Boxing

Boxing is one of the oldest sports in the world; throughout its long history, it has
evolved through debates about its violence, the development of its rules, racism, political
conflicts and the fight for gender equality. Also, it is such an old sport, it has given rise to
various branches of combat styles that eventually become new sports. Such is the case of
Chinese boxing (Shaolin), Japanese (kickboxing), Thai (Muay Thai) and Filipino
(Suntukan) (Journey App, 2019).
The following discusses how boxing has evolved throughout history, in ancient
times; it is explained in Ancient Greece, the origin of boxing dates back to Prehistory
around the Neolithic in the year 6000 BC - in Africa, however, there are no serious studies
to support this information. It is said that it was imported from there by the Egyptians and
that the Greeks took it from this culture. It is in Greece that the history of boxing officially
begins.
In this sense, the first records of boxing are from Ancient Greece. This culture
called it “pygmachia”, a word derived from the Greek “puxos” meaning “fists”; this sport
did not have rounds, the fight continued until one of the participants raised a finger in
defeat. The only protection the fighters wore were leather bands that covered their wrists
and forearms; apart from that, they fought naked. Another important aspect is that the fights
were held outdoors, under the rays of the sun and the heat, imposing a greater degree of
challenge. For the ancient Greeks, this was the “most harmful” sport for their athletes and
even Homer recounted a very bloody fight in “The Iliad” in 675 BC. In fact, the word
“boxing” originated from Greek. Initially it comes from “puxos”, then from the Latin
“pyxis” and finally from the late Latin “buxis”; all these words referring to fists.
On the other hand, in Ancient Rome, the Romans inherited the tradition of
boxing from the Greeks, but they took it to a more hardcore level. This culture boxed both
for gladiatorial entertainment in the coliseums and for training to fight in wars. As if that
were not enough, they used pieces of metal and spikes sewn into leather gloves, a practice
that was undoubtedly deadly. The fight usually ended with the death of one of the two
boxers. This ended with the fall of the Roman Empire and boxing ceased to be practiced for
centuries.
 Likewise, in the Modern Age, in the 17th century, in England there was a
resurgence of boxing. The term was used to differentiate any fight from a show on which
bets were made. In 1681, there is a record of a fight and by 1698 boxing competitions were
already being held at the Royal Theatre in London. Boxing in those days was a lot more
brutal than you might think now: there was no boxing without gloves and no rules, there
were no weight divisions and the lighter men were always at a significant disadvantage.
The fight was over when one of the two boxers could no longer take it. It was also
permitted to throw the opponent and fall on top of him, a very common practice at the time,
as in wrestling. Even in the mid-1700s it was common to strike an opponent when he had
fallen to the ground. According to James Figg, he was one of the first recognized boxing
figures in the 18th century and his disciple Jack Broughton also made history.
Similarly, in the world of boxing it was the fight between Jack Broughton and
George Stevenson. The latter died three weeks after the fight as a result of the injuries he
suffered, leaving his opponent devastated. Broughton even thought about retiring from this
activity because the feeling of guilt was eating away at him. After much thought, he
decided to deal with his pain in a different way: he invented the first set of rules for boxing
in 1743, in order to avoid fates like the one he had inflicted on his opponent. Among
Broughton's other great contributions to the history of boxing were boxing gloves that were
originally called "shock absorbers." He also invented wooden rings covered with canvas in
order to prevent spectators from entering the ring (a very common occurrence at the time).
From the early to mid-19th century, the entire concept of boxing gradually evolved
into a representation of manliness and honor. The Regency period in the United Kingdom
(1811 to 1820) was the golden age of English boxing. If you were champion of this
country, you will most likely be champion at a world level. Only the United States
represented a strong rival for the English.
In 1838, there was another step forward in terms of rules, with the introduction of
the famous London Prize Ring, where kicks, headbutts, bites and low blows were now
prohibited.
John Graham Chambers of the Amateur Athletic Club felt that the current rules
were not sufficient, so he devised a new set in 1867. To this end, he sought the patronage of
John Sholto Douglas, who was the ninth Marquess of Queensberry. This is how the
legendary Queensberry rules came about, which are still used today.
These rules finally established three-minute rounds with one minute rest, and
mandatory boxing gloves. Also crucial was a new rule: any boxer who fell had to get back
up within 10 seconds without help. If he failed, the knockout was declared and the
opponent won.
