teófilo Stevenson of Cuba became the first boxer to win in the same weight division three times in a row. In 1992, Cuba won seven gold medals in boxing. At the 2000 Games, the boxing format was changed from the customary three three-minute rounds to four two-minute rounds. The best all-time performing Boxer at the Olympic Games is tied with László Papp, Félix Savón and Teófilo Stevenson all with 3 gold medals. See more on the Greatest Boxers at the Olympics . A bout in the women's competition in 2012 between eventual champion Katie Taylor of Ireland and home favorite Natasha Jonas registered the highest decibel level of any event across the entire Games.

In 2016, head guards were scrapped for the men and electronic scoring replaced. In a controversial decision, it was decided that for the first time professional boxers will be allowed to compete at the Rio Olympic Games. A familiar name was on the boxing card for the 2016 Games, an unrelated Muhammad Ali was representing the UK. Current rules stipulate that boxers are not allowed to compete over the age of 40 Share: Boxing Rules & Regulations | iSport.com Boxing Rules & Regulations Boxing Rules & Regulations At its earliest stages, the sport of boxing had very few rules and regulations. The object during the time of the Ancient Greeks and Romans was simply to outlast the opponent. In this case, “outlasting” meant numerous things, such as surviving while your opponent lay dying on the ground. Over the course of time and many blood-ridden fights, however, rules and regulations were implemented. This was done in order to make the sport fair and civilized, while still allowing the object of the game to continue: Hit and don’t get hit. Although boxing’s rules and regulations differ slightly among different bodies and organizations, the sport has a number of common features that are easily identifiable.

In its most simplistic form, boxing is a sport that takes place in a square-shaped ring between two athletes. The boxers look to “knock out” the opponent or out-point the opponent by landing clean punches on the body and head without receiving more blows in return. Here are more of the sport’s general rules and regulations, followed by some specifications for different governing bodies. Equipment Gloves This is the most noticeable piece of required equipment for boxers. Boxing gloves provide padding and are worn to protect the hands and wrists of the boxer, as well as the head and body of the opposing boxer. Professional boxers use gloves of varying sizes, but the majority of professional organizations require boxers to wear gloves of either 8 or 10 ounces. Both boxers must agree on the weight of the gloves prior to the fight. In most amateur bouts, boxers wear ten-ounce gloves in lighter weight classes, and 12-ounce gloves in heavier weight classes. Prior to putting their gloves on, they are required to have their hands wrapped with cotton wraps or gauze. The Rest A mouthpiece has to be worn in order to protect the mouth and teeth, and also to absorb some of the force of blows to the head.

Amateur boxers must also wear approved headgear for protection. Protective cups are to be worn at all levels to shield the groin area. Boxers at all levels are also required to wear loose-fitting trunks and soft-soled shoes. Finally, at the amateur level, boxers must wear a sleeveless jersey of a different color than the waistband of the trunks. Match Procedure Prior to a match, each boxer is assigned a corner that is referred to as either the red corner or blue corner. The boxer and his team, made up of the boxer’s head trainer, assistant trainer, and cutman, meet in the assigned corner prior to the fight and between rounds. A match is composed of a number of two- or three-minute rounds separated by one-minute rest periods. A bell is rung to signify the start of each round. To signify that there are ten seconds remaining in each round, a ring official uses a hammer to hit a wooden table at ringside. Several officials will take part in regulating a bout. The officiating team consists of judges who sit ringside, and a referee who is in the ring with the boxers. Judges are responsible for scoring the bout.

The referee is the only person who can officially stop a bout; although, a medical professional, the boxer’s corner, or the boxer himself can signal to the referee that they would like the bout to be stopped. Other responsibilities of the referee include: Giving instructions to boxers prior to the fight, breaking up clinching boxers, counting to ten for a downed boxer, and determining when a foul should be punishable by point deduction. Standard Rules Boxers must always be standing on their feet in order to exchange punches. Punches thrown by a boxer must land above the waistline of the opposition. Punches are the only legal way to hit the opponent. Only the knuckle portion of the glove is allowed make contact with the opponent. Punches must not land on the back of the opponent, including the areas of the kidneys and the back of the head. A boxer hit with an unintentional low blow (a punch below the waist) has up to five minutes to recover and will be considered knocked-out if he is unable to recover. The head of a boxer must always be above the waistline of the opponent. When a referee breaks up clinching boxers, both boxers must take a full step back before throwing a punch.

