Professional Boxing History
Professional
boxing fights are far longer than Olympic bouts (ranging
from four to twelve rounds, the championship limit since
the 1980's when it was shortened from fifteen rounds in an
effort to increase fighter safety), headgear is not permitted,
and boxers are generally allowed to take much more punishment
before a fight is halted. At any time, however, the referee
may stop the contest if he believes that one participant
can not intelligently defend him or herself due to injury.
In that case, the other participant is awarded a technical
knockout win, which appears on the boxer's record as a knockout
win (or loss).
A technical
knockout would also be awarded if a fighter lands a punch
that opens a cut on the opponent, and the opponent is later
deemed not fit to continue by a doctor because of the cut.
For this reason, fighters often employ cutmen, whose job
is to treat cuts between rounds so that the boxer is able
to continue despite the cut. If a boxer simply quits fighting,
or if his corner stops the fight, then the winning boxer
is also awarded a technical knockout victory. In opposite
with amateur, professional male boxers have to be bare chested.
Evolution
of professional boxing
In 1891, the National Sporting Club (N.S.C.), a private club in London, began
to promote professional glove fights at its own premises, and created nine of
its own rules to augment the Queensberry Rules. These rules specified more accurately
the role of the officials, and produced a system of scoring that enabled the
referee to decide the result of a fight. The British Boxing Board of Control
(B.B.B.C.) was first formed in 1919 with close links to the N.S.C., and was re-formed
in 1929 after the N.S.C. closed.
In 1909, the first of
twenty-two belts were presented by the fifth Earl of Lonsdale to
the winner of a British title fight held at the N.S.C. In 1929,
the B.B.B.C. continued to award Lonsdale belts to any British boxer
who won three title fights in the same weight division. The "title
fight" has always been the focal point in professional boxing.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, there were title
fights at each weight. Promoters who could stage profitable title
fights became influential in the sport, as did boxers' managers.
The best promoters and
managers have been instrumental in bringing boxing to new audiences
and provoking media and public interest. The most famous of all
three-way partnership (fighter-manager-promoter) was that of Jack
Dempsey (Heavyweight Champion, 1919-1926), his manager Jack Kearns,
and the promoter Tex Rickard. Together they grossed US$ 8.4 million
in only five fights between 1921 and 1927 and ushered in a "golden
age" of popularity for professional boxing in the 1920s. They
were also responsible for the first live radio broadcast of a title
fight (Dempsey v. Georges Carpentier, in 1921). In the United Kingdom,
Jack Solomons' success as a fight promoter helped re-establish
professional boxing after the Second World War and made the UK
a popular place for title fights in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the first part of the
20th century, the United States became the centre for professional
boxing. It was generally accepted that the "world champions" were
those listed by the Police Gazette. After 1920, the National Boxing
Association (N.B.A.) began to sanction "title fights".
Also during that time, Ring Magazine was founded, and it listed
champions and awarded championship belts. The N.B.A. was renamed
in 1962 and became the World Boxing Association (W.B.A.). The following
year, a rival body, the World Boxing Council (W.B.C.), was formed.
[6] In 1983, another world body, the International Boxing Federation
(I.B.F.) was formed. By the end of the 20th century, a boxer had
to be recognized by the three separate bodies to be the "Undisputed
World Champion". Regional sanctioning bodies such as the North
American Boxing Federation, the North American Boxing Council and
the United States Boxing Association also awarded championships.
Ring Magazine also continued listing the World Champion of each
weight division, and its rankings continue being of the most appreciated
by fans.
1900s to 1920s
One of the most famous boxers of the early 1900s was Tom Polson, who held the
flyweight title from 1911-1913. little is known about him except he shot to
fame in a quick time and died in suspicious circumstances in late 1913. In
the post-Queensberry era, the first British/New Zealand fighter to achieve
superstar status was Bob Fitzsimmons. He weighed less than 12 stone (164 pounds)
but won world titles at middleweight (1892), light heavyweight (1903), and
heavyweight (1897). He fought his last bout at the age of fifty-two. Famous
British boxers include Harry Mallin (Middleweight), 1920 and 1924), Terry Spinks
(Flyweight, 1956), Dick McTaggar (Lightweight, 1956) and Chris Finnegan (Middleweight,
1968). American boxers in the post-Queensberry era include world heavyweight
champions Jim Jeffries (the first Great White Hope) and Jack Johnson (the first
black world heavyweight champion). A Welsh flyweight called Jimmy Wilde won
the world Flyweight Championship in 1916 and held it until 1923. He once had
a sequence of eighty-eight fights without defeat. Between 1911 and 1923, he
won seventy-five of his fights by a knockout. He was described in Wales as
the "Mighty Atom" and "the ghost with a hammer in his hand".