It was also during this time that the first weight classification was created, with five
categories: bantamweight (up to 54 kg), featherweight (up to 57 kg), lightweight (up to 63.5
kg), middleweight (up to 73 kg) and heavyweight (73 kg and above). Everything indicated
that boxing was becoming a more human and sporting activity.
It was to be expected that the Queensberry rules would initially have their
detractors. After practicing an activity in a certain way for years, people resist changing,
even for the better. Thus, many professional boxers despise these rules as “too
exaggerated” and continue to adhere to the previous ones (London Prize Ring). However,
the new generation of young boxers prefer the new rules and adopt them. A great promoter
of these was James “Jem” Mace, heavyweight champion in 1861. Jem's enthusiasm for
fighting with boxing gloves played a major role in popularizing these rules.
However, boxing arrived in the USA at the end of the 18th century, but enjoyed
great popularity in cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, New York and even New Orleans.
Most of the boxers who fought in the USA have emigrated from Ireland or the United
Kingdom, the birthplace of boxing. From the beginning, African Americans have played an
important role in the history of boxing, at this time, some of the first American boxers were
previously slaves. An example were the outstanding Bill Richmond and Tom Molineaux,
who fought against the top boxers of the time in the early 19th century.
On the other hand, the United States was rapidly rising in level, so British
champions began to become interested in traveling to this country to get fights. It was from
the Irish-born American boxer John L. Sullivan that Americans began to dominate the
world boxing championships.
 In this sense, boxing activity in Colombia is not very clear, since there is no precise
and irrefutable data that allows us to say with absolute certainty when this sport began in
the country. However, the most reliable data allows us to trace its origin back to the end of
the nineteenth century, more specifically to 1874, when the Cuban landowner Francisco
Balmaseda installed a small gymnasium on his agricultural estate in María La Baja, in what
is now the department of Bolívar, where workers could spend their free time. Although the
gym had the necessary equipment for boxing, Balmaseda never planned to start boxing at a
competitive level, so boxing became extinct when the sugar mill closed its doors.
Likewise, 24 years later, that is, in 1898, Andrés Gómez Hoyos, at that time the
Father of Colombian Boxing, opened a modest gymnasium for boxing practice at the
University of Cartagena, equipped with implements brought from England. The new venue
had the support of many students interested in the sporting novelty, but the Thousand Days
Civil War broke out soon after and the university closed its doors indefinitely, thus
delaying the practice of boxing. After the peace treaty ended the civil war in 1903,
Colombian boxing had to slowly re-emerge from the rubble of war, political instability and
economic crisis.
Indeed, on July 6, 1921, the Colombian boxer Rafael Tanco faced the Belgian René
Van Hoorde at the Olimpia Theater in Bogotá. The news captivated Colombians and soon
important boxing parties began to be held in Cartagena, Montería, Barranquilla, Santa
Marta, Cali, Manizales, Bucaramanga and Medellín, with boxers brought from Chile and
Panama. Three months after the Tanco-Van Hoorde fight, Andrés Gómez Hoyos opened
another gym in Cartagena, this time outside the premises of the University of Cartagena,
which became the best equipped of all those that existed in Colombia up to that time and
where the first generation of boxers trained.
A few months later, more specifically on December 31, 1921, a group of fans led by
Rafael Tanco, Jaime Uribe, Rafael Dávila, Ricardo Tanco, Fernando Samper, Miguel
Rueda, Agustín Casabianca and José Uribe requested the national government to approve
the legal status of the Colombian Boxing Federation. The application was approved on
January 4, 1922.
It was after these three events that Colombian boxing began in an organized and
repetitive manner, which facilitated its practice at a professional level. Boxers of the
caliber of Rafael Espinosa, Víctor Semprún, Luís Duffó, Lorenzo Jiménez, Modesto
Morales and the lightweight from Barranquilla Fernando Fiorillo stood out, who was the
first Colombian to fight in New York in 1928, losing by decision to Tommy Grogan. At
that time, the country's first boxing trainer, Rafael Guerra, also emerged, and since 1928 he
has dedicated himself to training boxers.
Below are the most important dates in Colombian boxing.
1935: Boxing was included for the first time in the framework of the III National
Games held in Barranquilla. The Bolívar delegation was proclaimed champion with a solid
team made up of Víctor “Iron Boy” Prieto, Eudocio “Cisco Kid” Ramírez, Miguel Reyes
and Pedro Nassar.
1938: In this year, everything related to official sport was regulated when the
National Commission for Physical Education was created. An assembly was held in Santa
Marta, where the Colombian Boxing Association (Acobox) was created, appointing Blas
Pinto Calderón from Santa Marta as president. The 1st Bolivarian Games were held in
Bogotá from August 6 to 22, where Colombia won its first medal in an international
tournament. It was achieved by bantamweight Rafael Torres.
