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Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier

Joseph William Frazier nicknamed Smokin' Joe (born in Beaufort, South Carolina on January 12, 1944), better known as Joe Frazier, is a world famous former boxer and world Heavyweight champion. Among other things, Frazier is famous for his trilogy of fights with Muhammad Ali, of which their third bout, the Thrilla In Manila, has been considered by many to be boxing's greatest bout ever. The Philadelphia-raised Frazier won a Gold medal in boxing at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, after which he turned professional, defeating Woody Goss by a knockout in the first round. He won three more fights that year, all by knockout. In 1966, he kept on the winning road all the way, making nine fights, of which eight were knockout wins, the only man to last the distance with him being Oscar Bonavena. He also beat Charlie Polite and Eddie Machen among others that year. In 1967, Frazier won all four of his fights. He got to meet Doug Jones, who was beaten in six by knockout, and George Chuvalo, beaten in four, by technical knockout, among others. In 1968, Ali had to leave his world Heavyweight title vacant, because of his protest against the Vietnam war, and the New York commission decided to hold a fight between Frazier and Busther Mathis, the winner being recognized as world champion by the state of New York. Although the fight was not widely recognized as a world championship bout by boxing fans, nevertheless, Frazier went in there and won the fight by a knockout in 11. Then, he beat Manuel Ramos of Mexico in two rounds to defend his 'title', and he also beat Bonavena in a rematch, also retaining that 'title', by a decision in 15, after being dropped twice in round one. In what could be considered a weird twist, 1969 saw him defend his New York 'title' in Texas, beating Dave Zyglewicz by a knockout in the first, and then box an exhibition at Times Square. He finished the year knocking out Jerry Quarry in seven, once again defending the New York 'title'. On February 16, 1970, Frazier finally became a recognized champion when WBA world Heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis came to defend against Frazier at the Madison Square Garden and Frazier defeated him with a fifth round knockout. Frazier was immediately recognized as the undisputed world champion. In his first defense, he went to Detroit to fight legendary world Light Heavyweight champion Bob Foster, who set a record for the number of defenses in the Light Heavyweight division. Frazier retained the title by a knockout in two, and then came what was nicknamed the Fight Of The Century, his first fight with Ali. On March 8 of 1971, also at the Madison Square Garden, Frazier and Ali boxed the first of three epic bouts. In front of a world wide television audience, and an in-house audience which included such luminaries as Frank Sinatra (acting as a photographer for Newsweek magazine) and Woody Allen, Frazier dropped Ali in round 15, to secure a 15 round decision win and retain the title, inflicting Ali's first professional defeat. Around this time, many people in the Black community felt Frazier was not a vocal advocate of the Black community's struggle for civil rights and he began to be labelled an Uncle Tom by some of the members of that community.Woody Allen Immediately after the first Ali fight, Frazier faced health problems, and on March 16, he was hospitalized in Philadelphia with high blood pressure and kidney problems. This caused the media to speculate that Frazier had died, and the rumor spread quickly across the United States. Frazier was released from the hospital about a week later. In 1972, Frazier retained the title twice, beating Terry Daniels and Ron Stander, both four round knockout losers to Frazier. Then came January 22 of 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, and it was Frazier's turn to lose his undefeated record, and world championship belt, against George Foreman, when Foreman knocked him out in two rounds. This was the first fight ever telecast on HBO Boxing. Frazier then returned to his winning ways with a 12 rounds decision win over Joe Bugner, a future challenger to Ali for the world title. The fight was held in London. In 1974, his second fight against Ali took place, once again in New York, where Ali reversed the result of the first fight with a 12 round decision win over Frazier. He finished that year with another rematch, knocking Quarry out in five rounds. 1975 was once again, a year of rematches for Frazier, but this time around, they were accompanied by more travelling to far away countries. He met former world champion Ellis in Melbourne, Australia and came out the winner by a knockout in nine. That win made him again the number one challenger for the world crown, taken over by Ali after beating Foreman by knockout in eight at The Rumble in the Jungle. Ali and Frazier met for the third time in Quezon City, the Philippines, and Ali took every opportunity to mock Frazier, nicknaming him The Gorilla and trying to aggraviate him at every chance he had. The fight, which was attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, caused a widespread media frenzy and was seen live in many countries around the world. Ali retained his title when Frazier failed to answer the bell for the final round. Ali described the fight as "the closest thing to death" he knew of. In 1976, Frazier lost to Foreman in a rematch and retired. He made a cameo appearance in the movie Rocky and he dedicated himself to training many local boxers in his native Philadelphia, including many of his own children. In 1980, Frazier was honoured by the band Bruford on their LP Gradually Going Tornado. In 1981, Frazier attempted a comeback which lasted only one fight, drawing in ten rounds with Jumbo Cummings in Chicago, Illinois. Ever since, Frazier, who likes to meet fans and sign autographs, has involved himself in different endeavours. Among the many of his sons that turned to boxing as a career, he helped train Marvis Frazier, a challenger for Larry Holmes's world Heavyweight title, and currently trains his daughter, Jackie Frazier-Lyde. In 1990, Frazier joined Ali, Foreman, Norton and Holmes to appear on the cover of a boxing game, Champions Forever, produced for the Sega and Nintendo game systems. He wrote an autobiography entitled Smokin' Joe. Frazier was widely criticized for the many vituperative things he said about Ali in his book. He went on and on about Ali's "insults" and said he had no pity for him in his current poor health. He said he would love to open the graveyard and bury Ali when he died. In contrast, Ali's autobiography (most likely ghost-written) was very generous towards Frazier. Frazier had a record of 32 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw, with 27 knockout wins. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Frazier is still training fighters, and enjoying his earnings from his days as a boxer at his Philadelphia mansion. He and Ali have reportedly made an attempt to become reconciled in recent times. Frazier had a lawsuit overthrown by a judge, on November 18 of 2003, concerning 140.397 acres (568,000 m²) of then-farmland that he had acquired for 843,000 dollars in 1973 and had agreed in 1978 to sell for 1.87 million dollars. The current value of the land is substantially greater than in 1978 now that the land has been parcelled and 476 residences have been built on it. Although Frazier had received annual payments for the property, he says that his signature was forged on the documents and he had no knowledge of the sale. Frazier said he was due 1.3 million dollars in payments that were never made to him by the realty trust, and was asking for return of the land to his possession, plus the current value of the land (84 million dollars) in damages. Frazier discovered that the mortgage was not secured only after the trust defaulted. An earlier claim against the current residents of the land was also thrown out, for being directed against innocent parties. His daughter Jackie, who is also a lawyer, represented him during the lawsuit.

External links

- [http://www.boxing-memorabilia.com/boxing%20autographs%20main.htm Smokin Joe Frazier]
- [http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-10022003-170805.html Dispute hits sour note with residents, Bucks County Courier Times] nl:Joe Frazier Frazier, Joe Frazier, Joe

Beaufort, South Carolina

Beaufort is a small town (but called a "city") located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,950. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. Beaufort (pronounced Byu-fert unlike its counterpart in North Carolina) is located on Port Royal Island, in the heart of the Sea Islands and Low Country. Beaufort is rich in history. The island was the location of France's first colony in the New World, founded by Jean Ribaut shortly after the Spanish colonized St. Augustine, Florida The colony failed however, and eventually the land ended up as part of British Carolina. Beaufort has a substantial Marine Corps presence, with MCRD Parris Island and MCAS Beaufort. Beaufort has one local television station, WJWJ-TV (PBS).

