BOXING FITNESS NEWSLETTER

The London 2012 Olympic Games begin on Friday, July 27, 2012! This year for the first time ever, female boxing will be an official Olympic event. In this issue Andy and Jamie compare the differences between amateur and professional boxing, and explain how Olympic scoring is done.

An Olympic boxing match is a contest of skill, not brute force, toughness, or aggressive power. Fundamentals are stressed, especially defensive moves. Strict rules are enforced to ensure protection.

Amateur boxing is at the heart of all boxing and is considered the purest form of boxing.

It is the essence of the sport. Unlike professional boxing, amateur boxing takes more precautions to ensure safety. The boxer must go through a physical examination before and after the competition. Protective equipment is mandatory for each competition.

The Olympic style of boxing is the basis of the sportsmanship of Amateur boxing and many of the great male professionals had a taste of Amateur Boxing and Olympic glory: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lennox Lewis and Oscar De La Hoya.

Amateur boxing often gives the professional boxing arena their next contestants.

It is a great training field to learn, practice, and develop into a professional boxer.

In Professional Boxing a skillful fighter is recognized and celebrated, but most fans want to see a fierce, brutal battle. No headgear is worn and fewer safety precautions are enforced.

Olympic Boxing Rules

Olympic boxing matches consist of a total of four rounds. Each round is two minutes in length with a one-minute interval between each round. Contests are won by knockout or on points.

A panel of five judges decides which hits are scoring hits. Judges each have two buttons before them, one for each boxer, and they press the appropriate button when they believe a boxer delivers a scoring hit.

An electronic scoring system registers a point whenever three or more judges press the button for one boxer within a second of each other. No point is awarded for a hit unless three of the five judges agree.

At the end of the bout, when each judge's points have been counted, the boxer awarded the most points by a majority of the judges is declared the winner.

If two boxers end up with the same number of points, the judges decide a winner by assessing such factors as which of the two took the lead and showed better style.

Good luck to all athletes competing in the 2012 Olympics!

Always consult your physician before starting any physical exercise program. Balazs Inc, Andy Dumas and Jamie Dumas assume no responsibility for the improper use of information contained within.