BASIC BOXING HISTORY I [RECYCLED]

Ancient Boxing-There are examples of boxing in Egyptian and Mesopotamian art as far back as 3000 BC. In Homer's Illiad (800 BC) Epius, the designer of the Trojan Horse wins a boxing match over Euryalos with a shot to the collarbone at the funeral games for Achilles. At first "gloves" in Ancient Greece consisted of "himantes," long strips of leather tied together to protect the fighters hands. Around 500 BC, those were replace by the diabolical "caestus." Layers of leather stuffed with iron or lead. Good luck with that. In the Olympic games there were no rounds or rests or weight classes. You fought until one man could not or would not continue (a fight to the finish) in a single elimination tournament. he Romans of course took from the Greeks. There are later examples of art depicting boxing in Africa around 200 BC

English Bare Knuckles-This version arose from fencing in the 17th century. It was no gloves, above the waist throws were allowed and fights were to the finish. The early teachers were fencing masters. That is where the basic stance and jab came from. Back in the day the straight left was the core of the sport and was not a pitty pat punch. It was a thundering shot. Because hands were bare, straight, cutting punches were most often used while hooks and uppercuts were not due to the risk to the hands. Body punching was heavily used. Fights were held outdoors and fighters wore spiked shoes for traction. Rounds ended when one man was taken to the ground by throw, punch or taking a knee. The the seconds had 30 seconds to revive their fighter and the referee would commence an eight count. If a fighter didn't make it to the line in the center of the ring he was KO'd. There were essentially three divisions, under 130 lightweight, 131-60 middleweight, over 160 heavyweight. The sport is generally illegal at this point.

The Marquess of Queensbury Rules-In the 1880's the sport is still generally illegal and then these rules come into play as a way of circumventing laws. This allowed for indoor fighting, charging admission etc. This began modern gloved fighting. Under these rules there are three minute rounds, the ten count, no wrestling ands gloves (usually five ounces). This structure with the lighter, leather shoes allowed more movement and more rapid punching. John L. Sullivan, the Boston Strongboy, is the man who makes the transition from the bare-knuckled to the gloved era. He is a 5'11, 200 pound, barrel chested powerhouse known for his speed of all things. Sullivan coins the term "The bigger they are the harder they fall" and becomes America's first athletic superstar. He makes money between big fights going from town to town , having an exhibition and at the end offering money to anyone he can't KO in four rounds. In my childhood in Massachusetts there were still old men who would greet people by saying "Come shake the hand that shook the hand of the Great John L."

The Fundamental Change-Sullivan and most of his challengers, though fighting with gloves, still employed bare knuckle techniques. Jim Corbett, Mike Donovan, Joe Gans and others demonstrated more movement, combination punching and the jab as a preliminary punch. It was a breakthrough as fighters began to understand gloved boxing offered a different approach, several different approaches. One major change here to was the end of the fight to the finish. Now most championship fights were between 25-45 three minute rounds. That length still limited pacing and the style of action and clinching and trying to wear the other guy out that way was a common tactic. Most non title fights were 6-10 rounds. Fights to a judged decision were still generally illegal which is why the newspaper decision became common.

Hey marble I made it to were you can post in the boxing news section so if you would post these in both the boxing forum and the boxing news forum. That way it will stay in there and show up on our boxing news page. Or if you dont want to do that I can keep posting them in there too. Its up to you sir.

Soonermark890 wrote:Hey marble I made it to were you can post in the boxing news section so if you would post these in both the boxing forum and the boxing news forum. That way it will stay in there and show up on our boxing news page. Or if you dont want to do that I can keep posting them in there too. Its up to you sir.

Naw, I can do it myself...if I can figure it out

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:Hey marble I made it to were you can post in the boxing news section so if you would post these in both the boxing forum and the boxing news forum. That way it will stay in there and show up on our boxing news page. Or if you dont want to do that I can keep posting them in there too. Its up to you sir.

Naw, I can do it myself...if I can figure it out

Its the same. You just make a thread. Oh and I change the name to boxing news and archive. I thought that it fit better.

Marble, can you recommend any books that cover this period in boxing history.

captainanddew wrote:Marble, can you recommend any books that cover this period in boxing history.