Geography

MCAS Beaufort Beaufort is located at 32°25'55" North, 80°41'22" West (32.431853, -80.689515). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a large amount of dykes and a total area of 60.7 km² (23.4 mi²). 48.2 km² (18.6 mi²) of it is land and 12.5 km² (4.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 20.57% water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 12,950 people, 4,598 households, and 3,034 families residing in the city. The population density is 268.7/km² (695.7/mi²). There are 5,080 housing units at an average density of 105.4/km² (272.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 69.41% White, 25.14% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.98% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. 4.39% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 4,598 households out of which 31.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% are married couples living together, 14.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% are non-families. 28.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 2.90. In the city the population is spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 19.5% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 114.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 117.6 males. The median income for a household in the city is $36,532, and the median income for a family is $42,894. Males have a median income of $22,465 versus $23,474 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,501. 13.0% of the population and 11.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.3% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Schools

- Mossy Oaks Elementary School - grades PK-5, [http://www.islc.net/moes/ website]
- Shell Point Elementary School
- Beaufort Elementary School
- Robert Smalls Middle School
- Broad River Elementary School
- Battery Creek High School
- Beaufort Academy
- St. Peter's Catholic School

External links

Category:Cities in South Carolina Category:Beaufort County, South Carolina

World

:This article is about the World, meaning the Earth. For uses of the specific phrase "The World", see The World (disambiguation) The World (disambiguation)] The World (disambiguation) In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is "age or life of man". Its primary modern meaning is the planet Earth, especially when capitalized: the World. In this sense, a world map is a map of the surface of the Earth. World can also refer to human population in general or to a distinct group of people.
Physical locations
In other contexts, "world" is sometimes used to mean any planet or moon; for example, Mars and Titan are two worlds within the solar system. "World" is sometimes used to refer to the entire Universe. This is less common now that knowledge of space is more commonplace; however, it is still used vaguely in this sense (as in "the whole wide world"), which it is actually the most frequent sense in philosophy.
Other meanings
World can be used in less literal words; for example, two people with very little in common are "living in two different worlds." The "end of the world" usually means "the end of everything I am familiar with."
- In Christianity the world connotes the fallen and corrupt world order of human society outside the community of believers. The world is frequently cited alongside the flesh and the Devil as a source of temptation that Christians should flee. Monks speak of striving to be "in this world, but not of this world", and the term "worldhood" has been distinguished from "monkhood", the former being the status of merchants, farmers, and others who deal with "worldly" things.
- World can also refer to a fictional setting, for example the world of Star Trek or the world of The Lord of the Rings. See fictional realm.
- In knowledge engineering and knowledge level modeling, a system's world is the knowledge that system has about its environment.
- The term can also be used in a culturally specific context: commentators increasingly refer, for example, to the "Muslim world" as if it were a distinct entity.
- In Native American mythology, the Fifth World is the coming world that will exist after the current world.
- World can refer to WORLD Magazine, the fourth largest newsweekly in the United States.
- In Europe, the word "World" refers to Europe (and sometimes America as well).
First World, Second World, Third World
Europe]] The terms First World, Second World, and Third World were used to divide the nations of Earth into three broad categories. The three terms did not arise simultaneously. After World War II it became common to speak of the capitalist and Communist countries as two major blocs, scarcely using such terms as the "free world" as compared to the "communist bloc". The two "worlds" were not numbered. It was eventually pointed out that there were a great many countries that fit into neither category, and in the 1950s this latter group came to be called the Third World. It then began to seem that there ought to be a "First World" and a "Second World." These latter terms were always much less common. In the context of the Cold War:
- First World refers to nations that were within the Western European and United States' sphere of influence — e.g., the NATO countries of North America and Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, and some of the former British colonies such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
- Second World referred to nations within the Soviet Union's sphere of influence, principally the Warsaw Pact countries. Besides the Soviet Union proper, most of Eastern Europe was run by satellite governments working closely with Moscow. This term may or may not also refer to Communist countries whose leadership were at odds with Moscow, e.g. China and Yugoslavia. Recently, this term has been used to describe former Third World countries that have experienced too much development to be classified any longer as being a part of the Third World.
- Third World refers to nations within neither sphere of influence, who were often members of the Non-Aligned Movement. They were mostly developing countries, and many of them are located in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They are often nations that were colonized by another nation in the past. After World War II, the First and Second Worlds struggled to expand their respective spheres of influence to the Third World. The militaries and intelligence services of the United States and the Soviet Union worked both secretly and overtly to influence Third World governments, with mixed success. There were a number of countries which did not fit comfortably into this neat definition of partition, including Switzerland, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland, which chose to be neutral. Finland was under the Soviet Union's sphere of influence but was not communist, nor was it a member of the Warsaw Pact. Austria was under the United States' sphere of influence, but in 1955, when the country again became a fully independent republic, it did so under the condition that it remained neutral. With the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, the term "Second World" largely fell out of use, though the term "Third World" remains popular, mostly as another term for developing countries. The remaining Communist countries either became more isolated from the world economy, as in North Korea and Cuba, or began integrating capitalist concepts such as private enterprise into their societies and forging new trading ties with external capitalist economies, as in Vietnam and China. In more recent use, the term First World refers to developed nations, while Third World, in contrast, refers to developing/undeveloped nations. There is also the less commonly used term Fourth World, often used to refer to nations that lack any national representation at the UN, but that may enjoy representation at UNPO — indigenous peoples living within or across state boundaries. "The World" can also be used to refer to the group of people on the planet earth.
See also

- World economy Category:Culture Category:Geography Category:Universe ja:世界

Boxing

:For other uses, see Boxing (disambiguation) or Boxer (disambiguation) Boxer (disambiguation) Boxing, also called pugilism and prizefighting, is a sport where two participants of similar weight attack each other with their fists in a series of two to three-minute intervals called "rounds". In both Amateur and Professional divisions, the combatants (called boxers or fighters) avoid their opponent's punches whilst trying to land punches of their own. Points are awarded for clean, solid blows to the legal area on the front of the opponent's body above the waistline, with hits to the head and torso especially valuable. The fighter with the most points after the scheduled number of rounds is declared the winner. Victory may also be achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable get up before the referee counts to ten (a Knockout, or KO) or if the opponent is deemed too injured to continue (a Technical Knockout, or TKO).

Origins

Earliest evidence suggests that boxing was prevalent in North Africa during 4000 BC and the Mediterranean in 1500 BC. A Greek ruler named Thesus, who ruled around 900 B.C., was entertained by men who would seat in front of each other and beat another with their fists until one of them was killed. In time, the fighters fought on their feet and wore gloves (not padded) and wrappings on their arms below the elbows, but were otherwise naked when competeing. First accepted as an Olympic sport (the ancient Greeks called it Pygmachia) in 688 BC, participants in the ancient games trained on punching bags (called a korykos). Keeping their fingers free, fighters then wore leather straps (called himantes) on their hands, wrists, and sometimes lower arms, to protect them from injury. In Rome, fighters were usually criminals and slaves. They hoped to become champions and gain their freedom. However, free men also fought. Eventually, fist fighting became so popular that even aristocrats started fighting, but that was banned by the ruler Augustus. In 500 A.D., the sport was banned by Theodoric the Great.

London Prize Ring rules (1839)

Records of boxing activity disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire. The sport would later resurface in English during the early 18th century in the form of bare-knuckle prizefighting. The first documented account of a bare-knuckle fight in England appeared in 1681 in the "London Protestant Mercury," and the first English bare-knuckle champion was James Figg in 1719. This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used. Early bare-knuckle fighting was crude with no written rules. There were no weight divisions, round limits and no referee. Modern rules banning gouging, grappling, biting, headbutting, fish-hooking and blows below the belt were absent. The first boxing rules were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Broughton also invented "mufflers" (padded gloves), which were used in training and exhibitions. In 1839, the London Prize Ring rules were introduced which superceded Jack Broughton's rules. Later revised in 1853, they stipulated the following:
- Fights occur in a 24-foot-square ring surrounded by ropes.
- If a fighter was knocked down, he must rise within 30 seconds of his own power to be allowed to continue.
- Biting, headbutting and hitting below the belt were declared fouls.

Marquess of Queensberry rules (1867)

In 1867, the Marquess of Queensberry rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweights, Middleweights and Heavyweights. The rules were published under the patronage of the Marquess of Queensberry, whose name has always been associated with them. There were twelve rules in all, and they specified that fights should be "a fair stand-up boxing match" in a 24-foot-square ring. Rounds were three minutes long with one minute rest intervals between rounds. Each fighter was given a ten-second count if he was knocked down and wrestling was banned. The introduction of gloves of "fair-size" also changed the nature of the bouts. An average pair of boxing gloves resembles a bloated pair of mittens and are laced up around the wrists. Gloves protected the hands of both fighters but their considerable size and weight made knock-out victories more difficult to achieve. Resultantly, bouts became longer and more strategic with greater importance attached to defensive maneuvers such as slipping, bobbing, countering and angling. The first world heavyweight champion under the Queensberry Rules was "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, who defeated John L. Sullivan in 1892 at the Pelican Athletic Club in New Orleans. With the gradual acceptance of formalised rules, two distinct branches of boxing emerged; Professional and Amateur. The boxing rules enforced by governing bodies worldwide today at the local, national and international level are all derived in some way from the Marquis of Queensberry Rules.