1920s to 1940s
Jack Dempsey in the ringJack Dempsey was a world heavyweight champion and dominated
the 1920s after defeating Jess Willard. Dempsey was one of the hardest punchers
of all-time and as Bert Randolph Sugar put it "Had a left hook from hell." He
would later engage in a memorable rivalry with Gene Tunney. Their rivalry is
most famous for "the long count".
After knocking
Tunney down in the seventh round of their rematch the referee gave
Tunney extra time beyond the normal ten count to get up as Dempsey
did not immediately go to a neutral corner. Ironically the rule,
that counting of a downed opponent would not begin until the standing
opponent went into a neutral corner, was a new rule and one that
was put in at the request of the Dempsey camp. Tunney would manage
to stay upright for the rest of the fight on the way to a 10 round
decision victory. On June 22, 1938 an important fight occurred.
With all of America
behind him, and with Adolf Hitler watching in Germany, Joe Louis
knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round at Madison Square
Garden to retain his heavyweight title. Louis was voted the best
puncher of all time by Ring Magazine. Another American boxer, James
Braddock (nicknamed Cinderella Man) became the world heavyweight
champion by defeating Max Baer in 1935 against 10 to 1 odds. Braddock
defeated Corn Griffin, but was destroyed by Joe Louis in a title
bout. In 1926, Hall of Famer Harry Greb (World Middleweight boxing
Champion from 1923 to 1926) died due to complications from surgery
the age of 32. His final record was 106-8-3. In 1930, British boxer
Jack Kid Berg won the light welterweight title. In 1948, Freddie
Mills won the light heavyweight title.
Among English
flyweights, Jackie Brown won the title in 1932 and Peter Kane in
1938. A flyweight from Glasgow, Scotland, Benny Lynch, held the
world flyweight title in 1935 and again in 1937. Fellow Scotsman
Jackie Paterson won the title in 1943. In 1938 Henry Armstrong
became the first and only boxer to hold titles in three different
weight classes at the same time (featherweight, lightweight, and
welterweight). His attempt at winning the middleweight title would
be thwarted in 1940.
1940s to 1960s
An American boxer in the 1950s, Rocky Marciano, remains the only undefeated
world champion in any division. Another American, Sugar Ray Robinson, held
the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951 and the world middleweight title
a record five times from 1951 to 1960. American boxer Archie Moore, held the
world light heavyweight title for ten years and scored more knockout victories
than any other boxer in history. In Northern Ireland, Rinty Monahan held the
flyweight title from 1947 to 1950, and Barry McGuigan won the W.B.A. featherweight
title in 1985.
One of boxing's
greatest rivalries began on October 2 1942 when Sugar Ray Robinson
and Jake LaMotta waged the first of their six wars (Robinson would
win five of the six).
1960s to 1980s
In the 1960s to the 1970s, an American heavyweight boxer named Cassius Clay
changed his name to Muhammad Ali upon converting to Islam and promised to "shock
the world." Ali fought Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and George
Foreman. Ali was known for his charismatic personality and his refusal to enlist
in the US Army during the Vietnam War, among other things. He knew how to get
media attention and thus stole the entire show during his heavyweight boxing
career. The world has enjoyed Ali's entertainments for several decades. After
Ali retired, American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard won world titles in five different
weight divisions. A great fighter, and able to fill Ali's shoes.
The original
holder of the nickname title "Knock Out King" was Gil
King, known as KO artist Irish Gil King for his impressive athletic
endeavors and many first round wins. In the '60's, King, American
by birth, was the only four time Golden Gloves Champion in the
mid-west. In 1969, with a professional 15 and 0 record, King went
to Los Angeles, from Ohio. With trainer Cannonball James Green,
King quickly took control of, and kept, the California Welterweight
title. In the early '70's, King was the main event in Vegas five
times, winning all. King fought concurrently with Joe Frazier and
George Foreman.