When a boxer gets knocked down, his opponent is restricted from hitting the downed boxer and must go to a neutral corner while the referee makes the ten-count. The ten-count gives the downed boxer the opportunity to get back to his feet to continue fighting. Once a boxer stands after being knocked down, he must be approved to continue by the referee. If the boxer is unable to recover from the knockdown, his opponent will win by way of knockout (KO). Slipping or falling is not considered a knockdown, but a boxer who has slipped or fallen still cannot be hit while down. If a boxer cannot continue due to injury from an intentional foul, the boxer who committed the foul will be disqualified. If an intentional foul occurs and does not stop the fight, the referee must take points away from the boxer who committed the foul. Boxers who commit unintentional fouls receive a warning from the referee, who can also deduct points from a boxer if the boxer continues to commit the foul. Unintentional fouls that end a fight immediately can result in either a ‘no-contest’ ruling or a declared winner. In professional boxing, a no-contest would occur if less than four rounds of the match have been completed.

Neither boxer would be declared winner. If the fight has gone past four rounds, then a winner will be declared. The winner, in this case, would be the boxer who has the most points at the current stage of the match. A declared winner via points wins by ‘technical decision.’ A ‘technical draw’ could also occur if the boxers have the same amount of points. A referee can choose to stop a fight at any point to protect a boxer from severe injury. The boxer will lose by ‘technical knockout’ (TKO). Professional Boxing Although different boxing organizations have their own policies, there are rules and regulations that span the entire professional boxing world. Rounds in professional boxing are always three minutes long with a one-minute rest period between rounds. The number of rounds varies in professional boxing, but championship fights always consist of twelve rounds. Professional bouts always have one referee and three judges scoring the bout. Scoring in professional boxing is quite different from scoring at the amateur level. Scoring is based on four criteria: Clean punching Ring generalship Defense The 10-Point-Must System is always used by the judges. This system assigns ten points to the winner of each round.

The loser receives 9 points for a close round, 8 points if he was knocked down or dominated, and 7 points if he was knocked down twice. If a round is even, both boxers receive 10 points. The boxer with more accumulated points at the end of the match is the winner, as long as two of the three judges are in agreement. If at least two judges have the match as tied, then a draw will be declared. Standard rules apply for KOs and TKOs. Weight classes for professional boxers may be referred to differently from one organization to the next. However, the same 17 weights make up the weight divisions of all major boxing organizations. The weights are as follows: 105 pounds (47.6 kilograms) Unlimited (above 200 lbs) USA Boxing & Olympic Boxing There are slightly different rules for boxers under the age of 17 who would like to fight under the organization ‘USA Boxing.’ The rules for the younger age groups can be found in the hyperlink to the USA Boxing rulebook at the bottom of this page. USA adult boxers must be between the ages of 17 and 34.

USA Boxing matches are composed of three or four two-minute rounds. Olympic boxing always consists of four two-minute rounds. Boxers in USA and Olympic boxing are not permitted to have head hair more than five inches below the headgear. Also, boxers must be cleanly shaven other than a mustache of minimal length. A thin layer of petroleum jelly may be used on the face of the boxer, but the jelly is not to be used on the headgear. Petroleum jelly is used in order to allow incoming punches to slide off the face more easily. Amateur bouts always have one referee and five judges. Unlike professional boxing, which takes into account several factors, amateur boxing is scored solely on the idea of clean punches. Clean punches are punches landed on the upper body or head with the knuckle of the boxing glove. For USA Boxing bouts, each judge has two counters during each fight, with which he/she counts punches for each boxer. The boxer who has accumulated the most points at the conclusion of the fight on the majority of the judges’ scorecards is declared the winner. In Olympic boxing, a participant receives a point if three of the five judges press their electronic button within a second of a combination or punch.

Judges press the button based on what they believe to be “clean punches.” Amateur bouts that the referee stops will be recorded as one of the following: RSC: Referee stopped contest with notations for: RSCO … outclasses opponent 91+ kg NCBA Boxing The National Collegiate Boxing Association has academic standards that need to be followed by boxers and teams. A boxer must be enrolled as a full-time student in a college that is registered under the NCBA. Boxers have four years of eligibility from their first match. NCBA boxers are allowed to have up to and no more than five crossover bouts on local amateur boxing shows during each NCBA season. Unlike other amateur bouts that occasionally use 10-oz. gloves, the NCBA always uses 12-oz. gloves for competition. Matches always consist of three two-minute rounds. In addition to individual champions, the NCBA also crowns a team champion based on performance at the national level. NCBA boxing is scored the same as USA bouts.