Amateur boxing

In amateur boxing (the version of the sport found at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games) the primary emphasis is on landing scoring punches rather than concern with doing physical damage to one's opponent. Competitors wear protective headgear and box for three to five rounds of two or three minutes each. Gloves in amateur boxing have a white strip across the knuckle. A punch is considered a scoring punch only when the boxers connect with the white portion of the gloves. Each punch that lands on the head or torso is awarded a point. A referee monitors the fight to ensure that competitors use only legal blows (a belt worn over the torso represents the lower limit of punches - any boxer repeatedly landing "low blows" is disqualified). Referees also ensure that the boxers don't use holding tactics to prevent the opponent from swinging (if this occurs, the referee separates the opponents and orders them to continue boxing. Repeated holding can result in a boxer being penalised, or ultimately, disqualified). Also, in amateur boxing, referees will readily step in and stop the contest even if the competitor is only relatively lightly injured. As a result, the risk of grievous injury is sufficiently reduced in amateur boxing versus professional boxing.

Amateur boxing history

The Queensberry Amateur Championships continued from 1867 to 1885, and so, unlike their professional counterparts, amateur boxers did not deviate from using gloves once the Queensberry Rules had been published. In Britain, the Amateur Boxing Association (A.B.A.) was formed in 1880 when twelve clubs affiliated. It held its first championships the following year. Four weight classes were contested, Featherweight (9 stone), Lightweight (10 stone), Middleweight (11 stone, 4 pounds) and Heavyweight (no limit). (A stone is equal to 14 pounds). By 1902, American boxers were contesting the titles in the A.B.A. Championships, which, therefore, took on an international complexion. By 1924, the A.B.A. had 105 clubs in affiliation. Boxing first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1904 and, apart from the Games of 1912, has always been part of them. From 1972 through 2004, Cuba and the United States have won the most Gold Medals, 29 for Cuba and 21 for the U.S. Internationally, amateur boxing spread steadily throughout the first half of the 20th century, but when the first international body, the Federation Internationale de Boxe Amateur (International Amateur Boxing Federation) was formed in Paris in 1920, there were only five member nations. In 1946, however, when the International Amateur Boxing Association (A.I.B.A.) was formed in London, twenty-four nations from five continents were represented, and the A.I.B.A. has continued to be the official world federation of amateur boxing ever since. The first World Amateur Boxing Championships were staged in 1974. In the late 19th and early 20th century, amateur boxing was encouraged in schools, universities and in the armed forces, but the champions usually came from among the urban poor. Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1904. For most of the 20th century, however, it was banned in most nations. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing Association sanctioned its first boxing competition for women in 1997. The first event was to be between two thirteen-year-olds, but one of the boxers withdrew because of hostile media attention. Four weeks later, an event was held between two sixteen-year-olds. The A.I.B.A. accepted new rules for Women's Boxing at the end of the 20th century and approved the first European Cup for Women in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001. Women's boxing will be an exhibition sport at the 2008 Olympics, but it won't become an official Olympic sport at the 2012 Olympics. Fights at the amateur boxing level were scored by five judges, who gave 20 points to whoever they thought won a round, and 19 or less to the loser. This form of scoring changed after the 1988 Olympic games in Seoul, when Michael Carbajal and Roy Jones Jr. lost their gold medal fights to South Korean opponents, with the boxing media generally believing that Carbajal and Jones Jr. should have won their bouts. It was later discovered that the judges had been bribed to give South Koreans the gold medals against Carbajal and Jones Jr. Ironically, at the same Games, a South Korean boxer sat in the ring for about 90 minutes after being declared the loser in a fight he thought he should have won. As a consequence of all the controversies of the 1988 Olympic boxing competition, a new scoring system was invented for amateur boxing: using a computer, judges must press a button every time they think a boxer landed a punch. When three or more of the five judges press the button within a second of each other, the punch counts as a "point" for the fighter that landed it. Punches to the head or face of an opponent usually score the most points for a competitor. At any point of the fight in which a fighter is leading by twenty points (or sometimes more), the referee is indicated and the fight is stopped, the leading fighter winning by "mercy", and credited with a knockout.

Professional boxing

Professional bouts are far longer than amateur bouts (ranging from four to twelve rounds), headgear is not permitted, and boxers are generally allowed to take much more punishment before a fight is halted. At any time, however, the referee may stop the contest if he believes that one participant can not or should not continue to box. In that case, the other participant is awarded a technical knockout win, which appears on the boxer's record as a knockout win (or loss). A technical knockout would also be awarded if a fighter lands a punch that opens a cut on the opponent, and the opponent is later deemed not fit to continue by a doctor because of the cut. If a boxer simply quits fighting, or if his corner stops the fight, then the winning boxer is also awarded a technical knockout victory. If a knockout or disqualification does not occur, the fight must go to the scorecards. Professional fights have three judges each, and each of the judges must use the 10 point must system: Under this system, each time a boxer wins a round in the judges' eyes, the judge gives that boxer 10 points, and the other 9 or less. If the judge deems the round to be a tie, he or she may score it 10-10. When the fight reaches its scheduled distance, all scores are added, round by round, to determine who won on each judges' cards. When all three judges have the same boxer as the winner, this is an unanimous decision. When two judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other one has it a tie, this is called a majority decision. When two judges have one boxer winning the fight and the other judge has the other boxer winning, this is called a split decision. When one judge gives his or her vote to one boxer, another one gives it to the other boxer, and the third judge calls it a tie, this is a draw. It is also a draw when two judges score the fight a tie, regardless of who the third judge score the bout for. In Britain, the bout is only scored by the referee, except when a title is at stake, in which case it is scored by three judges. If a fight can not go on because of an injury caused to one of the competitors by a headbutt, there are different rules: If the fight has not reached the end of round three, (in some places, round four), the fight is declared a technical draw or a no contest. If it has reached beyond the end of round three (or four), then the scorecards are read and whoever is ahead, wins by a technical decision.

Evolution of professional boxing

In 1891, the National Sporting Club (N.S.C.), a private club in London, began to promote professional glove fights at its own premises, and created nine of its own rules to augment the Queensberry Rules. These rules specified more accurately the role of the officials, and produced a system of scoring that enabled the referee to decide the result of a fight. The British Boxing Board of Control (B.B.B.C.) was first formed in 1919 with close links to the N.S.C., and was re-formed in 1929 after the N.S.C. closed. In 1909, the first of twenty-two belts were presented by the fifth Earl of Lonsdale to the winner of a British title fight held at the N.S.C. In 1929, the B.B.B.C. continued to award Lonsdale Belts to any British boxer who won three title fights in the same weight division. The "title fight" has always been the focal point in professional boxing. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, there were title fights at each weight. Promoters who could stage profitable title fights became influential in the sport, as did boxers' managers. The best promoters and managers have been instrumental in bringing boxing to new audiences and provoking media and public interest. The most famous of all three-way partnership (fighter-manager-promoter) was that of Jack Dempsey (Heavyweight Champion, 1919-1926), his manager Jack Kearns, and the promoter Tex Rickard. Together they grossed US$ 8.4 million in only five fights between 1921 and 1927 and ushered in a "golden age" of popularity for professional boxing in the 1920s. They were also responsible for the first live radio broadcast of a title fight (Dempsey v. Georges Carpentier, in 1921). In Britain, Jack Solomons' success as a fight promoter helped re-establish professional boxing after the Second World War and made Britain a popular place for title fights in the 1950s and 1960s. In the first part of the 20th century, the United States became the centre for professional boxing. It was generally accepted that the "world champions" were those listed by the Police Gazette. After 1920, the National Boxing Association (N.B.A.) began to sanction "title fights". Also during that time, Ring Magazine magazine was founded and it listed champions and awarded championship belts. The N.B.A. was renamed in 1962 and became the World Boxing Association (W.B.A.). The following year, a rival body, the World Boxing Council (W.B.C.), was formed. In 1983, another world body, the International Boxing Federation (I.B.F.) was formed. By the end of the 20th century, a boxer had to be recognized by the three separate bodies to be the "Undisputed Champion" of the World. Ring Magazine also continued listing the World Champion of each weight division, and its rankings continue being of the most appreciated by fans. Although women fought professionally in many countries, in Britain the B.B.B.C. refused to issue licences to women until 1998. By the end of the century, however, they had issued five such licenses. The first sanctioned bout between women was in November 1998 at Streatham in London, between Jane Couch and Simona Lukic.

