The later years of his career were more troubled, including a 1992 rape conviction that sent him to prison for three years and a suspension for biting off part of Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 title bout.
Sugar Ray Leonard Shown here in a 1987 bout against Marvin Hagler (in dark trunks), American boxer Sugar Ray Leonard (in white trunks) became the first professional fighter to win world championships in five different weight classes. Before turning professional in 1977, Leonard amassed an impressive amateur record of 145 wins and 5 losses, winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games.
For most of the 20th century boxing attracted huge fan and media attention in the United States. Some boxing champions became legendary, larger-than-life figures, such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. Criticized to varying degrees throughout its history for its violent nature and high injury rate, boxing has somehow always managed to survive-and even thrive-as a sport.
II RULES
GREAT MOMENTS IN SPORTS
Original Boxing Rules
In mid-19th-century Britain, prizefighting was a bloody, rough-and-tumble sport popular with society's lower classes. Hoping to improve the sport's social standing, a young boxing enthusiast named John Graham Chambers drew up a new set of bout regulations. To give the new rules added legitimacy, Chambers enlisted the support of John Sholto Douglas, the 8th marquess of Queensberry, who published them in 1867. These regulations, which included the mandatory use of padded gloves and time limits on rounds, came to be known as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules. Modern boxing is based in large part on these 12 rules.
Modern boxing regulations are based upon the 12 rules set out by British boxing officials in the mid-19th century. These rules became known as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, named for the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, John Sholto Douglas, who sponsored and published them. In addition to in-the-ring rules, modern boxing also has specific regulations regarding eligibility for the fighters themselves. Sanctioning bodies can bar boxers from competing in a certain jurisdiction for medical reasons or for violating specific rules or codes of conduct.
The modern rules for professional and amateur bouts differ, but both types of contests are divided into time periods, called rounds. In professional bouts each round lasts three minutes; in amateur bouts, two minutes. A one-minute rest period between rounds is standard. Amateur contests consist of three rounds; professional bouts may consist of up to 12 rounds. A bell is usually sounded by a timekeeper to begin and end each round.
A Gloves
A key step in making boxing safer and more respectable was the introduction of gloves, ending brutal bare-knuckle competition. Boxing gloves are heavily padded to soften the impact of the blow and to protect the hands of the boxer. As an added protection, the hands are taped before being placed in the gloves, which are essentially huge mittens. Professional gloves usually weigh between 170 and 226 g (6 and 8 oz); amateur gloves average 226 to 340 g (8 to 12 oz).
B Ring
All boxing matches take place in the ring, an enclosed area in which the boxers fight. Ordinarily on a raised platform, the ring is surrounded by three ropes supported by posts at each corner. Its floor is padded and covered by canvas for better traction and to protect the head of a boxer in the event of a fall or a knockdown. Sometimes referred to as a squared circle, a boxing ring is actually a square that measures 5.5 to 7.3 m (18 to 24 ft) on each side, depending on the available space. After each round, each fighter returns to a specific corner of the ring, which is diagonally across from the corner of the opponent. The other two corners are called neutral corners.
C Officiating
Modern boxing includes a referee, who is stationed inside the ring and officiates the bout, calling fouls and separating fighters caught in a clinch (hug). Boxing fouls include blows below the belt, blows to the back of the head, kicking, tripping, gouging (such as to the eye), biting, and headbutting. A boxer who commits a foul loses points and may be disqualified for repeated violations.