The NCBA weight classes are: 112 lb Glaring Differences Between Amateur Boxing and the Pros Glaring Differences Between Amateur Boxing and the Pros Written by Lee Cleveland at Jul 24, 2012 - 11:55AM ET in News View Comments Perhaps no Olympic contest is more significant in shaping the careers of athletic prospects than boxing. Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya, Wladimir Klitschko and Amir Khan, among others, used their Olympic success as a platform for stardom. However, with the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, casual fans of the sport must keep one thing in mind: Although amateur and professional boxing have many similarities, there are several weighty differences that make these two pugilistic endeavors, in some ways, very, very different. Skill Level As with most sports, the money factor is a key differentiator with respect to the skill levels of professionals and amateurs. Athletes who get paid for competing, regardless of sport, are usually more skilled and far more experienced than those who don't - And boxing is no different.

As in tennis and American football and basketball, a step-up to the pro ranks in boxing often represents a step-up in class and level of competition. Professional pugilists will, on the average, be older, savvier, stronger and more polished than their amateur peers. Can an Amateur Boxer Compete With a Pro in a Prizefight? Unlike most team sports, there is no threshold for becoming a professional boxer. There's no draft or formalized recruitment process and an individual can turn pro with relative ease and without any amateur experience. Failing a physical is the biggest obstacle a young person may have en route to obtaining a pro license. As a result, a top-level amateur with solid experience could conceivably compete with and even dominate a novice pro with a limited amateur pedigree and/or minimal professional experience. But all things being equal, a well-trained professional boxer with solid experience in the pro ranks is in a different class altogether. Courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions/Hogan Photos Head Gear In the amateurs, head gear is always worn during a match while in the pros, the use of head gear is primarily reserved for sparring. Head gear is supposed to reduce the impact of blows and help minimize the occurrence of cuts over the eyes, forehead and cheek.

And in addition to giving the ears a little added protection, headgear is also supposed to reduce trauma to the head after a fall. Can headgear keep a fighter from being badly hurt, knocked unconscious or sustaining brain damage? The answer is a resounding, "No!" Standing-Eight Count A precautionary count during which the referee allows a boxer time to recover from a heavy blow or series of blows is customary in amateur boxing and the Olympics. Although standing-eight counts were sometimes employed in the pro ranks as late as 1999, the Association of Boxing Commissions outlawed in its 'Unified Rules of Boxing' in 2001. Ring Size There are no set rules for the size of a boxing ring in the pro ranks. However, amateur rings have a minimum size of 16 x 16 feet and a maximum of 20 x 20 feet. Number of Rounds In professional matches for men's boxing, rounds are three minutes long and the bouts can be scheduled anywhere from a minimum of 4 rounds to a maximum of twelve rounds. But in the Olympics/amateurs, bouts are scheduled for 3, three-minute rounds for men and 4 two-minute rounds for women.

Olympic Boxing - Objective and Scoring The old adage, "Hit and don't be hit" is boxing's second golden rule and it always applies, regardless of rank or pedigree. Of course, "Protect yourself at all times," is the first. However, the criteria for how punches are scored is entirely different, Olympic/amateur vs pro. Computer scoring was introduced to the Olympics in 1992. Five judges use an electronic counter to keep track of the number of legal scoring blows by each boxer. One device is used for each boxer. At the end of the round, the number of scoring punches is added up and at the end of the bout the boxer who scored the most legal punches is declared the winner. Hence, in the Olympics, a fighter can lose two close rounds but still win the bout by dominating one. Also, a scoring blow in Olympics/ amateur boxing must land directly with the knuckle part of the closed glove on the front or side of the opponent's head or body and must also be above the belt. In addition, in the Olympics/amateur ranks, a soft right jab that lands cleanly is worth every bit as much as a pulverizing left hook.

