Muay Thai vs Boxing

In Western boxing (or pugilism) contestants attack each other with just their fists. Whereas in Muay Thai, boxers have a full arsenal of eight weapons (fists, legs, knees and elbows) at their disposal. Contestants avoid their opponent's punches whilst trying to land punches of their own. As in Muay Thai, boxers are matched according to weight and the contest is divided into a prescribed number of time intervals called rounds. Points are awarded for blows to the area on the front of the body, above the waistline. Hits to the head and torso score best. The fighter with the most points at the end of the rounds is declared the winner. Victory is also awarded for a knockout (KO) if the opponent is knocked down and unable to stand before the referee counts to ten, or a Technical Knockout (TKO) if a contesent is too badly injured to continue fighting.

Marquis of Queensberry Rules

In the 1860s the Queensberry rules were drafted in London. These rules were published under the patronage of the Marquis of Queensberry, whose name has always been associated with them. There were twelve rules in all, and they specified that fights should be 'a fair stand-up boxing match' in a square ring. Rounds were prescribed to be three minutes long with one-minute rest intervals between rounds. Each fighter was given a ten-second count if he was knocked down, and wrestling was banned. The introduction of gloves also changed the nature of the bouts. Padded gloves protected the hands of both fighters, but their considerable size and weight made Knock Out (KO) victories more difficult to achieve. Bouts became longer and more strategic, with greater importance attached to defensive maneuvers. The boxing rules enforced by governing bodies around the world today at every level are all derived in some way from the Queensberry Rules. In the 1930s in Thailand rules based on the Queensbury Rules were introdduced to the world of Muay Thai boxing in order to protect the safety of the fighters.

Professional and Amateur Boxing

With the gradual acceptance of formalised rules, two distinct branches of boxing emerged: professional and amateur. Professional bouts tend to be far longer than amateur bouts (ranging from four to twelve rounds), headgear is not permitted, and boxers are generally allowed to take much more punishment before a fight is stopped.

If a KO or disqualification does not occur, the fight must go to the scorecards. Professional fights have three judges each, and each of the judges uses the 10 point must system. Under this system, each time a boxer wins a round in the judge's eyes, the judge gives that boxer 10 points, and the other 9 or less. If the judge deems the round to be a tie, he or she may score it 10-10. When the fight reaches its conclusion, all the judge's scores are added, round by round, to determine who won. In Britain, the bout is only scored by the referee, except when a title is at stake.

Boxing Techniques

Boxing techniques utilize very forceful strikes with the hand. There are many bones in the hand, and striking without proper technique can cause serious injuries. Today boxers train and spar with protective wraps and gloves.

• The boxing stance
• Footwork
• Punches
• Defense

The Boxing Stance

The modern boxing stance is a reflection of the current system of rules employed by professional boxing. It differs in many ways from the typical boxing stances of the 19th century. The following stance applies for a right-handed boxer. The boxer stands with the legs shoulder-width apart with the right foot a half-step behind the left foot. The left (lead) fist is held up about six inches in front of the face at eye level. The right (rear) fist is held beside the chin and the elbow tucked against the ribcage to protect the body. The chin is tucked into the chest to avoid dangerous punches to the jaw. Modern boxers can be seen tapping their cheeks or foreheads with their fists to remind themselves to maintain their guard, which becomes difficult during long and tiring bouts.

Footwork

Modern boxers are taught to push-off with their feet: Forward motion involves lifting the lead leg and pushing with the rear leg. Rearward motion involves lifting the rear leg and pushing with the lead leg.

Punches

There are four basic punches in boxing: the Jab, Cross, Hook and Uppercut. If a boxer is right-handed, his left hand is the lead hand, his right hand is the rear hand, and vice versa. The following techniques apply to a right-handed boxer. A left-handed boxer is known as a Southpaw.

• Jab - A quick, straight punch thrown with the lead hand from the guard position. The jab is accompanied by a small rotation of the torso and hips. The fist becomes horizontal upon impact. As the punch reaches full extension, the lead shoulder is brought up to guard the chin. The rear hand remains close to the face to protect the jaw. After the punch the lead hand is retracted quickly to resume a guard position in front of the face. The jab is the most important punch in a boxer's arsenal. It provides its own cover and it leaves only a small space for an opponents counterpunch. It has the longest reach of any punch and does not require commitment or large weight transfers. It is used as a tool to gauge distances, probe an opponent's defenses, and set up heavier, more powerful punches. A half-step may be added, moving the entire body into the punch, for additional power.

• Cross - A powerful straight punch thrown with the rear hand. From the guard position, the rear hand is thrown from the chin. The rear shoulder is thrust forward and finishes just touching the outside of the chin. At the same time, the lead hand is retracted and raised to protect the chin. For additional power, the torso and hips rotate as the cross is thrown. Weight is also transferred from the rear to the lead foot. Body rotation and weight transfer gives the cross its power. After the cross is thrown, the hand is retracted quickly into the guard position. The cross can follow a jab, creating the classic one-two combination. The cross is also called a straight or right.

