Rules for Boxing

Boxing as a competitive sport can be traced back to the 688 B.C. Olympic games. In 1866, the Marquess of Queensberry approved of sanctioned rules for the sport, bringing it into the modern era. Rules have evolved throughout boxing's history to encourage safety for the boxers and fairness in judging.

  1. Rounds

    • For professional bouts, rounds are 3 minutes long with 1-minute rest intervals. The number of rounds is determined by the expertise of the boxers: novice bouts are four rounds, contender-level bouts are 10 rounds and championship bouts are 12 rounds.

    Equipment

    • According to the IBF/USBA rulebook, gloves for bouts involving boxers who weigh 154 pounds or less must weigh 8 oz. For boxers weighing more than 155 pounds, gloves must weigh 10 oz. Hand wraps are restricted to 10 yards of 2-inch gauze and 6 feet of surgical tape for each hand. Mouthpieces are required at all times.

    Striking

    • The boxer can only strike with a closed fist using the front knuckle portion of the glove. Slapping with an open hand or striking with the wrist or lace area is illegal. The thumb must be held tight to the fist to avoid eye-gouging.

    Fouls

    • Blows that land below the belt, head butts, excessive clinching and hitting on the break (when the referee separates the fighters from a clinch) are among the fouls that can result in points being deducted from a boxer's score.

    Scoring

    • According to Uniform Boxing Rules, most bouts are scored by three judges on a 10-Point Must system. In this system, the winner of the round receives 10 points and his opponent receives 9 points or fewer. A fighter loses a point for being knocked down. A single knockdown can lead to a 10-8 round.

    Olympic Differences

    • In the Olympic, bouts are four 2-minute rounds. Five judges score the bout using electronic buttons that they press when they see a clean punch. When three of the judges simultaneously signal a score, the boxer receives a point. Boxers are required to wear shirts and headgear. All weight classes wear 10-oz gloves with a white stripe designating the striking area.