Amateur fighters aren't given any additional credit for hard-punching, knockdowns, effective aggression or for staggering or wobbling an opponent. Simply put, landing more clean punches than your opponent over the course of three rounds should make you the winner in the Olympics. N.B. Computer scoring is reserved only for Olympic competition. Non-Olympic amateur competition abides by the same standards only without the use of computer scoring. Prizefighting - Objectives and Scoring Prizefighting utilizes a 10-point system by which the winner of the round must be given 10 points, while the loser of the round must be given nine or fewer. There are 3 judges instead of 5 and there is no computerized-tallying scoring system. Fighters can hit each other anywhere above the belt as long as it is on the side or front of the head or body. And as in the amateur game, it's illegal to strike an opponent below the belt or on the back of the head and in the kidneys. In stark contrast to Olympic boxing, prizefight scoring is open-ended and scores are rendered purely based on the judges' opinions using four criteria: Effective Aggression, Defense, Ring Generalship, and Clean and Hard punching.

Effective Aggression Essentially, an effective aggressor is the fighter making the fight happen. He's effectively pursuing and throwing punches while his opponent is backpedalling or on the defense. In order to be "effective" one must have success landing consistently while moving forward. Defense In prizefighting, as in the amateurs, the ability to hit the opponent without being hit in return is key. Defense may include ducking, dodging, bobbing and weaving, parrying, blocking, slipping, and sidestepping, as well as effectively utilizing the clinch. In prizefights, judges are impressed with fighters who can protect themselves well in the heat of battle. Ring Generalship Thefighter who dictates the tempo of the bout or is seemingly in control of the action is the ring general. An effective ring general makes his/her opponent fight their fight instead of their opponent's. Clean and Hard Punching A "clean" blow is one that lands flush without being partially blocked or parried. Pros are rewarded for knockdowns and are given extra credit for landing harder punches and/or staggering or wobbling an opponent. Because damaging blows and their true value are difficult to assess, scoring a prizefight can be highly subjective.

Last year, for example, many viewers believed Juan Manuel Marquez should have been awarded a decision victory over Manny Pacquiao despite landing fewer punches than PacMan. Marquez's shots, according to some, were cleaner, more eye-catching and much harder than his opponent's. Expect a Faster Pace Since amateur fights are scheduled for only three rounds, bouts are fought at faster pace than in the pro ranks. Prizefighters, on the other-hand, must pace themsleves to go 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 rounds. Secondly, because the pro game rewards fighters more for hard, jolting punches, professionals tend to 'sit on their punches' a lot more than amateurs thus slowing the pace of the pro game even more. Pure Boxers vs Brawlers in the Olympics Don't expect to find many Rocky Marcianos in the Summer Games. As previously stated, amateur boxing favors the classic hit-and-don't-be-hit style of fighting. Technique, speed, punch volume and precision will be far more important than punching power, brute force and durability.

Amateur boxing is aptly suited for fast-starters and slick stylists like Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones Jr, Pernell Whitaker and Amir Khan. Needless to say, fighters with styles like Marcos Maidana, Arturo Gatti, Marvin Hagler and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr are few and far between in the Olympics. And while fighters with plodding styles can have abundantly successful amateur careers and win Olympic Gold, slick, technical boxers tend to have much greater success as world class amateurs and Olympians. The Caveat: The Heavyweight Puncher Despite their brawling ways, heavyweights George Foreman, Joe Frazier and David Tua had success in the Olympics without being classic hit-and-move stylists but all three pugilists had one thing in common... Devastating punching power. A heavyweight with explosive, one-punch knockout power is "pure gold" at any level. After all, knockouts, fear and intimidation are very much a part of the amateur and pro games.

Furthermore, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and David Tua, like most Olympic medalists who became top contenders or world champions on the pro level, competed at lower weights as amateurs and threw more punches versus their glory days as professionals. If you're going to be a brawler in the Olympics, being a heavyweight certainly gives you your best chance for success. Mercy Rule Had Khan vs Garcia earlier this month been an amateur contest, the bout may have been stopped in the second or early in the third round. In the Olympic amateur ranks, a boxer cannot trail by more than 20 points (15 for women) at anytime without the bout being stopped. It's called an "RSCOS" (referee stopped contest for outscored opponent). Although its not ruled a knockout, its somewhat similar to a "soft" technical knockout in professional boxing. In the pro ranks, of course, there is no mercy rule. A fighter can be dominated round-after-round yet be allowed to continue to fight. So don't forget... amateur boxing and even Olympic amateur boxing is, in many ways, altogether different than prizefighting.