• Hook - A semi-circular punch thrown with the lead hand to the side of the opponent's head. From the guard position, the elbow is drawn back with a horizontal fist (knuckles pointing forward) and the elbow bent. The rear hand is tucked against the jaw to protect the chin. The torso and hips are rotated , propelling the fist through a tight, arc across the front of the body and connecting with the target. At the same time, the lead foot pivots, turning the left heel outwards. Following contact the lead hand is quickly returned to the guard position. The hook may also be thrown with the rear hand.

• Uppercut - A vertical, rising punch thrown with the rear hand. From the guard position, the torso shifts slightly to the right, the rear hand drops below the level of the opponent's chest and the knees are bent slightly. From this position, the rear hand is thrust upwards towards the opponent's chin or torso. At the same time the torso and hips rotate and the rear heel turns outward, as with the cross. The use of the uppercut depends on its ability to lift the opponent off balance before successive attacks.

Defense

• Slip - Slipping rotates the body slightly so that an incoming punch passes harmlessly past the head. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer sharply rotates the hips and shoulders. This turns the chin sideways and allows the punch to 'slip' past.

• Bob and Weave - Bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer bends the legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Once the punch has been evaded, the boxer 'weaves' back to an upright position, emerging either outside or inside the opponent's extended arm.

• Parry - Parrying uses the boxer's hands as defensive tools to deflect incoming attacks. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer delivers a sharp, lateral, open-handed blow to the opponent's wrist or forearm, redirecting the punch.

• The Cover-Up - Covering up is the last line of defense against an incoming strike to an unprotected face or body. Generally speaking, the hands are held high to protect the head and chin, and the forearms are tucked against the torso to impede body shots. When protecting the body, the boxer rotates the hips and lets incoming punches roll off the guard. When protecting the head, the boxer presses both fists against the front of the face with the forearms parallel and facing outwards.

• The Clinch Clinching is a rough form of grappling and occurs when the distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be employed. In this situation, the boxer attempts to 'tie up' the opponent's hands so he is unable to throw roundhouse punches or uppercuts. To perform a clinch, the boxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms tightly against his own body. In this position, the opponent's arms are pinned and cannot be used to attack. Clinching is temporary and is quickly dissipated by the referee.

Boxing Legends

It is the professional side of boxing that has produced the real celebrities. Great Britain, the birth place of modern boxing, has produced numerous boxing legends. In the period between bare-knuckle pugilism and post-Queensberry boxing, Jem Mace was important. He carried many of the traditions of the old London Prize-Ring, but promoted the use of gloves and helped to popularize the sport in the United States and Australia. In the post-Queensberry era, the first British fighter to achieve superstar status was Bob Fitzsimmons. He weighed less than 12 stone but won world titles in three different weight categories. Successful fighters have invoked fierce local pride. A good example was Welsh flyweight, Jimmy Wilde. He once had a sequence of eighty-eight fights without defeat. He was idolized in Wales. The Welsh also had featherweight legend Jim Driscoll who is considered by many to be the best pound for pound fighter of all time. The most popular boxers, however, have not always been the world title-holders. Just fighting for the world title in the heavyweight division can bestow celebrity status, as was shown by Henry Cooper, who twice unsuccessfully fought Muhammad Ali in the 1960s. With so many title-awarding bodies in the 80s and 90s, the public became unsure about who the champion actually was. Nevertheless, the successes of Nigel Benn, Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank, and Joe Calzaghe continued to bring extensive media coverage to boxing and sustained a considerable public following. Lennox Lewis became undisputed champion in 1999. Frank Bruno held the WBC world heavyweight title from 1995 and 1996, after beating the man who beat Lewis, Oliver McCall. He lost it to Mike Tyson in a rematch of their 1989 title bout.

Women's Boxing

Sue Atkins helped to pioneer women's boxing in Britain in the 1980s, but did not receive any official recognition. The first British woman to be issued with a license was Jane Couch, who won the Women's International Boxing Federation (WIBF) welterweight title in 1996.

Brain Damage and Boxing

A powerful punch can do a lot of damage to a boxer. Headgear, used in amateur boxing, protects against cuts, scrapes, and swelling, but does not protect very well against concussions. The Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA) has called for a ban on boxing, which they described as an obscenity. Since then the British, Canadian, Australian and World Medical Association have also called for the sport's abolition. Many who disagree with the AMA point out that boxing is far from being the most dangerous of sports. Sports such as horse racing, scuba diving, even college football, suffer far more fatalities. But many who support the ban proposal consider its main reason not to be the fact that boxing is a dangerous sport, but the fact that the goal of the sport is to cause injury to the opponent. And the AMA claims that 75% of boxers who have twenty or more professional fights show some brain deterioration.