Boxing - Then and Now

One of the favorite sports of North Americans is boxing. In fact it's still growing in popularity. Many other countries also have a number of boxing organizations.

The sport of boxing has been around for many more years than most people realize it has. Ancient historians have traced the beginnings of boxing back to 4000 BC during times when the empires of Rome and Greece were engaged in combat. Historians have found records that indicate that boxing, surely known by another name in ancient times, was fought with much more brutality than it is today.

Evidence shows that these ancient civilizations encouraged the boxing participants to fight each other using fists and metal spikes. It is believed that these battles often continued until one of the competitors was declared dead. These days boxing is much safer, with strict regulations in place to protect the boxer.

Both amateur and professional boxing requires the use of gloves, without the spikes, as well as a computer generated score that determines the final outcome of the match. Head gear specifically designed for the sport of boxing is also a safety requirement. Boxing, however, remains one of the bare bones hand-to-hand combats that still exist today.

Boxing is fun for the spectators, as they watch two athletic competitors battling it out. In most cases the participants are matched as to skill, weight and strength. The winner of the match is presented with a trophy to keep in honor of the victory.

Boxing wasn't a popular sport in North America until the mid 1800's. Once America got a taste of this exciting sport, however, it caught on like wild fire. Today, during International competitions, it's the Americans that lead the way with consistent wins and knockouts.

Men aren't the only competitors in the boxing ring. Women are yet to box in the Olympics, but that day shouldn't be far away. They have become adept and experienced competitors.

Boxing has seen many boxers who have emerged from the ranks of amateurs and gone onto become great names such as Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Leon Spinks, Floyd Patterson, and Oscar De La Hoya.

Boxing is boxing whether it is professional or amateur. The main difference lies in the duration of the matches and the number of rounds. While an amateur match consists of 3 rounds a professional match has at least 12 rounds.

Boxing winners are announced by the judges who make the final decision as to how many points each competitor has. A knockout, however, will be an automatic win for the boxer who throws the final punch, providing that his opponent is unable to get off the mat after ten seconds.

In the fast paced modern life more and more people are turning towards boxing. People from all ages are becoming its students not only to fight but also to remain fit and healthy and deal with the stress and worries of life.

Men however, continue to be its main fans watching each match with bated breath from their respective armchairs.

Article Source: http://articles411.com

--- Fred Tresdale is the chief editor for FT Boxing, the best place on the internet for information about boxing. For more articles on boxing why not visit: www.ftboxing.com/articles
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