KOJOE90 wrote:Back again with another idea!
Don't stop me I'm on a roll!!!
How about a sort of Boxing Dictionary, as in each week a defintion and brief history of Boxing
'subjects' are given, e.g.
Where does the word Boxing come from?
Why is a jab called a jab?
Why is Welterweight called Welterweight?
When were rings first used?
Who invented the speed bag?
Who is Lord Lonsdale?
When were judges first used?
When were rounds first used?
How did the WBC, WBA, IBC etc etc enter Boxing?
When was the BBBC formed?
Why are rounds 3 minuted long?
Why is a Boxing ring square?
Where did the phrase 'The Noble Art' come from?
Etc etc etc......
Of course some of us would know some of the answers, but I'm sure we could all learn something and it would be good for any newcomers to the sport to.
I thought id have a wee try at answering these.....
1.The word boxing comes from comes from the middle english word ‘boxus’ which means slap.
2.A jab is called a jab because that is simply what it is.. ‘a jabbing blow’ ,from French originally.
3.A welterweight is derived from a german word “welteren”, meaning a heavy rider. It was originally a term used for large fighting cocks when cock fighting was fashionable and was subsequently used to describe big hitting boxers of smaller sizes. The bantamweight division is also a throwback to this.
4.Rings have always been used to mark the area where fights will take place ever since ancient days. Originally they were marked on the floor of arenas, similar to wrestling or judo rings these days.
5.No Idea!!
6.Very briefly, Lord Lonsdale was a patron of the National Sporting Club in the early 1900s. In order to recognise national championships he sponsored the awarding of a belt in 1909. The original belts were inscribed with “The National Sporting Club’s Challenge Belt” and didn’t feature the name of Lord Lonsdale at all. It was by the awarding of these ‘championship’ belts that the NSC strengthened its control over boxing. This ensured that only those who won their belts could be considered British champion, and of course all title bouts were fought at their club. When the NSC wound up and the BBBC took its place, they continued awarding the belts and only then did they become known as ‘Lonsdale Belts’. The first fight for a Lonsdale belt took place on September 16th 1936 with Benny Lynch ko’d Pat Palmer after 8 rounds for the flyweight title (this fight was also for the European and World titles). The current Lord Lonsdale is called Hamish Lonsdale!
7.Dunno!
8.Fights were originally fought until one of the protagonists could no longer continue or could make it to the line to begin again (hence toeing the line). They were originally periods when fighting took place and ended when one man went down, no matter how much time had passed. This is why you can read about fights, particularly in the bare knuckle days lasting hundreds of rounds, lasting many hours or even days. It was only in 1867 when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up his rules that rounds were fixed at three minutes.
9.Briefly all the governing bodies came into existence primarily through money, politics disagreements between who was the better fighters and in latter days televisions desire for ‘title fights’. There was always a dispute between America and the rest of the world as to who genuinelly could be called world champions. This is one of the reasons why so many bodies began to spring up. To answer this question fully would take an awful lot of time!!
10.The British Boxing Board of Control was established originally in 1918 as part of the NSC. While support of the BBBC grew and that of the NSC declined it was announced it 1929 that the BBBC would be reconstituted and that all administrative duties would be passed to the board. There for the BBBC became the sports governing body 75 years ago.
11.Because the Marquis of Queensberry thought it was a good idea!
12.Boxing rings in ncient times were originally circular, drawn into the ground and static in the one place ie in sports arenas or halls. However with the advent of bare knuckling and the need to have a transportable ring ropes first began to be used. When fights took place outside a length of rope at a prescribed length would be provided. Spectators would than hold this rope by forming a circle, thus ensuring that the circle was the correct size. With the legalising of boxing, the need to have an easy removable ring was negated. There for it was easier to place stakes in the ground and tie a rope around them to provide the fighting area. Hence the fact the ring became square. A circular ring was last constructed in England in 1912, and in America one was used in an exhibition between Fred Apostili and Vic Grupico, which was constructed and used in a San Fransisco shipyard in 1942. I do have a picture of this and it does look bizarre but I have no idea how to paste it there!
13.As for the Noble Art Im not sure although it could be a throwback to the days when the ‘nobility’ sponsored fighters.
