Expert: Lian Shoemake - 1/6/2005

Question
i was wondering why some fighters (more notably Oscar De La Hoya)  look like they are biting air before a fight.  it looks kinda funny and no one ever says anything about it....  my guess is that they're stretching their jaws because of tension... am i right?

Answer
Hi Clarence,

Thanks for the question.
You're essentially right in your analysis. Professional boxers are required to wear form-fitting mouthpieces, which allows them to "set" their jaws for the duration of a match. The stretching you see is usually done to help the boxer accommodate the mouthpiece, and in anticipation of clamping down on it.
Also, some boxers chew big wads of stiff gum prior to bouts to help toughen their jaw muscles. I'm not sure that does much, but some do it anyway.

I hope this helps!
Thanks again for writing, Clarence.

Regards,

Lian