Longest fight

[lklawson]

Still (slowly) transcribing the fight records from Owen Swift's "Hand-book to Boxing" and (so far) the longest fight (when he records the length) was in 1798 and weighs in at a whopping 260 min.

He doesn't record the number of rounds.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[jarrod]

holy cow. that's a lot of fighting.

i have to wonder if a match like that didn't look sort of like the boxing equivalent of of pre-time limit judo & wrestling matches: lots of stalking, feeling out, respect for the opponent's abilities, etc. it's just hard to imagine 260min of solid fighting, especially with the conditioning & nutrition knowledge of over 200yrs ago.

jf

 

[lklawson]

holy cow. that's a lot of fighting.

i have to wonder if a match like that didn't look sort of like the boxing equivalent of of pre-time limit judo & wrestling matches: lots of stalking, feeling out, respect for the opponent's abilities, etc.

Different rule set let the match progress in a different way. But probably, yeah.

it's just hard to imagine 260min of solid fighting, especially with the conditioning & nutrition knowledge of over 200yrs ago.

Their conditioning really wasn't that bad, to be honest. They understood what sorts of exercises built stamina and which built muscles. Fitzsimmons and Ewards training included a lot of road work and exhortations against smoking. We know more today and can better optimize but they weren't as bad as a lot of people think. However, there were some notable recommendations that, today, we'd balk at as being less effective or, sometimes, even dangerous.

Same sort of thing goes for nutrition. We see light breakfasts with lots of carbs recommended and heavier, protein laden, evening meals. Recomendations USUALLY were to go easy on the alcohol, though some bit of it was often recommended. Again, there are a few bits that just stand out and go "Hello, I'm really stupid." But, on the whole, their diet plans weren't half bad. I'd say, overgeneralizing a bit, that the exercise and diet plans they used we'd agree with about 85% of today.

For some good examples look at:

Edwards - http://www.lulu.com/content/1180916

Boxing and How to Train - http://www.lulu.com/content/3349945

Hackenschmidt - http://www.lulu.com/content/810073

Farmer Burns - http://sandow.crosswinds.net/Competition/Burns/lessons/lesson01.htm

Strongort - http://sandow.crosswinds.net/Competition/Burns/lessons/lesson01.htm

Heck, Price, besides exercise advice, even has a section on how to treat "corpulency." - http://sandow.crosswinds.net/Competition/Burns/lessons/lesson01.htm

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

On the subject of different rules making for a different fight:

I've come across several fight records that last only a handful of minutes, usually (when number of rounds are recorded) very close to the same number of rounds. For instance a fight with 10 minutes and 9 rounds, or a fight with 16 minutes and 16 rounds.

These are the fights that don't include very much "feeling each other out." They go at it hammer and tongs, a fighter gets knocked down, round ends, they wait the requisite time, then they Toe the Line and go at it again.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[jarrod]

that is exactly why i prefer k-1 kickboxing to classical muay thai matches! you don't have time to do anything other than fight.

jf

 

[lklawson]

Just came across another fight record listed at "4 hours." 20 min. shy of the 260 min. mark, but still...

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

November 18, 1828 - Toey beat Allen, 5 hours!!!

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk