Boxing might seem simplistic at first glance. It’s two people in a ring trying to knock each other out, isn’t it?
While the general premise is straightforward enough, there is so much more to boxing than a straight-up street fight.
To fully understand boxing betting, you need to have a grasp for the rules and scoring. Getting to grips with the size of the ring, equipment used, and history of the sport can help you to understand the action that’s unfolding in front of you.
Before jumping into the live betting markets, make sure you’re fully clear on boxing’s rules and scoring:
History
Where boxing began depends on far how you are willing to look back and what you would consider as boxing.
Evidence of physical combat sports exists from millennia ago. It is a sport that has often been on the fringes of legality with prizefighting outlawed in plenty of countries around the world.
The Marquess of Queensberry rules from 1867 can perhaps the viewed as the birth of modern boxing.
Three-minute rounds, 10-second counts, and the introduction of gloves changed the nature of the sport and begun to give a clearer framework for boxing to follow in the coming decades.
Legitimacy was fought for in the latter 19th century and early 20th century. Stars like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Floyd Mayweather represent the growth of boxing into a truly global sport. It’s now an industry worth billions of dollars.
Boxing first appeared in the Olympics in 688 BC. In modern times, it was first part of the Games in 1904 and has been a regular on the Olympic schedule since then, aside from 1912 when the sport was banned in Sweden. Women’s boxing was introduced for the 2012 Games in London.
Rules
The aim of boxing is straightforward. Boxers are aiming to land punches on their opponent on the head or torso. They want to avoid hits from their opponent. Each punch landed sees that fighter receive a point.
Each round is three minutes long. There are usually nine or 12 rounds with a minute break between each, but Olympic boxing has just three three-minute rounds. Referees are in the ring to officiate the fight, make sure the fighters are safe, and count knocked-down fighters.
If a boxer is knocked down, the referee will count to 10. If the fighter is unable to stand up before the end of the count, it will be classed as a knockout and the fight is over. Alternatively, players can win on points or a match can be determined as a tie if there is no knockout in the set number of rounds.
Boxers are not allowed to hit below the belt. They must not kick or headbutt, and cannot use any of the rope for support while punching. No hits can be given to the back, back of the head, or neck.
Boxers will occasionally clinch. This is effectively a defensive hug to stop the rhythm of the fight. The referee is responsible for breaking the clinch, and each fighter must take a step back before the fight resumes.
Olympic Weight Classes
Fighters are separated into classes depending on their weight. Here are the allocated weight classes for the Tokyo Olympics:
Men
Flyweight (48-52kg)
Featherweight (52-57kg)
Lightweight (57-63kg)
Welterweight (63-69kg)
Middleweight (69-75kg)
Light Heavyweight (75-81kg)
Heavyweight (81-91kg)
Super Heavyweight (+91kg)
Women
Flyweight (48-51kg)
Featherweight (54-57kg)
Lightweight (57-60kg)
Welterweight (64-69kg)
Middleweight (69-75kg)
Scoring
Fights can have controversial results. There are multiple judges on the sidelines scoring based on defence, punches connected, knockdowns and much more. There is plenty of subjectivity in boxing scoring.
The scoring is only required if a fight goes the distance. Fights can end before the scoring is needed if either fighter achieves a knockout.
Ring Size & Dimensions
Boxing rings can vary in dimensions. They are generally between 16 feet x 16 feet and 24 feet by 24 feet.
The platform of the ring is usually three to four feet above ground level, with an inch of padding across a stretched canvas. Posts are in each corner of the ‘ring’, with ropes at heights of 18, 30, 42, and 54 inches.
Equipment
Gloves and a gumshield are the two vital pieces of boxing equipment. The glove size and weight will depend on the size of the fighter, with gloves generally varying between eight and 16 ounces.
With boxers inevitably taking hits to the face, a gumshield is important to protect their teeth. Headwear was worn by men in Olympic boxing until 2016, and continues to be worn by female Olympic boxers.
Most Successful Countries at the Olympics
The United States are by far the most successful country in Olympic boxing with 117 total medals. The USA have won 50 golds (only three other countries have won more total medals).
Cuba are on 78 overall medals with 48 golds, putting them ahead of Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and Italy.
Jim Frazier, Cassius Clay, Anthony Joshua, Nicola Adams, Lennox Lewis, and Wladimir Klitschko are among some of the most famous Olympic gold medallists.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
