Boxing FAQs
If you’ve ever wanted to know more about boxing, you’ve come to the right place. Our Boxing FAQs cover all the key topics, from weight divisions and world champions to scoring and must-see boxing films. Be sure to check out our boxing glossary too for some jargon-busting help!
BOXING GLOSSARY
Amateur Boxing
A competitive fight where neither fighter gets paid, usually for fighters perfecting their skills with the hopes of one day going pro.
The Bell
Ding, ding, ding! The bell is rung to signal the beginning and the end of a round.
Below the belt
An illegal punch that strikes the opponent below his waistband. This is a foul and can lead to disqualification.
Body work
A targeted attack by one fighter aimed at the other fighter’s chest and abdominals, with the goal of tiring them out and eventually wearing them down.
Bout
Bout is the word often used to describe a boxing match or fight.
Canvas
The floor of the ring is often referred to as the canvas, because old boxing rings traditionally had a canvas floor. Nowadays, boxing ring floors are often vinyl but the name canvas remains. If a fighter is knocked down, he's on the canvas.
Card
A boxing event usually involves more than one fight and all of the fights scheduled for a single event are known as the card.
Challenger
An underdog fighter going up against a current champion or the clear favourite for the fight.
Dive
When a fighter goes down or pretends to be knocked out on purpose, they are said to have taken a dive.
Foul
When a boxer breaks one of the rules of the fight, they have committed a foul. Offences can lead to points being docked by the judges and even disqualification.
Go The Distance
A fight which is even with no fighter looking like they will achieve a knockout could be said to go the distance, as in go all the way to the end and be determined by a points decision.
Knockdown
After being hit, if a fighter falls down to the canvas or their knee/glove hits the floor, this is a knockdown. The downed fighter will automatically lose a point from each judge for the round.
Knockout
If a fighter goes down and is unable to get back to their feet within 10 seconds, they are knocked out and the other fighter wins the bout.
Pound-for-pound
This is a term regularly used to compare fighters regardless of weight division. The best fighter across all weight classes would be known as the best pound-for-pound boxer as his skill, power and ability would be successful against anyone.
Promoter
The most important people in boxing other than the fighters themselves are the promoters. They literally 'promote' fights and control everything from ticket sales and pay-per-view sales to sponsorships, licensing and advertising. Examples in the UK are Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren.
Pugilist
Another term for a boxer or fighter.
Southpaw
The most commonly-used term for a boxer who is either left handed or left-hand dominant while fighting.
Spar
A practice fight during training at less intensity than a real fight, often using bigger gloves or extra protection to ensure no injuries are caused.
Throw in the Towel
If a fighter is taking a lot of punishment and looks to be on the verge of being knocked out or seriously injured, a member of their team can throw a white towel into the ring to signal their surrender and hand the fight to the other boxer.
Undercard
All of the fights on the card that lead up to the final fight and main event are known as the undercard.