Queensberry Boxing Rules

An irony of the recent rise in popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) is that they represent a major step away from the Queensberry Rules. Drawn up in the mid-19th century and achieving widespread adoption in boxing by the turn of the century, the Queensberry Rules established many of the features that are now synonymous with boxing. The Queensberry Rules are used by other martial sports, as well.

  1. Bareknuckle Boxing

    • The Queensberry Rules mark the beginning of the modern era of boxing using padded gloves and standard rules. In ancient times, boxers used leather strips as hand-protection. The Romans employed a brass-knuckleslike device with studs or spikes called a cestus. By the mid-19th century, boxing as a sport was mostly bareknuckle. At times, the sport bore more resemblance to MMA than to modern boxing, because bouts would often feature prolonged periods of grappling and very little striking with the fists. Also, rules and structures such as rounds with rest intervals between them were very fluid and far from standardized.

    The Marquess

    • The rules were an invention of boxing patron John Sholto, a Scotsman and the eighth marquis of Queensberry. According to Cambridge University (which the marquis attended), he drew up the rules in 1867, and they have been associated with him ever since.

    The Rules

    • The Queensberry rules call for a boxing match to be divided into three-minute rounds, with a one-minute rest between them. No wrestling or hugging (today known as "clinching") is allowed. If a man is knocked down or otherwise in a helpless position, the opponent must go to a neutral corner. The knocked-down boxer he is allowed 10 seconds to get up. Striking a man who is down is prohibited. If that man is unable to rise on his own, the referee may award the victory to the opponent. It also mandates the use of gloves, as well as their replacement if they become damaged during a fight. No one but the referee and the two fighters are allowed in the ring during the rounds. Boots with springs are not allowed. It also confirmed the then-prevailing 24-foot ring recommended by the London Prize Ring Rules.

    Notable Differences

    • One of the most notable difference between the original Queensberry system, and the way boxing is conducted today is the way knockdowns were handled. Strictly speaking, the rules required a man to rise from a knockdown to the "scratch," which usually meant a 3-foot square in the center ring. This would be the starting point for resuming the action. However, the system soon evolved to begin the action from wherever the knocked down fighter got up, rather than from the center ring.

    Adoption

    • The first major prizefight held under the Queensberry rules was in 1885, between heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan and Dominick McCafferty. Sullivan alternated between bareknuckle and gloved boxing. The new rules were solidified under the reign of Sullivan's conqueror, Gentleman Jim Corbett, who captured the title in 1892. Unlike Sullivan, Corbett fought only under the Queensberry system during his tenure as champion. Bareknuckle boxing began to fade into obscurity as the center of boxing moved further away from it.