Ken Pfrenger
Green Belt
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
- Messages
- 126
- Reaction score
- 2
When boxing included wrestling
In 1743 the first formal rules for boxing were drawn up by Jack Broughton. After killing a man in the ring, not sure how, he decided to write up some rules....basically the only thing they disallowed was hitting a downed man and no grabbing below the waist. Still unlike modern boxing grapling was a big part of the game since the round would end whenever somone would hit the ground be it from a knockdown or a throw or the ever unpopular "unmanly shift" which was the act of throwing your self to the ground to avoid taking punishment thus ending the round.
In 1838 the London Prize Ring rules went into effect and this changed the sport somewhat with more rules added but for the most part all the same things about grappling still applied. Crossbuttocks, backheels reaping throws and many more were in the arsenal of most boxers of this early bareknuckle era. it was not uncommon for boxers to engage in both wrestling and boxing contests professionally and most boxing camps had a wrestling trainer on staff to keep the fighter well trained in close quarter work.
For a more indepth look at old time boxing and the influence of the rules on the fighters take a look at the article I wrote some time back at:
http://ahfaa.org/boxingstance.htm
In 1743 the first formal rules for boxing were drawn up by Jack Broughton. After killing a man in the ring, not sure how, he decided to write up some rules....basically the only thing they disallowed was hitting a downed man and no grabbing below the waist. Still unlike modern boxing grapling was a big part of the game since the round would end whenever somone would hit the ground be it from a knockdown or a throw or the ever unpopular "unmanly shift" which was the act of throwing your self to the ground to avoid taking punishment thus ending the round.
In 1838 the London Prize Ring rules went into effect and this changed the sport somewhat with more rules added but for the most part all the same things about grappling still applied. Crossbuttocks, backheels reaping throws and many more were in the arsenal of most boxers of this early bareknuckle era. it was not uncommon for boxers to engage in both wrestling and boxing contests professionally and most boxing camps had a wrestling trainer on staff to keep the fighter well trained in close quarter work.
For a more indepth look at old time boxing and the influence of the rules on the fighters take a look at the article I wrote some time back at:
http://ahfaa.org/boxingstance.htm
