Boxing has been around for centuries; in fact it was one of the sports in the ancient Olympic games of Greece. There is evidence that the sport of boxing was around as early as 688 B.C., although it differed somewhat from the sport we see today. Here are a few interesting facts about boxing and professional boxers that you might not know.
Boxers meet in a ring, but the actual shape is that of a square. So, why is this square-shaped stage called a "ring?" This actually dates back to the early days of professional fighting, when spectators would crowd around the fighters, standing and forming a ring around the two fighters. Unfortunately, in all the excitement of watching the fight, spectators naturally would crowd in too close. So the boxing "ring" was secured by posts and transformed into a square fighting surface.
The boxing ring is neither a ring nor even circular, so how did this term emerge? Well, it all dates back to the earliest days of professional boxing when those watching a fight would circle around the fighters, forming a ring. Of course, this just didn't work out particularly well, so a stage of sorts was devised with ropes being set up. This was more to help force the spectators away than to keep the fighters in the ring.
There have been many prolific fighters, including some with more than 100 bouts during their career. Len Wickwar, a British boxer, fought some 467 bouts from 1928 to 1947. That averages out to a pro fight every 24 days during his career. Wickwar, who fought as a lightweight, won more than 330 fights and lost 85 with 42 draws. This means he won about 70% of the time, which isn't too shabby.
There are dozens of boxing magazines for fight fans to enjoy, and some have been around for quite a while. The Ring is America's oldest continuously published magazine, getting its start in 1922. Today, The Ring is co-owned by Oscar De La Hoya. However, the English publication, Boxing News, is the oldest continuous boxing magazine in the world, first published in 1909. Of course nowadays, you can opt for a weekly print version or enjoy the electronic version on your smartphone or tablet.
Boxing fans love to talk about great rematches such as any of the fights between Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali, and, of course, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. There other great rematches that include fighters other than Ali, but he certainly has had his share of noteworthy rematches. However, he never fought the same fighter as many times as Harry Wills. Because of segregation, Wills was prevented from really showcasing his boxing skills in world professional fights. He held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship title three separate times. He also met Sam Langford in the ring nearly two dozen times, racking up more rematches than any other boxer in modern history.
Boxers meet in a ring, but the actual shape is that of a square. So, why is this square-shaped stage called a "ring?" This actually dates back to the early days of professional fighting, when spectators would crowd around the fighters, standing and forming a ring around the two fighters. Unfortunately, in all the excitement of watching the fight, spectators naturally would crowd in too close. So the boxing "ring" was secured by posts and transformed into a square fighting surface.
The boxing ring is neither a ring nor even circular, so how did this term emerge? Well, it all dates back to the earliest days of professional boxing when those watching a fight would circle around the fighters, forming a ring. Of course, this just didn't work out particularly well, so a stage of sorts was devised with ropes being set up. This was more to help force the spectators away than to keep the fighters in the ring.
There have been many prolific fighters, including some with more than 100 bouts during their career. Len Wickwar, a British boxer, fought some 467 bouts from 1928 to 1947. That averages out to a pro fight every 24 days during his career. Wickwar, who fought as a lightweight, won more than 330 fights and lost 85 with 42 draws. This means he won about 70% of the time, which isn't too shabby.
There are dozens of boxing magazines for fight fans to enjoy, and some have been around for quite a while. The Ring is America's oldest continuously published magazine, getting its start in 1922. Today, The Ring is co-owned by Oscar De La Hoya. However, the English publication, Boxing News, is the oldest continuous boxing magazine in the world, first published in 1909. Of course nowadays, you can opt for a weekly print version or enjoy the electronic version on your smartphone or tablet.
Boxing fans love to talk about great rematches such as any of the fights between Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali, and, of course, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. There other great rematches that include fighters other than Ali, but he certainly has had his share of noteworthy rematches. However, he never fought the same fighter as many times as Harry Wills. Because of segregation, Wills was prevented from really showcasing his boxing skills in world professional fights. He held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship title three separate times. He also met Sam Langford in the ring nearly two dozen times, racking up more rematches than any other boxer in modern history.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys blogging about mixed martial arts benefits. For more information about martial arts in San Diego or to find boxing lessons in San Diego, please check out The Arena MMA website today.
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