From Ancient Greeks To Boxing Robes

Practitioners of the "sweet science" have been plying their trade for much longer than the average fan may suspect. It didn't start out with the traditional ring, the boxing robes, the lights, and fanfare. But this thing that is both athletic undertaking and a form of amusement can be traced back through the ages.

Evidence exists that the ancient Greeks had their own boxing competitions. They didn't refer to it by that name. But the competition was fierce, and the combatants covered their hands with gloves. Or what passed for gloves at that time. It was nothing like the protective cushioning that our modern fighters have, but just humble pieces of cloth wrapped around their hands. No head gear, no mouthpieces, and no boxing robes. Just some cloth and their skills to fall back on.


It wasn't until the seventeen-hundreds, in Great Britain, that the term "boxing" began to be used. The rules as they knew them were much different than anything we know today. The phrase was used primarily so that people could easily differentiate between the act of fighting in a structured way from the random brawl to settle a disagreement.

Today, the sport is refined and downright orderly, with a touch of true showmanship added for good measure. Fighters come in to theme music and march to the ring wearing ornate boxing robes with matching trunks underneath. Gloves are thickly padded, and depending on the specifics of the match, sometimes there is a protective head covering as well. And we can't forget the mouthpiece and the all-important cup. There are rules to be adhered to under penalty of a disqualification and in extreme cases the loss of one's license. The pugilists of today slug it out for a set number of rounds or until one of them is knocked out. Whichever comes first. There's a ref and a ringside physician. Those Greek combatants didn't it have it anywhere near as good.

Boxing hasn't changed much since the 19th century. What has changed is the scene of fighting as a form of entertainment. The emergence and growing popularity of other martial arts has chipped away at the number of people who take up the "sweet science." There's just so much to choose from these days. Everything from Shaolin Praying Mantis Style to mixed martial arts to very practical styles of self defense such as Krav Maga. In recent years, we have actually seen a drop in the numbers of boxers who are ready and able to compete at the amazing levels that we have witnessed only a decade or two ago.

Something that has remained constant is the entertainment value of the sport. Other forms of combat still haven't manged to unseat the reigning king of the ring. Some quality rounds of boxing still outdo any other combat sport as far as numbers of audience members goes. Even if practitioners have dwindled in numbers a little bit, interest in the spectacle of the match hasn't really diminished. Unfortunately, it has been some time since the last great champion has emerged, someone who is able to instill that excitement in people, and make them want to don the boxing robes themselves and head into the fray. Someone capable of inspiring that sense of heroism and taking just a little bit of that lost glory back from the likes of Jet Li and Jackie Chan.

Cassius Clay, where have you gone?