There isn't one single good one that does the whole period justice.

But Pierce Egan's "Boxiana" is THE book for the English bare knuckle days. Published in about 1840 and still in print.

Then for the broadly defined Sullivan era either his autobiography (which he really wrote before the Corbett fight) or Bob Mee's History of bare knuckles (only OK).

The biggest overview from Greece on is a book called Boxing a cultural history by Kasia Boody. Full of information, I just didn't particularly like it.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

captainanddew wrote:Marble, can you recommend any books that cover this period in boxing history.

There isn't one single good one that does the whole period justice.

But Pierce Egan's "Boxiana" is THE book for the English bare knuckle days. Published in about 1840 and still in print.

Then for the broadly defined Sullivan era either his autobiography (which he really wrote before the Corbett fight) or Bob Mee's History of bare knuckles (only OK).

The biggest overview from Greece on is a book called Boxing a cultural history by Kasia Boody. Full of information, I just didn't particularly like it.

thanks man. I'll have some reading to do in the next few weeks.

captainanddew wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

captainanddew wrote:Marble, can you recommend any books that cover this period in boxing history.

There isn't one single good one that does the whole period justice.

But Pierce Egan's "Boxiana" is THE book for the English bare knuckle days. Published in about 1840 and still in print.

Then for the broadly defined Sullivan era either his autobiography (which he really wrote before the Corbett fight) or Bob Mee's History of bare knuckles (only OK).

The biggest overview from Greece on is a book called Boxing a cultural history by Kasia Boody. Full of information, I just didn't particularly like it.

thanks man. I'll have some reading to do in the next few weeks.

Boxiana is the place to start. It can be a little slow until you get the hang of 19th century ENGLISH English (if you get my drift)

Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

Comanche Boy is so much fun to watch.

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

This is something. I will repost two "boxing appreciation" threads over the next few days.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

This is something. I will repost two "boxing appreciation" threads over the next few days.

I thought at one time you did some threads that explained footwork and the basics? Are the boxing appreciation threads the ones I am talking about?

Soonermark890 wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

Comanche Boy is so much fun to watch.

Yeah we have talked about it a few times. A buddy of mine is somehow related to him. Actually his girl is his step sister or something. Whatever, they wear Comanche Boy T-Shirts like everyday. Sucks his last fight was called off. He has low wear and tear for how old he is. He wrestled in Junior College so I never understood why he didn't attempt a transition to MMA.

Soonermark890 wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

This is something. I will repost two "boxing appreciation" threads over the next few days.

I thought at one time you did some threads that explained footwork and the basics? Are the boxing appreciation threads the ones I am talking about?

Yuperooni.

OUSooner wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

Comanche Boy is so much fun to watch.

Yeah we have talked about it a few times. A buddy of mine is somehow related to him. Actually his girl is his step sister or something. Whatever, they wear Comanche Boy T-Shirts like everyday. Sucks his last fight was called off. He has low wear and tear for how old he is. He wrestled in Junior College so I never understood why he didn't attempt a transition to MMA.

Can you imagine him in MMA? He would be fun as hell to watch.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

This is something. I will repost two "boxing appreciation" threads over the next few days.

I thought at one time you did some threads that explained footwork and the basics? Are the boxing appreciation threads the ones I am talking about?

Yuperooni.

Those were some great threads. Yeah OU you need to read those when he puts them up. Hell I learned a lot from them.

Soonermark890 wrote:

OUSooner wrote:

Soonermark890 wrote:

OUSooner wrote:Is this the kind of thing I should start with. Any better Boxing 101 type threads you guys recommend? I admit I have been an extremely casual fan at best. Most I ever paid attention to boxing was with local guys like Grady Brewer and "Comanche Boy" George Tahdooahnippah. Both live in my town.

Comanche Boy is so much fun to watch.

Yeah we have talked about it a few times. A buddy of mine is somehow related to him. Actually his girl is his step sister or something. Whatever, they wear Comanche Boy T-Shirts like everyday. Sucks his last fight was called off. He has low wear and tear for how old he is. He wrestled in Junior College so I never understood why he didn't attempt a transition to MMA.

Can you imagine him in MMA? He would be fun as hell to watch.

Hell yea, he is a very entertaining fighter.