BOXING

Considered the world’s oldest sport, boxing and betting have gone hand-in-hand for as long as the sport has existed, and it continues to attract large-scale money, hype and attention worldwide.

BOXING EXPLAINED

Effectively boxing is a combat sport whereby two people try and land punches for a pre-determined amount of time in a boxing ring. The boxing match is overseen by a referee during a series of one- to three-minute rounds.

Boxing is divided into amateur and professional boxing. Amateur boxing is the breeding ground for the professional game, and most well-known contenders and world champions throughout history first boxed as amateurs. Amateurs can compete in the European Championships, Pan-American Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Olympics.

Anyone who can pass a medical can be classified as a professional boxer, but it’s obviously beneficial to have had some experience as an amateur or in a background of boxing or similar combat sport. Professional boxing matches are often accompanied by some real pizzazz, combining sports and entertainment with a whole lot of hype. Some of the more memorable ones include:

1. ‘The Battle of Greatness’ (2015) between welterweights Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr. (winner) and Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao.

2. ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ (1975) between Muhammad Ali (winner) and Joe Frazier.

3. ‘The Showdown’ (1981) between Sugar Ray Leonard (winner) and Tommy Hearns.

4. The ‘Fight of the Year’ (2002) between Micky Ward (winner) and Arturo Gatti.

5. ‘Lewis-Tyson’ between ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson AKA ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ and Lennox Lewis (winner).

BOXING WEIGHT DIVISIONS

Boxers compete in weight classes, with professional boxing including 10 more classes than the amateur class. These include:

• Minimum-weight (48 kg)
• Light flyweight (49 kg)
• Flyweight (51 kg)
• Super flyweight (52 kg)
• Bantamweight (53.5 kg)
• Super bantamweight (55 kg)
• Featherweight (57 kg)
• Super featherweight (59 kg)
• Super featherweight (59 kg)
• Super lightweight (63.5 kg)
• Welterweight (67 kg)
• Super welterweight (70 kg)
• Middleweight (72.5 kg)
• Super middleweight (76 kg)
• Light heavyweight (79 kg)
• Cruiserweight (91 kg)
• Heavyweight (unlimited)

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