BOXING






I INTRODUCTION

Boxing, fistfighting sport between two matched combatants wearing padded gloves. A boxer’s primary aim is to land as many blows as possible to the head and torso of the opponent, using strength and speed to dominate the contest. One of the oldest sports still practiced, boxing dates back thousands of years. Today the sport is popular in many parts of the world and encompasses both amateur and professional matches. Sometimes it is referred to as pugilism, from the Latin word pugil, meaning “a boxer.”
Boxing Sometimes called “the sweet science,” the sport of boxing requires agility, strength, toughness, and lightning-quick reflexes.Courtesy of ESPN Sports. All rights reserved.
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Mike Tyson American boxer Mike Tyson, left, connects with a jab against Frank Bruno, right, during their 1989 bout in Las Vegas, Nevada. The youngest fighter to win a world heavyweight title, Tyson unified all three major championships in 1985, establishing an impressive record of 37 wins, no losses and 33 knockouts. The later years of his career were more troubled, including a 1992 rape conviction that sent him to prison for three years and a suspension for biting off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear in a 1997 title bout.
Sugar Ray Leonard Shown here in a 1987 bout against Marvin Hagler (in dark trunks), American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (in white trunks) became the first professional fighter to win world championships in five different weight classes. Before turning professional in 1977, Leonard amassed an impressive amateur record of 145 wins and 5 losses, winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games.
For most of the 20th century boxing attracted huge fan and media attention in the United States. Some boxing champions became legendary, larger-than-life figures, such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. Criticized to varying degrees throughout its history for its violent nature and high inju