The History of Boxing Boxing History Boxing Boxing, often called "the manly art of self-defense," is a sport in which two competitors try to hit each other with their glove-encased fists while trying to avoid each other's blows. The competition is divided into a specified number of rounds, usually 3 minutes long, with 1-minute rest periods between rounds. Although amateur boxing is widespread, professional boxing has flourished on an even grander scale since the early 18th century. Rules Amateur fights consist of 3 rounds, professional fights from 4 to 15 rounds. The recognized length of championship fights is 12 rounds. In most countries, professional boxing is the more popular version, but the rules vary because there is no true governing body. Even in the United States, boxing regulations vary from state to state. In all boxing, however, winners are determined either by a decision of the judges (who keep points or round victors on a scorecard as the fight progresses), the referee, or both. The winner also may be decided by a knockout, in which one rival is sent to the floor by a punch and cannot get up within 10 seconds.

A doctor or referee can declare the boxer injured or defenseless even if there is no knockdown. A tied or even match is ruled a draw. The boxing ring is actually a square, 12 to 20 ft (3.7 to 6.1 m) on each side and enclosed on each side by three or four ropes. Gloves have been worn by boxers as a general practice since 1892. Gloves are made of leather, have no finger holes except for the thumb, and weigh from 8 oz (227 g) for amateur bouts down to 6 oz (170 g) for professional and all title bouts. Early History Boxing originated when a person first lifted a fist against another in play. Different eras of the sport have been distinguished by the use or nonuse of fist coverings. The ancient Greeks believed fist fighting was one of the games played by the gods on Olympus; thus it became part of the Olympic Games in about 688 BC. Homer has a reference to boxing in the Iliad. During Roman times the sport began to thrive on a wide scale.

Boxers fought with leather bands around their fists for protection and sometimes wore metal-filled, leather hand coverings called cesti, resulting in bloody, often duel-to-death, battles. Boxing diminished after the fall of Rome. It was revived in the 18th century in England and became especially popular during the championship reign of James Figg, who held the heavyweight title from 1719 through 1730. Boxing became a workingman's sport during the Industrial Revolution as prizefights attracted participants and spectators from the working class. Organization was minimal at first, and the bouts of those eras resembled street fights more than modern boxing. The second heavyweight champion, Jack Broughton of England, drew his own set of rules for his own fights, and these were recognized in 1743. They outlawed some of the gorier aspects that the sport had acquired, such as hitting below the belt line. Instead of a ring of spectators--hence, the name ring--Broughton insisted upon a squared-off area.

His rules governed what is known as the "bareknuckle era." Modern Era In 1866 the Marquess of Queensberry gave his support to a new set of rules, which were named in his honor. These rules limited the number of 3-minute rounds, eliminated gouging and wrestling, and made the use of gloves mandatory.. Bareknuckle bouts did not cease immediately but did begin to decline. A new era dawned in 1892, when James J. CORBETT defeated the last of the great bare-fisted fighters, John L. SULLIVAN, under the new rules With the growing popularity of boxing, especially in the United States, weight classes other than the unlimited heavyweights emerged. These classes became popular as world championships were held at the new weights.

Currently, there are eight major professional divisions: flyweight (up to 112 lb/50.8 kg); bantamweight (118 lb/53.5 kg); featherweight (126 lb/57.2 kg); lightweight (135 lb/61.2 kg); welterweight (147 lb/66.7 kg); middleweight (160 lb/72.6 kg); light heavyweight (175 lb/79.4 kg); and heavyweight (unlimited). In recent years there has been some recognition of junior weights, or between-weights, such as junior lightweight and cruiserweight. Because of its violent nature and its identification with betting, boxing has had a controversial history. There have been periodic efforts to outlaw the sport. The November 1982 death of South Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim, for example, prompted two editorials in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan. 14, 1983) calling for a ban on all boxing.