King was the
Sparring partner for Jose Monteguia Napoles on many occasions as
Napolese trained for fights at the Forum in Englewood. Ca., during
his 7 years as Welterweight Champion of the world. King trained
himself with the Quarry brothers in San Jacinto, Ca. Current opinion
was that the KO King would get and hold world titles. As a world
contender, after his mother's funeral in Ohio, King was shot in
the head by thugs who didn't know who he was. The media lost sight
of King, thinking he was dead. He survived with much suffering
and consternation. He is a trainer in California, showing his secrets
on how to knock out an opponent.
1980s to present
Sugar Ray Leonard on the cover of Sports illustratedSugar Ray Leonard would
come from behind to knock Thomas Hearns out in the 14th round on September
16, 1981 in one of the greatest fights of the decade. Leonard would go on to
fight Roberto Duran twice in the 80s, losing the first fight but making Duran
quit in the second fight (this is the famous "No mas" fight). Middleweight
champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler would engage in one of the greatest
fights of all time when he faced Thomas Hearns at Caesar's Palace on April
15, 1985.
The fight was
billed as "The War" and it lived up to its billing. As
soon as the bell rang both fighters ran towards the center of the
ring and began trading hooks and uppercuts nonstop. The pace continued
into round three when Hagler overwhelmed Hearns and knocked him
out in brutal fashion. This fight made Hagler a household name
and propelled him to superstardom. Hagler was able to lure Ray
Leonard out of retirement in 1987, but lost a controversial decision
to him. Hagler would retire from boxing immediately after that
fight.
Nicknamed "Iron
Mike", American heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, from Brooklyn,
became world heavyweight champion at the age of 20 and the first
undisputed champion in a decade. Controversy surrounded Tyson's
career. He got into brawls outside the ring and was briefly married
to actress Robin Givens. In 1990, challenger James "Buster'
Douglas, was trained by a non-boxer, "professional" carpet
layer, John Russel, from Akron, Ohio. Russel, who never boxed,
as an amateur or professional, stole the identity of Irish Gil
King, also from Akron, including his ring record and the fact that
Gil King served in the Navy, as a way to get into the gym.
Russel knew that
King had been shot in the head, and having lost his career was
destitute and falsly imprisoned. Impersonating a "dead" man,
Russel showed Gil King's punches to Douglas, a 42 to 1 underdog.
The previously unknown, John Russel was not expected to ready Douglas
for the fight, but using Gil King's championship "KO King" moves,
Douglas knocked Tyson out in the 10th round of their match in Tokyo.
In 1991, Tyson
was imprisoned for raping Miss Black Rhode Island, Desiree Washington
in an Indianapolis hotel room. In 1996, Tyson was banned from boxing
for a year after biting a chunk from Evander Holyfield's ear during
a bout. In August 2003, he filed for bankruptcy. In August 2005,
Tyson unofficially retired from boxing.
American Roy
Jones, Jr. of Pensacola, Florida won world titles in four different
weight divisions(middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight,
and heavyweight)). When he defeated John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight
title, he was the first former middleweight champion to win a heavyweight
title since Bob Fitzsimmons over one hundred years ago.
British heavyweight
Lennox Lewis became undisputed champion in 1999 after having won
the WBC title in 1993. 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. Lewis regained the title soon after and was at the
top of the division until he retired in 2005. Larry Holmes was
heavyweight champion for seven years defeating fighters such as
Muhammad Ali, Gerry Cooney, and Earnie Shavers, from Akron/Youngstown,
Ohio.
He started his
career with 48 consecutive victories and had a chance to become
only the second heavyweight champion to go 49-0. But a loss to
Michael Spinks ended his dream. Holmes then began his "second
career" where he faced such fighters as Mike Tyson, Evander
Holyfield, Oliver McCall, and Ray Mercer. Holmes finished his career
with a 69-6 record. Currently the four heavyweight title belts
are currently held by four different fighters, leaving the Ring
Magazine heavyweight champion title (widely regarded as the least
biased source of rankings) vacant. One of the most surprising turnarounds
in boxing history occurred on March 17, 1990 when Julio César
Chávez, behind on the scorecards, knocked out Meldrick Taylor
with two seconds left in the 12th round. Chávez would go
undefeated in his first 91 fights (including a very controversial
draw vs. Pernell Whitaker) becoming a Mexican hero in the process
before dropping a split decision against Frankie Randall.
