Old School Boxing, How accurate is this video?

[lklawson]

We do need Kirk's thoughts on this, in the mean time here are mine. My exposure to bare knuckle boxing was through Carl Cestari. As it was explained to me, the hand positioning was for protection and maintaining distance. The rear(usually right hand) was held close to the body, and protects three major knockout points, the liver, the solar plexus and the heart.

Absolutely right. The covering hand position you describe is from the LPR era. John L. Sullivan stuff. The rear hand was held so it covered "the mark" (solar plexus). Some writers said that with a left lead, position your right fist in front of your left nipple.

The lead hand was used in a circling, piston like fashion, which both created range and uncertainty as to whether there would be a punch to the head or the body.

Called "milling." The action performed a similar function to the Dog Brothers "snakey stick" (I think that's what they call it).

The lead hand is dominant, looking to create openings for the rear(power) hand.

The extended guard acted as a foil to parry long range punches with, a barrier to inhibit closing distance, and a feeler to read movements. Many authors talk about this but Driscoll talks about it extensively in his book "The Straight Left and how to Cultivate it."

As I learned it, an uppercut was not with the palm, but with the top of the knuckles. Grappling was definitely allowed(until Marquis of Queensbury rules) As the length of a round was not determined by time, but by one man going to his knee(voluntary or involuntary) and no set amount of rounds, a fight could last for hours. The reason for the lean back and having the lead hand pistoning out is to create distance to protect the face from cuts.

This is an example of people doing modern boxing with out gloves, it is not bare knuckle boxing as discussed in the OP.

Right on all counts.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

What's that when it's at home? I assume you mean Marquis of Queensbury rules, usually known as Queensbury rules.

for Irish fighting styles consult an Irishman lol!

Actually, "Marquess" is a valid spelling within this context.

Marquess of Queensberry Rules - Wikipedia

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Tez3]

Actually, "Marquess" is a valid spelling within this context.

Marquess of Queensberry Rules - Wikipedia

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Mmm wiki is American isn't it? Marquis of Queensbury - ARRSEpedia

or to be more correct from the British Boxing Board of Control HISTORY OF BOXING | British Boxing Board of Control


I do like the rules though 'no shoes with springs allowed' lol. Spring Heeled Jack strikes again.

 

[lklawson]

Mmm wiki is American isn't it? Marquis of Queensbury - ARRSEpedia

Isn't everything that's good and right in the world?

I do like the rules though 'no shoes with springs allowed' lol. Spring Heeled Jack strikes again.

I always think the same thing.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Tez3]

I should probably say people shouldn't go on the ARRSE NAAFI site, not really for the faint hearted lol. The forum site might be a bit much for many.

 

[lklawson]

I should probably say people shouldn't go on the ARRSE NAAFI site, not really for the faint hearted lol. The forum site might be a bit much for many.

Why? Do they use British spelling instead of proper American? <ducking>

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk (yes, I'm feeling my cheerios today )

 

[Tez3]

Why? Do they use British spelling instead of proper American? <ducking>

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk (yes, I'm feeling my cheerios today )

Have you ever met British Squaddies lol, lets say 'they are imaginative' when they speak?

 

[drop bear]

You are right to be skeptical. Grappling was allowed but it depended on the rule set, which was loosely tied to the time period. Under the Broughton era rules and the London Prize Ring rules (LPR), standing grapples, throws, trips, and even chokes were all legal. The Marquess of Queensberry rules put an end to that. The MoQ rules were initially intended for amateur use, not professional, and coexisted with the LPR for a long time. The MoQ rules were also part of a social rebranding. In England, boxing was considered a brutal contest of ruffians and was actually illegal, despite high interest and patronage by the aristocracy. The MoQ "civilized" it by removing grappling, adding timed rounds, limiting the number of rounds, requiring gloves ("mufflers" or "mittens"), further limiting punching techniques and targets, and other things as well.

If there wasn't standing grappling allowed in boxing, then what the heck are these?:

From Shaw's manual:

From: Boxing. A Manual Devoted to the Art of Self-Defense by James Edward Sullivan, 1893

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

This is how evidence works as well by the way.