Equipment

Boxing techniques utilize very forceful strikes with the hand. There are many bones in the hand, and striking surfaces without proper technique can cause serious hand injuries. Today, most trainers do not allow boxers to train and spar without handwraps and gloves. Handwraps are used to secure the bones in the hand, and the gloves are used to protect the hands from blunt injury, allowing boxers to throw punches with more force than if they did not utilize them. Headgear, used in amateur boxing, protects against cuts, scrapes, and swelling, but does not protect very well against concussions. Headgear does not sufficiently protect the brain from the jarring that occurs when the head is struck with great force. Also, most boxers aim for the chin on opponents, and the chin is usually not padded. Thus, a powerpunch can do a lot of damage to a boxer, and even a jab that connects to the chin can cause damage, regardless of whether or not headgear is being utilized.

Length of bouts

For decades, from the 1920s to the 1980s, world championship matches in professional boxing were scheduled for fifteen rounds, but that changed with the death of boxer Duk Koo Kim, who died after a lightweight title fight with Ray Mancini in November of 1982. After Kim's death, the World Boxing Council reduced the number of their championship fights to twelve rounds. By 1988, to the displeasure of many boxing purists, all fights had been reduced to a maximum of 12 rounds only.

Technique

There are four basic punches in boxing: the Jab, Cross, Hook and Uppercut. If a boxer is right-handed, his lead hand be his left, and vice versa. A left-handed boxer is called a Southpaw.

Punches

- Jab - A quick, straight punch thrown with the lead hand from the stance position. The punch is accompanied by a quarter-rotation of the shoulders, while the fist rotates through 180 degrees so that it is horizontal upon impact. As the punch reaches full extension, the lead shoulder is brought up to guard the chin. The rear hand remains next to the face to guard the jaw. The jab is the most important punch in a boxer's arsenal because it provides a fair amount of its own cover and it leaves the least amount of space for a counterpunch from the opponent. It has the longest reach of any punch and does not require commitment or a large shift in position to throw the punch. It is thus used as a tool to gauge distances, probe an opponent's defenses, and set up heavier, more powerful punches.
- Cross - Also called a "straight" or "right", the cross is a straight punch executed with the rear hand. The rear hand crosses the body, the shoulders rotate toward the target and the rear pivots along with the hips. A half-step forward can be maneuvered (just as a jab can be thrown with a step (step-jab) or without) although many prefer not to do this and do not coach it. The power in the cross comes from the rotation of the hips, the extension of the arm and the momentum this builds, as well as the weight behind the punch - a boxers weight transfers to his front foot so as to put the body behind the punch, however he/she should always be able to resume a guarded stance immediately after the punch is thrown and never be off-balance. The cross is the most powerful punch and is responsible for the majority of knockouts. It can be used to set up a hook, and it can be used as a counterpunch to a jab aimed at the opponent's head (or a counter to a cross aimed at the body). The cross can be thrown right after a jab, creating the classic "one-two combo."
- Hook - This punch is thrown in a side arc with a bent arm. It can be thrown with either hand but is typically a lead hand punch. The boxer rotates the hips and transfers weight towards the back while pivoting the feet in the same direction, causing the arm to swing with the body in a lead hand hook. The power in a hook comes from the explosive rotation of the legs, hips, and shoulders, allowing a large amount of power to be thrown behind the punch. The classic hook is thrown in a horizontal plane, but the punch can also be thrown at a 45 degree angle (a "Mexican hook" or "shovel hook" or "hook to the ribs"), blending into the uppercut, striking the ribs right under the guard. Hooks are not parried but rather bobbed/rolled or simply blocked with the boxers guard against the head. The punch is very useful when aimed for the ribs, solar plexus, or especially the head, as the force from the hook tends to travel through a blocked head better than a jab.
- Uppercut - This punch is thrown upwards with either hand (although a rear hand uppercut is marginally more common). The weight transfer for an uppercut is similar to that of the cross, except the arm is bent and extends outward from the boxer's guard instead of extending straight out from the chin. The uppercut travels horizontally towards the opponent's chest, and arcs up slightly to strike the chin. The power in the uppercut comes from the rotation of the legs and hips, like a cross. This can be a devastating power punch because even if it does not connect with the chin itself, it tends to lift up the chin of the opponent, which opens up a bigger target and causes the opponent to be off balance for a moment.
- Bolo punch - Occasionally seen in amateur boxing, the bolo is an arm punch which owes its power to the shortening of a circular arc rather than to transference of body weight; it tends to have more of an effect due to the surprise of the odd angle it lands at rather than the actual power of the punch. This is more of a gimmick than a technical maneuvuer, this punch is not taught, it is on the same plane in boxing technicality as is the Ali shuffle.

Defense

- Guard - The guard is the protective barrier that the boxer's arms make. To create an effective guard, the boxer's elbows rest on the ribcagewhile the hands are held up to protect the head. The head is bent down slightly in order to tuck the chin to avoid painful strikes. The shoulders and arms are held without tension in order to allow quick movement. The guard is important because it is the last line of defense before a strike hits an unprotected face or body. When protecting against the body, the boxer rotates the hips in order to let the punches "roll off" the guard (a form of parrying with the forearms). When protecting against the face, the boxer tucks the head in more in order to be pretected better within the guard.
- Bob and Weave - This movement attempts to avoid an opponent's punch by bending the legs (and, often, the waist) in order to bring the head into a position under the opponent's extending arm. The legs and waist are then extended to bring the body back to its upright position. As the boxer rises, the body has moved either to the boxer's left or right in order to avoid the (presumably) still extended arm. To move to a position on the outside of the opponent's extended arm is sometimes called "bobbing to the outside" and is, generally, the preferred method of defense. "Bobbing to the inside", or moving the body to a position on inside of the opponent's extended arm, is considered defensively weak because the boxer is then vulnerable to punches from the opponent's opposite fist.
- Slip - The slip is a maneuver performed with the defending boxer's legs and hips in order to shift the position of the head. As a straight punch (such as a jab or straight/cross) comes toward the boxer's face, the defending boxer turns the hips and shoulders to one side which shifts the position of the chin sideways, allowing the punch to "slip" by. The less the boxer has to move his or her head or the vertical angle of the shoulders, the more skillful he or she is considered at this technique.
- Parry - The parry is performed most often against a straight punch. As the opponent's arm is extended, the defending boxer moves the fist (most often of the dominant arm) towards the oncoming punch, usually rotating the wrist and elbow so that the palm is facing the opponent. As the opponent's punch makes contact with the extended glove, it is directed away from its initial target.
- Clinch - The clinch, or grappling of the opponent while standing, is considered a defensive maneuver in modern boxing because it is most often employed to interfere with the opponent's offensive maneuvers. Since the distance between the fighters is closed, the majority of boxing's offensive techniques (which mostly rely on hip/torso rotation and arm extension) cannot be employed. Since the clinch is broken up by the referee immediately, the clinch is often seen as a method for the disadvantaged fighter to gain a short reprieve and perhaps interfere with the dominant fighter's concentration.

Stance and movement

- The modern boxing stance is a reflection of the current system of rules employed by professional boxing. It differs in many ways from the typical boxing stances of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It's been stated that Americans adopted a more upright vertical armed guard (as opposed to more horizontally held, knuckles facing the ground guard as seen when looking at early 20th century boxers such as Jack Johnson) due to the Americans' confrontations with the Filipino natives as a result of the Philippines Spanish-American war. When engaged in hand to hand combat, the Filipinos would slash the wrists of the American soldiers, the Americans adapted by changing the guarded stance and thus just one example of a boxing technicality evolving. The boxer must stand with the legs shoulder-width apart. The boxer places the lead foot (the left foot for a right-handed fighter, the right foot for a left-hander (southpaw) more forward than the back foot so the front foot's heel is in line with the back foots toes. The toes point straight forward, towards the opponent. The lead fist (the jabbing fist) is carried in front, half a dozen inches in front of the face at eye level (both arms should always be held straight and vertical - in line with the shoulders). The back fist is held against the chin and the arm lies in place against the body to protect the rib cage. Knockouts are usually scored with punches to the chin. Modern boxers can sometimes be seen "tapping" their cheeks or foreheads with their fist in order to remind themselves to kept their fists up in this defensive position (which becomes difficult during long bouts). The torso is kept straight and the chin is tucked into the lead shoulder (which is often kept tense to further protect the chin).
- Modern boxers are taught to "push off" with their feet in order to move effectively. Forward motion involves lifting the lead leg and pushing with the rear leg. Rearward motion involves lifting the rear leg and pushing with the lead leg. During lateral motion the leg in the direction of the movement moves first while the opposite leg provides the force needed to move the body.
- A rarely used technique is the Rope-a-dope method, most famously used by Mohammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle bout. This method involves laying on the ropes and concentrating on defence while conserving energy as the opponent is lured into striking repeatedly without interruption. If successful, the attacking opponent will eventually tire and lower his defenses for the other boxer to exploit for effective attacks using his now superior reserves. However, this method is discouraged as it is physically punishing and few boxers have the endurance to attempt it while gambling that their opponent will not realize what they are doing.

Boxing legends

The boxing world has produced talented and world famous personalities in both the amateur and professional realms. Famous amateur boxers have usually been Olympic medallists. The Olympic games have long been considered a springboard for professional entry, though some Olympic champions prefer to retain their amateur status, including three-time gold medalist Teofilo Stevenson. It is the professional side of boxing, however, that has produced the celebrities whose activities the public has generally followed.

London Rules and pre-Queensberry Era

The bareknuckle era produced legends like John L. Sullivan, the first world heavyweight champion. Sullivan has been called the first great American sports hero.

Modern era

1900s to 1920s

It is the post-Queensberry (or Modern) era that has the greatest number of legendary boxers, such as world heavyweight champions Jim Jeffries (the first Great White Hope) and Jack Johnson (the first black world heavyweight champion), who fought each other in 1910 in the first "Fight of the Century".

1920s to 1940s

World heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey was one of the most important athletes of roaring twenties. Boxing in the 1930s, despite being hit by depression, saw one of the greatest boxers of all time: Joe Louis. From 1937, he dominated the heavyweight scene for 12 years before retiring as world champion in 1949. Shortly before the beginning of WW2, the battles between Louis and Max Schmeling were seen as battles between America and Nazi Germany.

1940s to 1950s

The 1950s had a boxer who would go down in history as the only undefeated world heavyweight champion: Rocky Marciano. The title of the movie Rocky was inspired by this legend. This era also had Sugar Ray Robinson, who most experts rate as the best pound-for-pound boxer of all time. Robinson held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951, and the world middleweight title a record five times from 1951 to 1960. Another great of this period was Archie Moore, who held the world light heavyweight title for ten years and scored more knockout victories than any other boxer in history.

1960s to 1970s

The decades of the 1960s & 1970s are best remembered by the dominance of a boxer once named Cassius Clay, who said he would "shock the world." He joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and declared himself against war. Many sociologists, observers, and critics now view Ali as a reflection of the changing society of that time. Ali had tough opponents like Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and George Foreman, but proved himself to be the best heavyweight of his era, if not of all time. Larry Holmes (a former sparring patrner of Ali) and the electric promoter Don King both gained prominence during this time.

1970s to 1980s

After the retirement of Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard became the biggest star in the sport. In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Leonard won world titles in five different weight divisions, and was the firt boxer to make 100 million dollars during his career.

1990s to present

If there was ever a bad boy of boxing, the title surely would go to a man who burst into professional boxing like a hurricane; Mike Tyson. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" because of his devastating punching power, took the world by storm. The most dominant figure on the heavyweight division in the mid-to-late 80s, he ran through his opponents like a wrecking ball, becoming the first undisputed champion in a decade. Both in and out of the ring, he was always in the news. He was jailed multiple times, barred from boxing for a year after biting a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear, and going into bankruptcy. When he fought his last title fight, against Lennox Lewis in 2002, he was beaten thoroughly and knocked out. Lewis, the only British heavyweight titleholder in the 20th century, retired as champion. Roy Jones, Jr. was the most dominant fighter of the 1990s and early 2000s. He won world titles in four different weight divisions, from middleweight to heavyweight. When he defeated John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title, he was the first former middleweight champion to wim a heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons accomplished the feat over one hundred years earlier. Oscar De La Hoya was possibly the most popular boxer of his era. He won titles from junior lightweight to middleweight. With good looks and charisma, along with plenty of boxing talent, he became the richest non-heavyweight in the history of boxing.

Legends of British boxing

Great Britain, the birth place of modern boxing, has produced numerous boxing legends. Among British amateur boxers, only those who won Olympic gold medals tended to achieve recognition beyond the limits of boxing enthusiasts. They included Harry Mallin (Middleweight), 1920 and 1924), Terry Spinks (Flyweight, 1956), Dick McTaggart (Lightweight, 1956) and Chris Finnegan (Middleweight, 1968). In 1908, at the Olympic Games in London, five weight divisions were contested, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight. British boxers won them all, and four of the finals were all-British! It is the professional side of boxing, however, that has produced the celebrities whose activities the public have generally followed. In the period between bare-knuckle pugilism and post-Queensberry boxing, Jem Mace was important. He carried many of the traditions of the old London Prize-Ring, but promoted the use of gloves and helped to popularize the sport in the United States and Australia. In the post-Queensberry era, the first British fighter to achieve superstar status was Bob Fitzsimmons. He weighed less than 12 stone but won world titles at Middleweight (1892), Light Heavyweight (1903), and Heavyweight (1897). He fought his last bout at the age of fifty-two. Successful fighters have provoked fierce local pride. The best example was Jimmy Wilde, a Welsh flyweight who won the world Flyweight Championship in 1916 and held it until 1923. He once had a sequence of eighty-eight fights without defeat. Between 1911 and 1923, he won seventy-five of his fights by a knockout. He was idolized in Wales, where they commonly believed him to be the best boxer, pound-for-pound, that ever lived. He was described as the "Mighty Atom" and "the ghost with a hammer in his hand". The Scots had a similar pride in Benny Lynch, a flyweight from Glasgow, who held the world flyweight title in 1935 and again in 1937. Over the years, Scots have had great success at this weight; Jackie Paterson won the title in 1943 and Walter McGowan in 1966. Scots have also had success in the lightweight division. Ken Buchanan won the title in 1971 and Jim Watt in 1980. In Northern Ireland, Rinty Monahan held the flyweight title from 1947 to 1950, and Barry McGuigan won the W.B.A. featherweight title in 1985. England, too, had its successes at the lighter weights. Among the flyweights, Jackie Brown won the title in 1932, Peter Kane in 1938 and Terry Allen. The Welsh had their own featherweight legend Jim Driscoll. His nickname was "Peerless Jim". He was born in the one time Irish "slum" of Newtown. Jim was the first outright winner of the Lord Lonsdale Belt. Jim had prolific wins of the British, Empire and European titles. Jim is considered by many to be the best pound for pound fighter of all time. Britain has had other popular world champions. In the 1930s, Jackie Berg won the light welterweight title. In the 1940s, Freddie Mills won the light heavyweight title. In the 1950s and 1960s, Randy Turpin and Terry Downes won middleweight titles. and in the 1970s, John Conteh and John Stracey won the light heavyweight and welterweight titles respectively. With so many title-awarding bodies in the 1980s and 1990s, the public became unsure about who actually was the champion. Nevertheless, the successes of Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, and Joe Calzaghe continued to bring extensive media coverage to boxing and sustained a considerable public following. The most popular boxers, howevers, have not always been the world title-holders. Just fighting for the world title in the heavyweight division can bestow celebrity status, as was shown by Henry Cooper, who twice unsuccessfully fought Muhammad Ali in the 1960s. Britain had to wait 100 years to have its first heavyweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons lost his title in 1899. Lennox Lewis became undisputed champion in 1999, having first gained the W.B.C. title in 1993. Frank Bruno held the W.B.C. world heavyweight title from 1995 and 1996, after beating the man who beat Lewis, Oliver McCall. He lost it to Mike Tyson in a rematch of their 1989 title bout. Sue Atkins (alias Sue Catkins) helped to pioneer women's boxing in Britain in the 1980s, but without any official recognition. The first British woman to be issued with a license was Jane Couch from Fleetwood, who won the Women's International Boxing Federation (W.I.B.F.) welterweight title in 1996.

