Female Boxers Women in boxing isn't new, from the earliest days of the prize-fighters, women were eager to upstage the men... In 1722 an Elizabeth Wilkinson challenged Hannah Hyfield to meet her on stage, and box for a prize of three guineas. The rules required each woman to strike each other in the face while holding a half-crown coin in each fist, the first to drop a coin would be the loser! Louie
Chopper Hi Alex... Yes, in that picture from a later period of boxing he could be hitting with the smaller knuckles...?? or the side of the fist....?? or all of the knuckles??? I couldn't find an earlier illustration but the older texts recommend using the larger knuckles. Louie
In-fighting Holding your opponent by the back of the neck or even the hair was employed as part of a boxer's in-fighting techniques, known as the 'Chancery Hold' a boxer could also grab his opponent under his arm in a head-lock while punching his face! Louie
Boxer's In-fighting A boxer could use the back heel sweep against his opponent when in-fighing, throwing him to the floor. As in most martial arts this could be used against the lead and back leg! Louie
Boxing's Trapping!! Trapping or grabbing your opponent's wrist was another feature now banned in today's boxing although it has become the core of many asian martial arts... Louie
Boxing Bloodsuckers!! American Pugilists of the mid-1800's employed cornermen to suck the blood from deep cuts created during fights. This reduced swelling and cleared blood around the eyes allowing the fighter to see and continue fighting!! louie
A Boxer's Gouge.. Without gloves the early boxers gouged the eyes of their opponents, normally by rubbing the knuckles into the eyes, although a finger or thumb could be more effective.... Louie
Jupp, keep it coming; I hate to interrupt your brilliant flow of knowledge, but I have to praise you :love: I'm using your pictures and comments to supplement my 2hour miniintroduction on european boxing that I'll supplement my Fiore wresteling with I'll of course refere to you and to the sources you listed :Angel:
classic pugilism Hi Stolenbjorn.... A lot of the pictures and background information comes from contributions to the classicpugilism yahoo list and the work of Ken Pfrenger in the USA... I am just the messenger Cheers, Louie
Punching! I noticed that an early hand drawn illustration of a Black Afro-American boxer appeared to be holding his fists each with a protruding knuckles, similar to the Kung Fu pheonix eye style... I wasn't entirely convinced until I came across this 1880 photo of a French boxer which shows the technique perfectly Louie
Training A method of training, more familiar now in the Kung Fu training hall than the Boxing Gym was punching a wall-pad... Louie
Traditional Boxing Drills Two-Person punching and blocking drills similar to those of karate, kung fu, Silat and Kali were an important feature in the development of boxing... This 1889 pic features a straight punch - forearm block pose!!! Louie
Boxing's Barring!! The guard known as 'Barring' in boxing, was the old method of using the forearm to protect your stomach/solar plexus... The boxer on the left can be seen barring, holding his rear hand close to his abdomen. Louie
Boxing's Family Systems Boxing, like their oriental counterparts, saw families develop their own style which they taught from generation to generation, often defending their 'style' around the country in the boxing booths of fairs and circuses against all-comers!!! Women in these families often fought too!!!! Travellers or Gypsies still preserve links to generations of bare-knuckle fighters who fight for the title 'King of the Gypsies' Louie
Thant's an interesting picture of the two bareknucklers, one who is barring the mark....where did you dig that up Louie?
Barring the Mark! Hi Ken, It was through a google image search, I don't think there was anything else on the particular site so I never saved the details (amateur researcher)!!! Louie
Disabled Boxer of the 1900's Willie Hoppe was a very popular lightweight from San Francisco... On July 2, 1913, at San Francisco, while a young 15-year-old friend hammered explosives into a makeshift metal cannon (thus apparently creating a spark), the cannon exploded. Hoppe lost four fingers and both thumbs. He was left with only two fingers on each hand. All thought that his boxing career was over, but it wasn't, Hoppe continued fighting in 1914 and may have gone on to fight into the 1920's. Louie
Pugilist's 'Pressure Points' Boxer in this 1892 photo target specific areas of the body... As early as 1747, boxers were taught to pinpoint the weakest areas of the body.... Hitting under the ear "that is if it light between the angle of the lower jaw and the neck" The blow between the eyebrows causing excessive blood-loss to blind your opponent. Hitting the diaphragm, "which light just under the breast bone" In 16-1700 Scotland, blows to certain areas of the body where given names: Hert Up - was a blow to to the heart area to wind or cause unconsciousness. Melt - was a blow to the spleen to fell a man (or an animal) :Angel: Louie
Boxing's Bloodsuckers!!! In the old bare-knuckle matches in America, cornermen were employed to suck excessive blood from wounds around the eyes, allowing the fighter to see his opponent and continue his fight!!! In Scotland, to heal badly swollen & cut eyes after a fight, a face pack of clay was administered to reduce swelling and promote the healing process. Louie
Great information This is excellent stuff...I know next to nothing about boxing and pugilism but it's great to see that, rather unlike a comment that was made earlier in the "weapons" board that, boxing/pugilism is "not" the brutish, slow system that this person made it out to be. It's good to be educated.