Oscar de la HoyaOscar de la Hoya became the most popular non-heavyweight of
all time for his superior boxing skills, movie star looks, and appeal to Hispanic
boxing fans. The large sums of money he has received boxing have made it possible
for him to have a one-man pay-per-view franchise, a venue to promote his own
self. With the advent of the in-home cable television explosion of popularity,
and people entertaining at home, de la Hoya owns the pay-per-view record for
the two highest-grossing non-heavyweight fights of all time (against Felix
Trinidad and Ricardo Mayorga). de la Hoya would also have successful pay-per-view
fights against Ike Quartey, Julio César Chávez, Shane Mosley,
and Fernando Vargas.
Bernard Hopkins
set the record for most consecutive defenses by a middleweight
champion with twenty before losing a controversial decision to
current middleweight champion Jermain Taylor. Floyd Mayweather
Jr. is considered by Ring Magazine to be the best pound for pound
fighter in the world with a record of 36-0 with 24 KOs. Unlike
years ago when the heavyweights got all the attention, fighters
in lower weight classes are experiencing unprecedented popularity
today. In the last five years junior lightweights Marco Antonio
Barrera and Erik Morales have fought numerous times on pay-per-view.
Sue Atkins (alias Sue Catkins) helped to pioneer women's boxing
in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, but without any official recognition.
The first British woman to be issued with a license was Jane Couch
from Fleetwood, who won the Women's International Boxing Federation
(WIBF) welterweight title in 1996.
Length of bouts
For decades, from the 1920s to the 1980s, world championship matches in professional
boxing were scheduled for fifteen rounds, but that changed after a November
13, 1982 WBA Lightweight title bout ended with the death of boxer Duk Koo Kim
in a fight against Ray Mancini in the 14th round of a nationally televised
championship fight on CBS. Exactly three months after the fatal fight, the
WBC reduced the number of their championship fights to 12 rounds. The WBA even
stripped a fighter of his championship in 1983 because the fight had been a
15-round bout, shortly after the rule was changed to 12 rounds. By 1988, to
the displeasure of some boxing purists, all fights had been reduced to a maximum
of 12 rounds only, partially for safety, and partially for television, as even
a 12-round bout could take one hour to broadcast, while a 15-round bout could
require upto 90 minutes to broadcast.
Scoring
If a knockout or disqualification does not occur, the fight must go to the
scorecards. Professional fights have three judges each, and each of the judges
must use the 10 point must system: Each time a boxer lands two punches without
retaliation his oppenent loses a point. However, should his opponent land a
punch he is award his point back. The lead boxer in a round always has ten
points. A knock down is scored as a loss of two points for the first in a round
and one point for the second. A third knockdown ends the fight. If the judge
deems the round to be a tie, he or she may score it 10-10. If a fighter is
penalized during the round, either one or two points is deducted after the
judge decides who won the round (for example, if Boxer A is deemed to win the
round by Judge B, but is penalized one point for a low blow, the Judge will
score the round 10-9 for Boxer A, then deduct one point for the foul, thus
the round score is 9-9).
When the fight
reaches its scheduled distance, all scores are added, round by
round, to determine who won on each judges' cards. When all three
judges have the same boxer as the winner, this is a unanimous decision.
When two judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other
one has it a tie, this is called a majority decision. When two
judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other judge has
the other boxer winning, this is called a split decision. When
one judge gives his or her vote to one boxer, another one gives
it to the other boxer, and the third judge calls it a tie, this
is a draw. It is also a draw when two judges score the fight a
tie, regardless of who the third judge scored the bout for. In
the United Kingdom, the bout is only scored by the referee, except
when a title is at stake, in which case it is scored by three judges.
If a fight can
not go on because of an injury caused to one of the competitors
by a headbutt, there are different rules: If the fight has not
reached the end of round three, (in some places, round four), the
fight is declared a technical draw or a no contest. If it has reached
beyond the end of round three (or four), then the scorecards are
read and whoever is ahead, wins by a technical decision. In championship
fights, round four is used as the cutoff (prior to round four,
technical decision, after round four, winner on the scorecards).
Other scoring
systems have also been used in various locations, including the
five-point must system, (in which the winning fighter is awarded
five points, the loser four or less), the one-point system, (in
which the winning fighter is awarded one or more points, and the
losing fighter is awarded zero), and the rounds system which simply
awards the round to the winning fighter. The bout is won by the
fighter determined to have won more rounds. This system often used
a supplemental points system (generally the ten-point must) in
the case of even rounds.
Professional boxing. (2007, February 10). In Wikipedia,
The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:52, February 19, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Professional_boxing&oldid=107013453
Copyright (c) Wikipedia.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU
Free Documentation License, Version 1.2. |
