Expert: Alan Kahn - 12/14/2003

Question
wath is boxing all obout?

Answer
Hi Kevin,

Actually, despite all the Hype and Bad mouthing, Boxing is about Scoring more points than your opponent. You score points by hitting certain areas of the opponent. It is one point for clean head shot and the same for a clean body shot. (Some levels of amatuer boxing do not allow punches to the head.)  Normally a clean knock down counts for much more than other points. A knock-out is a quick way to end the contest and is simply the result of a clean punch to the head. (As you know, some people can take more of a punch than others.) A knock-out is never the goal of a competition.  Scoring more points than the other man is.

Depending on the level of the competition, the judges score the boxers by award "rounds" to a round winner or loser, or by the total points for all rounds.

In professional competition, The judge gives the boxer that he feels won each round 10 points (for the round), and the loser of the round gets either 9 points. The judge can also give the winner of the round a 2-point advantage if there was a clean knock down, and score that round 10 for the winner and 8 for the loser. At the end of the fight, the round points are added up, and the boxer with the most round points wins.

In most amatuer competitions, the judges keep punch-points for the entire fight and those are the totals used to score the fight.

Inconsistent Judging and outrageously flambouyant, loud mouth personalities (both competitor and promoters) have tainted the sport and given it a circus atmosphere at some levels, particularly profession. Those are the ones that get the media hype, but the vast majority of those involved in the sport are decent people and exceptional athletes. Physical Fitness training with boxing activities is quickly becoming an accepted activity all around the country.  

thanks for your question and I hope this was what your were asking about. Good luck and train safely,

sincerely,

Alan Kahn
author, The Speed Bag Bible