The results of a study by an AMA-sponsored scientific council appeared in that same issue, and the council, expressing the official AMA position, called not for a ban but for improved controls and medical facilities at ringside, centralized record keeping, and standardization of safety regulations. Despite these periodic efforts, boxers remain internationally famous, particularly heavyweight champions, most of whom, in this century, have come from the United States. Among the best heavyweights have been Muhammad ALI, Jack DEMPSEY, Jack JOHNSON, Joe LOUIS, Rocky MARCIANO, Gene TUNNEY, Corbett, and Sullivan. Outstanding champions in the lighter weights have included Benny Leonard, Mickey WALKER, Barney Ross, Henry ARMSTRONG, and Sugar Ray ROBINSON. Louis, Marciano, and Ali benefited greatly--both in popularity and financially--from the promotion of televised fights. Asia and Latin America have produced many champions in recent years in some of the lower weight classes, which are less popular in the United States. The Communist bloc has done exceedingly well in Olympic competition.

Michael Katz Bibliography: AAU Official Boxing Handbook, 1981-1982; Durant, J., The Heavyweight Champions, 6th ed. (1976); Fleischer, Nat, Fifty Years at Ringside (1958; repr. 1977); Fleisher, Nat et al., A Pictorial History of Boxing from the Bare Knuckle Days to the Present, rev. ed. (1987); Liebling, J. J., The Sweet Science (1951; repr. 1981); Morrison, Ian, Boxing: The Records (1986); Ring Record Book (annual); Sammons, J. T., Beyond the Ring: The Role of Boxing in American Society (1987); Sugar, Burt, One Hundred Years of Boxing (1982). London 2012 Olympics: boxing guide - Telegraph London 2012 Olympics: boxing guide Read Telegraph Sport's guide to the boxing event at the London 2012 Olympics.

Team GB Photo: PA Male Olympic boxers will compete in 10 weight classes, from light flyweight to super heavyweight, while female boxers will contest three weight divisions (flyweight, lightweight, middleweight). The male bouts are contested over three three-minute rounds - compared to professional fights which last 12 rounds. Female bouts take place over four two-minute rounds. The fighter who knocks out an opponent or scores the most points wins. Boxers score one point for every punch they land with the marked part of their glove on their opponent’s head or upper body. If three of the panel of five judges hit electronic buttons within a second of each other the boxer is awarded a point. Any boxer who moves more than 12 points ahead of an opponent automatically wins. This system differs from professional boxing where points are awarded based on each boxer’s overall performance in a round, not for each individual successful punch. The boxer judged to have won the round (normally the fighter who lands the most quality shots) is given 10 points, while the loser receives nine points. If the fight goes to points, the winner is the one with the highest accumulated score (i.e. the fighter who won the most rounds) as decided by the judges.

Each boxer is given a corner, labelled red or blue. This is also the colour of the clothing they wear to fight. All fighters must also wear protective headgear, a key difference from professional boxing. Events/discipline Men’s light flyweight 49kg, men’s flyweight 52kg, men’s light welterweight 64kg, men’s welterweight 69kg, men’s light heavyweight 81kg, men’s heavyweight 91kg, men’s super heavyweight + 91kg Gold medals available Image 1 of 2 The scoring system has its detractors, who claim that it discourages boxers from throwing combinations and rewards the tactic of taking a single shot at an opponent and then moving swiftly out of range. A solid defence and good counter-attacking skills often prove fruitful in Olympic boxing, meaning fights are often very tactical with both fighters waiting for the other to move forward. Often boxers who are leading a contest will slow down the pace of the down by holding onto their opponents - something which is discouraged and can lead to a fighter being docked points.

What to say “I’m looking forward to seeing the latest Cuban sensation.” What not to say “Hang on, that can’t be right. I’m sure those two are women.” If it were a TV programme, it would be Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men. A host of characters whose pint you hope never to spill. Boxing has featured in every Olympics since the 1912 Stockholm Games, when Swedish law banned it. This will be the first time in the sport’s 108-year history that women will compete. Many Olympic boxers have gone on to scale the heights in the professional sport, with Cassius Clay - later, of course, Muhammad Ali - the most notable. Great Britain are fourth in the overall medal table having won 48 medals, behind the former Soviet Union (51), Cuba (63) and the United States (109). Jargon Ring apron: The canvas area outside the ropes where judges choose the winners of rounds and where the boxers' cornermen sit. Throw in the towel: The traditional way to concede defeat; a boxer's cornermen will throw a towel into the ring when he feels his charge cannot continue.