1939: On September 24, Alberto Barbosa Moure organized the first amateur boxing
season.
1941: On June 3, the Bogotá-born writer Guillermo “Maciste” Puentes made his
debut in New York. He was the first Colombian to fight in the United States as a main
eventer.
1946: Jaime “Baby” Uribe became the first victim of Colombian boxing. He died in
Panama after fighting against Sammy Medina. Also, the middleweight from Barranquilla,
Julio Zamudio, won the first silver medal for national boxing in the history of the V Central
American and Caribbean Games held in the city of Barranquilla.
1957: The Colombian Professional Boxing Federation was created, based in
Barranquilla. The first national championship was organized, with Horacio Castilla
designated as classifier. Colombia also participated for the first time in an international
tournament, within the framework of the First World Championship “Diamond Belt”, held
in Seattle.
 1961: Cartagena middleweight boxer Pedro Vanegas won the first gold medal for
boxing at the IV Bolivarian Games.
1962: On July 5, the fine stylist from Cartagena, Bernardo Caraballo, appeared in
the world ranking of the NBA (National Boxing Association) in the flyweight division. He
was the first Colombian boxer to appear classified.
1964: On November 27, stylist Bernardo Caraballo became the first Colombian to
compete for a world title. He lost in Bogotá against the Brazilian champion Eder Cofre. It
was the first world title fight held in Colombia.
1972: At the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, Alfonso Pérez and Clemente
Rojas won the first Olympic medals for Colombia. Both won bronze. Antonio Cervantes
“Kid Pambelé” was crowned world boxing champion by dethroning the Panamanian
champion Alfonso Frazier. He was Colombia's first world boxing champion.
1977: Muhammad Ali held an exhibition fight against Colombian Bernardo
Mercado in Bogotá.
1978: the LVII Annual Convention of the WBA met in Cartagena.
1980: The WBC ranked Bernardo Mercado number one at heavyweight. He was
the first Colombian heavyweight to achieve such distinction.
1981: Miguel “Máscara” Maturana became the first – and so far only – Colombian
boxer to win the amateur world title. He achieved this on November 18 during the II World
Cup held in Montreal, Canada. He was trained by Orlando Pineda.
1984: The coastal businessman Billy Chams founded the company Corporaciones
Deportivas Cuadrilátero in Barranquilla. Today Cuadrilátero is the most solid and
prestigious boxing company in Colombia.
1985: Miguel “Happy” Lora became Colombia’s fifth world champion. He
dethroned Mexican Daniel Zaragoza.
On September 22, 1985, in Miami, the promising boxer from Montería, Robinson
Pitalúa Támara, drowned. I was 21 years old.
1988: At the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, Jorge Eliécer Julio won a bronze
medal in the bantamweight category.
 1992: Rafael “Derby” Pineda collected the largest purse in the history of Colombian
boxing. For his fight against Pernell Whitaker on July 18 in Las Vegas, he was paid
$530,000.
1995: Boxer Jimmy Garcia died in Las Vegas while competing for the world
championship against Mexican Gabriel Ruelas.
1998: Antonio Cervantes entered the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.
2000: The Women's International Boeing Association (WIBA) was organized in
Cartagena. A few months later, women's boxing was approved in Colombia.
2002: Cartagena journalist and historian Raúl Porto Cabrales published the book
“History of Colombian Boxing. In 340 pages Porto Cabrales explored the origin of boxing
in Colombia at both amateur and professional levels. Contains illustrations and
photographs.
In this sense, the rules of the different boxing practices are the following:
Brougthton: consists of seven mandatory rules, they were that if the opponent falls,
he must return to the corner of the ring, and then continue with the fight or end it. When the
opponent is down, 30 seconds must be counted before continuing, no internal agreements
can be made between the combatants regarding money, after one of the competitors is
down again, the other cannot continue hitting him, and the holds can only be placed above
the waist.
London Prize Ring: There are twenty-three rules, including the ring measuring 7.3
metres on each side, the regulations governing corners, the counting of thirty seconds, you
cannot enter the ring while the round is in progress, assistants cannot attack the opponent, it
is forbidden to hit with the head, with the knees or when the opponent is down, hits below
the waist are also prohibited along with kicks and scratches.