International Boxing Hall of Fame

For many years, the sport of boxing did not have a hall of fame. The inspiration for the boxing hall of fame evolved from a tribute the town of Canastota, New York held for two local heroes in 1982. The tribute was for Carmen Basilio, who was world welterweight and middleweight champion in the 1950s, and his nephew, Billy Backus, who was world welterweight champion in the early 1970s. The people of Canastota raised money for the tribute, which was so success that some started to look into the idea of creating the sport's first hall of fame and museum. The International Boxing Hall of Fame opened in Canastota in 1989. In 1990, the first group of legends were inducted, which included Jack Johnson, Benny Leonard, Jack Dempsey, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Archie Moore, and Muhammad Ali. The Hall of Fame holds it's induction ceremony every June as part of a four day event.

Medical concerns

In 1983, The Journal of the American Medical Association called for a ban on boxing. The editor, Dr. George Lundberg, called boxing an "obscenity" that "should not be sanctioned by any civilized society." Since the AMA called for abolition of boxing, the British, Canadian, and World Medical Associaiton have also called for the sport's abolition, as have the American Neurological Association and the American Academy of Neurology. Many who disagree with the AMA point out that boxing is far from being the most dangerous of sports. To put the risks in perspective, here are some US figures on sports fatalities: Fatality rates per 100,000 participants #Horse racing: 128 #Sky diving: 123 #Hang gliding: 56 #Mountaineering: 51 #Scuba diving: 11 #Motorcycle racing: 7 #College football: 3 #Boxing: 1.3 (This table was compiled by R.J. McCunney and P.K. Russo, authors of an article entitled Brain Injuries in Boxing, which was published in 1984.) In response to such statistics, Lundberg has said, "It's not the deaths but the chronic brain damage that is so frequent." the AMA says about three out of four boxers who have twenty or more professional fights show some brain deterioration.

Impact of boxing on the English language

Numerous metaphors common to everyday speech derive from the sport of boxing. Some of these include:
- not up to scratch -- subpar, not able to do the task at hand (in the old days of boxing, boxers started the round by stepping over a scratch made in the ring, but if a boxer could not do this to keep the round going, he/she was said to be "not up to scratch")
- he was rocked by that one -- a fighter was hit by a punch with enough force to be dazed
- saved by the bell -- rescued from defeat by dint of time running out, an unexpected turn of events, etc.
- on the ropes -- on the verge of being defeated
- throw in the towel -- to quit, give up
- come out swinging -- to throw oneself into an activity or competition
- in one's corner -- on someone's side, to help or cheer him on
- down for the count -- knocked out, defeated
- sucker punch -- hitting an opponent who is off his guard, unfairly taking advantage of a vulnerability
- hitting below the belt -- a grossly unfair attack (in everyday life, usually of a verbal nature)
- punch drunk -- dazed or incoherent (originally, from being repeatedly struck, can refer to dazes generally)
- pull one's punches -- to hold back, withhold full force or attack
- in the arena -- to be participating, engaged
- keep your guard up -- to remain alert, on the defensive
- like a bull out of a cage -- to come out at the start of a round "throwing" punches

Boxing in popular culture

- Battling Butler (1926 film) Starring Buster Keaton
- Two-Fisted (1935 film) Comedy
- Kid Galahad (1937 film) Starring Edward G. Robinson
- Golden Boy (1937 stageplay) written by Clifford Odets
- Golden Boy (1939 film) Starring William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck
- Gentleman Jim (1942 film) Starring Errol Flynn
- Body and Soul (1947 film) Starring John Garfield
- Champion (1949 film) Starring Kirk Douglas
- The Set-Up (1949 film) Starring Robert Ryan
- Day of the Fight (1951 short subject) first film directed by Stanley Kubrick
- On the Waterfront (1954 film) Starring Marlon Brando
- The Harder They Fall (1956 film) Starring Humphrey Bogart
- Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film) Starring Paul Newman
- Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956 TV play) Starring Jack Palance, written by Rod Serling
- Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962 film) Starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney
- Kid Galahad (1962 film) Musical starring Elvis Presley
- Golden Boy (1964 musical stageplay)
- The Great White Hope (1970 film) starring James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander.
- Fat City (1972 film) Starring Stacey Keach and Jeff Bridges
- Rocky Oscar winning movie in 1976 and its sequels
- The Main Event (1979 film) Starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O'Neal
- Raging Bull (1980 film) A classic boxing movie
- Spike of Bensonhurst (1988 film)
- The Great White Hype (1996 film) Starring Samuel L Jackson and Jeff Goldblum
- When We Were Kings (1997 film) The story of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman and The Rumble in the Jungle
- 24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997 film) Starring Bob Hoskins
- Don King: Only in America (TV movie) Starring Ving Rhames
- The Hurricane (1999 film) Starring Denzel Washington as middleweight Rubin Carter
- Girlfight (2000 film)
- Ali (2001 film) Starring Will Smith
- Champion (2002 film) South Korean film about Duk Koo Kim, a South Korean boxer who died after a bout against Ray Mancini
- Undefeated (2003 TV movie) Starring John Leguizamo
- Million Dollar Baby (2004 film) Multiple Oscar winner about a female boxer directed by Clint Eastwood
- Against the Ropes (2004 film) Starring Meg Ryan as Jackie Kallen famous female boxing promoter
- Black Cloud Directed by and starring Rick Schroder
- The Calcium Kid (2004 film)
- Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004 film) Documentary directed by Ken Burns
- Cinderella Man (2005 film) Based on the true story of Jim Braddock starring Russell Crowe.
- The Contender 2005 Reality TV series
- Hajime no Ippo A manga/anime about a young featherweight boxer
- Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! A Nintendo game. Later adapted to SNES as Super Punch-Out!!
- EA Sports Fight Night (formerly Knockout Kings).

Resources

- [http://ahfaa.org/1747.htm Godfrey, John "Boxing" from Treatise Upon the Useful Science of Defense, 1747]
- [http://www.geocities.com/cinaet/price.html Price, Edmund The Science of Self Defense: A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling, 1867]

References

- Patrick Myler (1997). A Century of Boxing Greats: Inside the Ring with the Hundred Best Boxers. Robson Books (UK) / Parkwest Publications (US). ISBN 1-861-05258-8. # "Accidents Take Lives of Young Alumni" (July/August 2005). Illinois Alumni, 18(1), 47.

External links

- [http://www.boxrec.com The Boxing Record Archive]
- [http://www.secondsout.com/World/champions.cfm Current World Champions]
- [http://thering-online.com/ Ring Magazine]
- [http://fightnews.com/ Fightnews.com]
- [http://www.thesweetscience.com/ The Sweet Science]
- [http://www.boxingreport.net The Boxing Report]
- [http://www.aiba.net The International Amateur Boxing Association]
- [http://www.wbaonline.com The World Boxing Association]
- [http://www.wbcboxing.com The World Boxing Council]
- [http://www.ibf-usba-boxing.com The International Boxing Federation]
- [http://kronkgym.com Knock Boxing International]
- [http://www.boxingsearch.com The Boxing Search Engine]
- [http://www.boxing-memorabilia.com/forgery.htm Tips On Collecting Boxing Memorabilia]
- [http://www.phelios.com/pc/boxinggame.html boxing game]
- [http://www.anymartialart.org/09_Martial_Arts_Info/index.php?MArtID=7 AnyMartialArt.org] Boxing overview
- Category:Combat sports Category:European martial arts Category:Olympic sports Category:Individual sports ja:ボクシング

Muhammad Ali

For other people with similar names, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). For the 19th century politician, see Cassius Marcellus Clay Muhammad Ali-Haj (Arabic: محمد على) (born January 17, 1942 as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.), is a retired American boxer. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, as well as one of the world's most famous individuals, renowned the world over for his boxing and political activism. In 1999, he was crowned Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Ali had a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer. He carried his hands at his sides, rather than the orthodox boxing style of carrying the hands high to defend the face. Instead, he relied on his extraordinary reflexes and footwork to keep him away from his opponents' blows.

Biography

Beginnings

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius was named after his father (who was himself named for the Kentucky abolitionist, Cassius M. Clay). At age 12, he had his bicycle stolen, and he reported the fact to a local policeman (and boxing trainer), Joe Martin. Clay told Martin he was going to beat up the person who stole his bike, and Martin suggested that Clay better learn how to fight first. Under Martin's guidance, Clay rapidly advanced through the youth ranks. He was a low-achiever academically, but he was allowed to graduate, despite his poor grades. Presciently, his principal announced during a staff meeting about the issue that Clay would someday be "this school's claim to fame." Clay later joked about his lackluster academic record saying, "I said I was the Greatest, not the smartest." At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Clay won a gold medal as a light heavyweight boxer. Legend has him throwing the medal into the Ohio River after being denied service at a whites-only restaurant; but he has said that he simply lost it. He was presented with a replacement at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Georgia. After the 1960 Olympics he turned professional, under the tutelage of boxing legend Angelo Dundee, and quickly became famous for his unorthodox style, his spectacular results, and his tireless self-promotion (the latter inspired in part by professional wrestler Gorgeous George and singer Little Richard). He made a name for himself as the "Louisville Lip" by composing poems and predicting in which round he would knock out his opponent. He boisterously sang his own praises, with sayings like "I am the greatest" and "I'm young, I'm pretty, I'm fast, and no one can beat me." Ali has himself explained that he used ostentation as a publicity device. As a youngster, he learned that boasting, with maximum impudence, would bring bigger and bigger crowds to attend his fights, because everyone would so desperately want to see the braggart get beaten or otherwise pummelled.

Professional career

In Louisville, on October 29, 1960, Cassius Clay won his first professional fight. He won a six-round decision over Tunney Hunsaker, who was the police chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia. From 1960 to 1963, the young fighter amassed a record of 19-0, with 15 knockouts. He defeated such boxers as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Donnie Fleeman, Duke Sabedong, Alonzo Johnson, George Logan, Willi Besmanoff, and Lamar Clark (who had won his previous 40 bouts by knockout), Doug Jones, and Henry Cooper. Among Clay's more impressive victories were against Sonny Banks (who knocked him down earlier in the bout), Alejandro Lavorante, and Archie Moore (a boxing legend who had won over 200 previous fights). Cassius became the number one contender for Sonny Liston's title. Liston was greatly feared, and some have said that he was the Mike Tyson of his era. Almost no one gave the young boxer a chance of beating Liston. The date was fixed for February 25, 1964; during the weigh-in, the boisterous Ali declared that he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." [http://www.jamescampion.com/ncnali.html]

First title fight

Clay, however, had a plan. Misreading Clay's exuberance as nervousness, Liston was over-confident, and unprepared for any result but a quick stoppage. In the opening rounds, Clay's speed kept him away from Liston's powerful head and body shots, as he used his height and reach advantage to effectively beat Liston to the punch with his jab. By the third, Clay was clearly on top, and had opened a large cut under Liston's eye. Liston regained some ground in the fourth, as Clay was blinded by a foreign substance. It is unknown whether this was something used to close Liston's cuts, or applied to Liston's gloves for a nefarious purpose. Partially-sighted, Clay was able to keep out of range, and by the sixth, he was looking for a finish. That came before the seventh, when Liston retired on his stool, later claiming his shoulder had become dislocated. Clay leapt out of his corner, proclaiming himself "King of the World", and demanding the writers eat their words. Clay was duly crowned the heavyweight champion of the world. He would reconfirm his abilities when he knocked out Liston in the first round of their rematch in Lewiston, Maine on May 25, 1965, albeit controversially; as few observers saw the "phantom punch" that floored Liston. That November, Clay met and defeated former champion Floyd Patterson. The referee stopped the fight in Round 12, after Patterson had taken a horrible beating.

Clay changes his name to Muhammad Ali

Floyd Patterson In between the two matches, he also became famous for other reasons: he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, although only a few journalists (most notably Howard Cosell) accepted it. 1966 and early 1967 were a busy time for the champion. In a period of a year, he defended his title seven times. No other champion has had that many defenses in only a year. In March, 1966, Ali won a unanimous decision over tough Canadian champion George Chuvalo (who was never knocked down in his career). Ali then traveled to England to face "British Bulldog" Brian London, and Henry Cooper (who had knocked Clay down in their initial 1963, non-title match). Ali won both fights by knockout. He traveled to Germany next, to face southpaw Karl Mildenberger (who was the first German to fight for the title since Max Schmeling). In one of his tougher fights, Ali finally won by knockout in Round 12. In November, 1966, Ali returned to the United States to face Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams in the Houston Astrodome. Williams had one of the highest knockout percentages in history, and has often been ranked as one of the finest fighters who never won a title. Many felt he would give the champion a tough battle. However, Ali easily knocked him out in the third round. Many consider Ali's fight with Williams to be his finest performance. In February of 1967, Ali faced Ernie Terrell at Madison Square Garden. Terrell had refused to acknowledge Ali's name, and the champ vowed to punish him for this perceived insolence. Even though the fight went to a decision, Ali delivered a horrible beating and won every round. He kept taunting the challenger throughout the fight: after every hit, Ali hollered "What's my name?" Many called his treatment cruel and brutal. In March of the same year, and in the same location, he faced Zora Folley. He showed what a breath-taking fighter he was, by throwing every punch sharply and on target. He knocked out the challenger in Round 7. It was also in this same year that he refused to serve in the American army during the Vietnam War as a conscientious objector, because "War is against the teachings of the Holy Koran. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers." Ali also famously said that he "got nothing against no Viet Cong" (this is often misquoted as "No Vietnamese ever called me a nigger)". Ali was stripped of his championship belt and his license to box, and was sentenced to five years in prison. The sentence was overturned on appeal four years later, by a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court. Ali's actions in refusing military service and aligning himself with the Nation of Islam, made him a lightning rod of controversy, turning the outspoken but popular former champion into one of that era's most recognizable and controversial figures. Appearing at rallies with Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad and declaring his allegiance to him at a time when mainstream America viewed them with suspicion—if not actual hostility—made Ali a target of outrage, and suspicion as well. Ali seemed at times to even provoke such reactions, with viewpoints that wavered from support for civil rights to outright support of racial separatism. In 1970, Ali was finally able to get a boxing license. With the help of a State Senator, he was granted a license to box in Georgia. In October of 1970, he returned to stop Jerry Quarry on a cut after three rounds. Shortly after the Quarry fight, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Ali was unjustly denied a boxing license. Once again able to fight in New York, he fought Oscar Bonavena at Madison Square Garden in December of 1970. Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15th round, paving the way for a title fight against Joe Frazier. Ali and Frazier fought each other on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. This fight, known as The Fight of the Century, is one of the most famous and eagerly anticipated bouts of all time, since it featured two skilled, undefeated fighters, both of whom had reasonable claims to the heavyweight crown. The fight lived up to the hype, and Frazier punctuated his victory by flooring Ali with a hard left hook in the final round. In 1973, Ali split two bouts with Ken Norton (in the bout that Ali lost to Norton, Ali suffered a broken jaw, but refused to quit), before beating Frazier on points in their 1974 rematch, to earn another title shot. Ali's religious views also changed with time. He began to study the Qur'an, and converted to Sunni Islam, rejecting the teachings of the Nation of Islam.

The Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manila

Islam)]] The incumbent, George Foreman, was a large, hard-hitting, undefeated young fighter who had previously demolished Frazier, KO'ing him in the second round of their championship fight. Foreman was the heavy favorite. The fight was held in Zaire, and promoted by Don King as "The Rumble in the Jungle." In the October 30, 1974 bout, that would cement his reputation as "The Greatest", Ali boxed his best tactical fight. Leading with his "wrong" hand and playing "rope-a-dope" by leaning far back on the ropes, Ali absorbed everything Foreman could throw at him, whilst only occasionally throwing counter-punches. By the end of the sixth round, Foreman had punched himself out, and Ali was able to attack a little more. Foreman kept advancing, but his blows were much less effective, and near the end of the eighth, Ali's right hand finally sent the exhausted Foreman to the floor. As a result of this fight, Ali was awarded the 1974 Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year, and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award. In 1975, Ali defeated Joe Frazier once more in the "Thrilla In Manila", in the Philippines. This fight surpassed their earlier bouts, and became one of the most well-known heavyweight fights ever. After 14 grueling rounds, Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch refused to allow Frazier to continue, and Ali left, the winner by TKO. Along with the "Rumble", his fights with Frazier are widely considered among the greatest in boxing history. Ring Magazine called this bout 1975's Fight of the Year, the fifth year an Ali fight had earned that distinction. Many felt Ali should have retired after this fight; however, he continued to box. 1976 saw him knock out two largely unknown opponents, Belgian stonecutter Jean-Pierre Coopman and English boxer Richard Dunn. On April 30, 1976 Ali faced Jimmy Young in Landover, Maryland, and many regard this as his worst fight. Ali was heavy and out of shape, refusing to take the young challenger seriously. Ali was awarded a unanimous decision, but it was widely booed by the crowd. Many who scored the fight at ringside thought Young deserved the decision. Even Ali's loyal trainer Angelo Dundee said this was his worst performance in the ring. In September, Ali faced Ken Norton in their third fight, held at Yankee Stadium. Once again, the champion won a widely-debated decision. He would retain his title until a 1978 loss to 1976 Olympic champion Leon Spinks, who was fighting in only his eighth professional fight. He defeated Spinks in a rematch, becoming the heavyweight champion for the record third time. Then on June 27, 1979, he announced his retirement and vacated the title. That retirement was short-lived, however, and on October 2, 1980, he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC's version of the world Heavyweight title. Looking to set another record, as the first boxer to win the Heavyweight title four times, Ali lost by technical knockout in round eleven, when Dundee would not let him come out for the round. The Holmes fight, promoted as "The Last Hurrah", was a fight many fans and experts view with disdain, because of what many viewed as a "deteriorated version" of Ali. Holmes was Ali's sparring partner when Holmes was a budding fighter; thus, some viewed the result of the fight as a symbolic "passing of the torch." Holmes even admitted later that, although he dominated the fight, he held his punches back a bit out of sheer respect for his idol, and former employer. It was revealed after the fight that Ali had an examination at the Mayo Clinic, and the results were shocking. He admitted to tingling in his hands, and slurring of his speech. The exam revealed he actually had a hole in the membrane of his brain. However, Don King withheld this report, and allowed the fight to go on. Despite the apparent finality of his loss to Holmes and his increasingly suspect medical condition, Ali would fight one more time. On December 11, 1981, he fought rising contender and future world champion Trevor Berbick, in what was billed as "The Drama in the Bahamas." Because Ali was widely viewed as a damaged fighter, few American venues expressed much interest in hosting the bout, and few fans expressed much interest in attending or watching it. Compared to the mega-fights Ali fought in widely-known venues earlier in his career, the match took place in virtual obscurity, in Nassau. Although Ali performed marginally better against Berbick than he had against Holmes fourteen months earlier, he still lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Berbick, who at 27 was twelve years younger. Following this loss, Ali retired permanently in 1981, with a career record of 56 wins, 37 by knockout, against 5 losses.

In retirement

Ali was diagnosed with pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome in 1982, following which his motor functions began a slow decline. Despite this, he remains a hero to millions around the world. In 1985, he was called upon to negotiate for the release of kidnapped Americans in Lebanon. In 1996, he had the honor of lighting the Olympic flame in Atlanta, Georgia. His daughter Laila Ali also became a boxer in 1999, despite her father's earlier comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that... the body's not made to be punched right here [patting his chest]. Get hit in the breast... hard... and all that." The $60 million Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown Louisville, Kentucky on November 19, 2005 (his 19th wedding anniversary). In addition to displaying his boxing memorabilia, the center focuses on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth. Muhammad Ali currently lives in Michigan with his fourth wife, Yolanda Williams. He has recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on November 9, 2005 .

Personal life

Muhammad Ali has been married four times. His first wife was Sonji Roi, whom he married on August 14, 1964, and she had his first two children, they divorced on January 10, 1966. His second wife was Khalilah 'Belinda' Ali, whom he married on August 17, 1967; and she had four of his nine children, they divorced in 1977. His third wife was Veronica Porche Ali, whom he married on August 19, 1977, and she had two children with him, one of which was Laila Ali; they divorced in July, 1986. His fourth and current wife is Yolanda Williams, whom he married on November 19, 1986, and they adopted a son named Asaad. His children are: Rasheedah, Jamilla, Maryum, Miya, Khalilah, Hana, Laila, Muhammad Jr. and Asaad. He also learned Taekwondo from Jhoon Rhee.

External links

- [http://www.ali.com/ Muhammad Ali official website]
- [http://www.alicenter.org Muhammad Ali Center]
- [http://www.unitedathletes.com/english/profiles/mali.html United Athletes Magazine] Ali's physical qualities and abilities.
- [http://www.famousmuslims.com/muhammadali.htm] Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad ja:モハメド・アリ

Thrilla in Manila

The Thrilla In Manila was a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, fought at the Araneta Coliseum in the capital of the Philippines on October 1, 1975. Ali won. Produced by Don King and broadcast to many countries worldwide with HBO's antenna, The Thrilla in Manila had a tremendous media following. Some boxing fans call it the greatest fight ever. Ali and Frazier seemed honestly to dislike each other outside the ring as well as inside, and they had already split two fights between them, Frazier retaining his World Heavyweight crown on their first meeting, at Madison Square Garden in 1971, but Ali taking a 12 round decision over Frazier in 1973. The city of Cairo had apparently been considered as a possible host to the fight: The August 1975 issue of Ring Magazine had a fictitious fight-poster of Ali-Frazier III on its cover, and the poster listed Nasser Stadium in Cairo as the place the fight was taking place. Ali spent his time in Manila taunting Frazier at every opportunity, even calling him The Gorilla. So, when they got into the ring Frazier was, as he was in the first bout, an angry warrior. Ali trained for the fight, but may not have been in the best of condition because many considered Frazier to be a finished fighter. Ali retained his title when, after 14 brutal rounds, Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch stopped the fight giving Ali a technical knockout when Frazier did not answer the bell for round 15. Ali compared his third and last fight with Frazier to a near-death experience. See also: Fight of the Century, Ali-Frazier II.

External links

[http://philboxing.com/news/thrilla.in.manila.php The Thrilla in Manila 30th Anniversary Special Site] [http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,16853550%255E2764,00.html "The Day Ali Saw Death" The Sunday Mail (Australia)] [http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-01T062000Z_01_MOL122770_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BOXING-ALI.xml&archived=False "Ali-Frazier fight extracts dreadful price" Reuters UK] [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/centurys_best/news/1999/05/05/thrilla_manila/ "CENTURY'S BEST: 'Lawdy, Lawdy, He's Great'" Sports Illustrated] [http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/10/25/specials/ali-price.html "For Ali, What Price the Thrilla in Manila?" The New York Times] [http://sport.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2026182005 "Joe's still smoulderin'" The Scotsman] Category:1975 in sports Category:Boxing fights Category:History of the Philippines Category:Memorable moments in sports

Philadelphia

Philadelphia (sometimes referred to as "Philly" or "the City of Brotherly Love") is the fifth most populous city in the United States and the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, both in area and population. Since 1854, the city has been coterminous with Philadelphia County. Since 1952, the city and the county have shared a common government, yet the county still exists as a separate entity within Pennsylvania. As of June 30, 2005, the population estimate for the city was 1,470,151. The Philadelphia metropolitan area is the fourth largest in the United States by the current official definition, with some 6.2 million people, though some other definitions place it sixth behind the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington-Baltimore. Philadelphia is the central city for the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. Philadelphia is one of the oldest and most historically significant cities in the United States. It has played a critical role in American history and the birth of American independence, democracy, and freedom. During part of the 18th century, the city was the second capital and most populous city of the United States. At that time, it eclipsed Boston and New York City in political and social importance, with Benjamin Franklin playing an extraordinary role in Philadelphia's rise. The city limits have been coterminous with Philadelphia County since The Act of Consolidation in 1854. Prior to that, the city of Philadelphia consisted only of those areas between South Street, Vine Street, the Delaware River, and the Schuylkill River. The city's expansion incorporated the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and Northeast Philadelphia, as well as smaller communities such as Roxborough,