In the picture, two male boxers are appreciated. They are staring at each other. The one with red gloves attacks, while the other one, in blue, defends himself.
SPORTS

BOXING

Two opposing athletes, a ring. The victory goes to the athlete that hit with better style the head and torso of their opponent.

This popular sport has had great athletes in its ample history, apart from movies and books that stayed in the collective memory and will make Boxing a must-see sport. At Santiago 2023, this sport will provide a direct quota for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In the picture, a full shot of a male boxer. He is dressed in a blue uniform with white strips. His gloves are black and he is looking to the front, like he is attacking an opponent.

History of this sport

Boxing is as old as sport and as practice. Its roots date back to 4,000 BC in the northern part of Africa, which would then extend to Asia, Rome and Greece. Here it would become one of the first sports to be included in the Olympics.

During the 18th century, in England it was called boxing or box to differentiate the sport from problem-solving fights. Before the regulation, boxing was noted for being a violent practice and that most of the time it led to the opponents to have irreversible damages, including death. For this reason, the practice of boxing was considered illegal, but it could endure due to its great popularity.

Given this background, boxing had to be regulated, giving way to the first regulations: the Broughton Rules, the London Prize Ring or the Queensberry Rules. The latter are the origin that gave birth to what we know today as the sport.

At the end of the 19th century, boxing began to spread in non-Anglo-Saxon countries such as Cuba, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. and was included for the first time in the Pan American Games in Buenos Aires 1951. Since then, boxing has been covered in all editions.

In the picture, a full shot of a male boxer. He is dressed in a blue uniform with white strips. His gloves are black and he is looking to the front, like he is attacking an opponent.

How do you play it?

Fists go back and forth…
Each fight lasts three rounds, each lasting three minutes. Five judges who sit next to the ring, observe and individually award points for what they consider to be accurate shots.

The referee in the ring may end a bout if the difference between the boxers is such that the bout must not continue or if a doctor indicates that the bout should be stopped. It can also end if a competitor receives three cautions (penalties) and is disqualified, or if he is unable to resume the fight in ten seconds, in which case he is considered eliminated (the classic "KO").

If you've seen a boxing movie or a match, you know that the rules are simple, but there are different fighting styles. This is what makes boxing such a fascinating and exciting sport.

Quiz

Gloves are used by boxers to soften the impact on the opponent. Do you know by what percentage the force of the blow can be reduced by using gloves?

Check answer

Information for the community

Boxing was a very popular sport in Chile between the 1930s and 1960s, even more popular than soccer. At that time, several clubs were formed such as the famous and old Club México. If you want to join boxing, we recommend you visit their website, https://www.clubmexico.cl/ , and start moving your body, because this sport will make your heart race.

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