Queensberry: These are the rules that started modern boxing. Here, the use of
gloves becomes mandatory, rounds must last three minutes and there must be a one-minute
break between rounds. When the opponent falls, ten seconds must be counted and grabbing
the opponent is not allowed.
On the other hand, the 12 most important rules of professional (Deportes, 2020)
boxing are exposed:
 1. The fight must take place in a ring measuring 7.3 meters per side or as close as
possible.
2. Hand-to-hand fighting or the use of arms is not permitted.
3. The round lasts 3 minutes and one minute between them.
4. If a fighter falls, he must get up without anyone's help within a 10 second range.
The opponent must return to the neutral corner, when the fallen boxer is standing
the round will continue. If the fallen fighter does not get up after 10 seconds, the
referee has the power to award the victory to the opponent by decision.
5. If a fighter leans on the ropes in a helpless state he will be considered down, even if
his legs are touching the ground.
6. No member of the fighters' corner will be allowed to remain in the ring during the
rounds.
7. In the event that the fight is interrupted for any reason beyond its control, the referee
is the one who indicates as soon as possible the date and place where the fight will
be resumed. Unless both opponents agree to a draw.
8. Gloves must be new and of the appropriate size.
9. In the event that a glove is damaged or torn, the referee is the one who makes the
decision to replace it.
10. A fighter with one knee on the canvas is considered down and if he is hit by his
opponent, the fight can be considered a draw.
11. Spiked shoes or boots may not be worn in the ring.
12. All other aspects of the competition will be governed by the “London Prize Ring
Rules”

Finally, the rules of women's boxing are discussed, taking into account the
background during the 18th century that, although it took many more years to be accepted
and popular, there were already boxing fights between women. This sport was the cause of
several trials that were organized to decide whether women have the right to practice it or
not.
 In this sense, most of the rules of women's boxing are very similar to those of men's
boxing, despite the prejudices and discrimination that this women's sport suffers. “This
sport became an Olympic sport at the 2011 Pan American Games and was also part of the
2012 (Deportes, 2020) London Olympics.”
In this way, the difference between professional and amateur boxing, amateur
boxing only has four rounds of two minutes each, one minute of rest, as well as the
mandatory use of head protection. The most important thing is to score a good punch and
the judges, the five that there are in amateur boxing (and not 3 as in professional boxing)
are the ones who decide the winner. It is also different in that the boxer is very protected,
sometimes even just seeing them bleeding a doctor is called and sometimes it is even the
referees who stop the fight. Also, in the last century when professional boxers would fight
even more than 15 rounds. Today this regulation has been changed, with the sole purpose
of protecting and preventing physical exhaustion or sometimes even avoiding death, as has
happened many times over the years.
Paid boxing consists of several powerful blows, which is why it requires great
physical preparation so that the boxer can last 12 rounds giving and receiving blows from
his opponents, often top-level, who fight for fun, but also find an economic way.
For amateur boxers, their incentive is medals at world or Olympic events, since the
fights in which they participate do not have financial compensation, which would be
against the spirit that created this sport.
This causes many amateur boxers to make the jump to professional boxing, usually
boxers with a level suitable to position themselves in paid boxing. We can find many
examples who have gone through this phase, such as Muhammad Ali (five-time world
champion), Oscar de la Hoya. These two champions have the talent and the level to
compete in professional boxing and also know and understand how far they were capable of
going in the discipline.
Today amateur boxing is in crisis, as it has little support for its growth. This causes
the quality to be low. Professional boxing is by far the most widely known, not only
because it has more quality or because of the attention paid to it by its fans, but also
because of the financial rewards that surround the entire fight scene, including the boxer,
the television networks and the companies that manage the boxers. Although professional
boxing is a dangerous activity, there are many people interested in getting a place in it these
days.
They are also two similar disciplines in terms of accessories (shoes, gloves, ring,
among others) although with several differences within these, such as the weight of the
gloves, the training, the duration of the rounds and of course the financial compensation.
Both have the same origin, but are very different.
 Literature
Deportes. (04 de 02 de 2020). Las reglas más importantes del Boxeo. Recuperado el 29 de
05 de 2020, de Deportes y educacion fisica:
[Link]
Deportes. (02 de 03 de 2020). Reglas deboxeo:Boxeo aficionado, profesional y olímpico .
Obtenido de Espacio [Link]: [Link]
Journey App. (08 de 11 de 2019). Historia del boxeo: combatiendo a través de los siglos.
Recuperado el 28 de 05 de 2020, de Journey: [Link]
boxeo-combatiendo-a-traves-de-los-siglos/