Southpaw: A left-handed boxer, who leads with the right hand. Belt: An imaginary line around a boxer’s midriff, below which his opponent is not allowed to hit. Jab: A straight, arm-length punch thrown from the boxer’s leading hand. Uppercut: An upwards-thrown punch designed to hit an opponent’s chin. Hook: A sideways-thrown punch in which the boxer swings his arm from the shoulder with the elbow bent. Slap: An illegal blow landed with the open part of the glove (not the knuckle area). Standing eight count: A precautionary measure taken by the referee to allow a boxer to recover after receiving a heavy blow/series of blows. Legends Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon, of Cuba; Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay), gold medal winner in Rome in 1960; Lennox Lewis (then fighting for Canada); Sugar Ray Leonard; Oscar De La Hoya; Joe Frazier. Random fact Iranian boxer Ali Kazemi turned up for his light heavyweight bout at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics without his gloves and was duly disqualified.

Trading hits: Britain's James Degale fights Mohamed Hikal of Egypt in the preliminary rounds of Beijing 2008 Photo: AP Medals targeted? Boxing Vocabulary | English Club Play Word Up, improve your English! Boxing Vocabulary This page covers the vocabulary and language of boxing by looking at its background, equipment and people. Check your understanding with the vocabulary quiz and comprehension quiz . 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 Boxing | Toronto 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games See all boxing photos Sport Overview Boxing requires precision, speed and quick reflexes, and at the Pan Am Games, is contested in rapid-fire bouts of up to three three-minute rounds for men and four two-minute rounds for women. Boxing has been on the competition schedule at every Pan American Games since the first Games in 1951. Women competed for the first time in 2011 in Guadalajara, where Canada’s Mandy Bujold won gold in the women’s flyweight and Mary Spencer won gold in the women’s middleweight division. Cuba will be the country to watch in 2015 as its boxers have dominated the men’s competition in the past. History Boxing’s roots date back to ancient Greece and Rome when fights would be waged with opponents wearing straps of leather wrapped around their forearms and hands.

Fast forward to 1743 when the first set of boxing rules were developed, followed by a further set of rules — including the introduction of three-minute rounds and the use of approved boxing gloves — in 1867 that revolutionized the sport. How it works Boxing requires immense strength, fast footwork and quick reflexes. In the men’s competition, bouts must consist of three rounds of three minutes each. In the women’s competition, bouts must consist of four rounds of two minutes each. In men’s and women’s competitions, rest time between rounds lasts one minute. Boxers fight opponents from their respective weight class, and the scoring system is based on a “ten point must-system”. Head guards are no longer allowed in men’s competition, but are mandatory in women’s competition. Terminology Boxing facts You are here: Home » B » Boxing Boxing Facts Combat-sport in which two people engage in a contest using only their fists Boxing is also called pugilism. There are two forms of boxing - amateur and professional. Amateur boxing is an Olympic sport since its introduction in the 1904 Summer Olympic Games .

Boxing was not part of the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, because Swedish law banned the sport at the time. The 2008 Summer Olympics was the final games with boxing as a male only event. It has been a Commonwealth Games sport since the inaugural edition of the event's precursor, the 1930 British Empire Games. It is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds The result is decided when an opponent is deemed incapable to continue match by a referee or if an opponent is disqualified for breaking a rule, resigning by throwing in a towel, or by judges' scorecards at the end of the bout. Boxing as a sport dates back to ancient Greeks who made it part of Olympic games as early as 688 BC. Onomastos Smyrnaios is the first winner in Olympic boxing of ancient Greek. In Ancient Greek culture, the god, Apollo, was regarded as the inventor and guardian of the sport of boxing. The most prolific boxer in history was Great Britain's Len Wickwar who, between 1928 and 1947, fought 463 bouts.

He also holds the records for the most wins (336) and most losses (127) of any boxer. Archie Moore holds the record for most knockouts during a career -- a staggering 141. Boxing Day, a holiday celebrated on the day after Christmas in former British Commonwealth nations (e.g. Australia, Canada and South Africa), has nothing whatsoever to do with the sport of boxing. It is a day when the churches open their poor boxes for donations that day. The youngest boxer to win a title is Wilfred Benitez at 17 The most heavyweight title defenses is 25 by Joe Louis. The record for most first round KO's is held by Wilfred Benitez.

Question: How many three minute rounds are there in a boxing match at the Olympic Games?
Answer: 3