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.
It may surprise you to learn that boxing dates back to around 4000 BC. Boxing matches were going on during the time when ancient Romans and Greeks were fighting one another. The sport undoubtedly had another name in those times, but records of it show that it was more brutal than it is these days.
In modern times boxing though known to get out of hand at times is basically a safe game with rules and regulations to protect the boxers. Back then the game continued till one of the opponents was declared dead. Also instead of boxing gloves the game was fought with metal spikes and fists.
Gloves are required for both amateurs and professionals. There are no longer any spikes used, and scores are kept by computer to determine the winners. Boxers wear special head-gear for their protection as well. In actuality, even though regulated, boxing is one of the few hand-to-hand sports still in existence.
Boxers nowadays are given special skilled training which makes the match between two worth opponents an exciting one to watch. They both battle it out for the trophy.
You will find it hard to believe that the sport that is so popular in North America was not so till 1800's. Nowadays it is Americans who are at the top of most International boxing competitions.
The popularity of the game has extended beyond all boundaries and the primarily masculine game is now being fought by women. They have entered the boxing ring and overtaken it becoming as experienced as men though they have yet to enter the Olympics arena.
There are many professional boxers who started their boxing careers as amateurs. Some of these well known professional boxers include George Foreman, Leon Spinks, Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, and Oscar De La Hoya.
There are some differences between amateur and professional boxing matches. The pros fight for anywhere from four to fifteen rounds, with the average being twelve. Amateur matches consist of three rounds.
Judges decide who wins the match, by totaling the points of each fighter. Once they arrive at the score, they announce the winner. If someone is knocked out, it's a win for the one who threw the final punch. If the person hit can get up before ten seconds have passed, they will usually keep fighting.
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.
---- Fred Tresdale is the webmaster for FT Boxing, the best place on the internet for information about boxing, For more articles on boxing why not visit: http://www.ftboxing.com/articles
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