Most people have a pretty clear picture in their head of what a sport entails. There's usually some sort of ball and some sort of goal. Since boxing involves neither of these things, it may not be inherently obvious that boxing is a sport. Boxing, much like judo, Muay Thai, Tae Kwan Do, and other martial arts, is considered to be a combat sport. Because two opponents are utilizing athletic ability to compete and score points until a winner is determined, boxing qualifies as a sport.
The History of Boxing
The first instance of boxing as a sport in recorded history occurred in approximately 3000 BC, making boxing one of the oldest mainstream sports. Historians believe that boxing's inception occurred in Egypt and traveled throughout the Middle East and Southern Europe, making its way to Greece by the 7th Century BC. Boxing was added to the list of events at the ancient Olympics, and with very few exceptions (like Sweden's ban on the sport of boxing) has remained an event at the Summer Olympics since.
In modern times, most people are more familiar with amateur and professional boxing. Amateur matches draw smaller crowds and encourage more people to participate, as the standards for becoming an amateur boxer are far more attainable for the average athlete. Televised matches often garner the most attention, sold on a pay per view basis for people to watch from home.
Professional fights have changed shape over the years. The foundation of professional matches used to emphasize endurance and brutality, with no round limit and the winner being declared only after an opponent surrendered. This is the origin of boxing legends such as Jack Dempsey, whose primarily style of fighting was simply outlasting others in the ring.
Boxing as a Sport
A professional boxing match is structured into 12 rounds, each of which lasts three minutes. Opponents take a one minute rest between rounds. A match can be won before the rounds are completed if a knockout or technical knockout is declared before the completion of the twelfth round. It can also end early if an opponent is disqualified or if a move considered to be an accidental foul (i.e. one opponent slips and both knock heads, injuring each other) causes inadvertent injury.
Most professional boxing matches do not last the full twelve rounds. Knockouts, scenarios where an opponent is on the ground for longer than ten seconds, commonly decide matches. Technical knockouts, where an opponent decides to forfeit or the referee or medical personnel decide that an opponent cannot continue, also commonly end matches.
Boxing as Exercise
Like most sports, boxing is an excellent form of exercise. Boxing has gained mainstream traction as a functional and engaging workout program. Many celebrities, including supermodel Gigi Hadid, utilize boxing for cardio and endurance training. Boxing burns a lot of calories and can help develop lean muscle tone.
Boxing drills and punching bag workouts don't require a partner, although many beginners prefer to learn from a professional boxing trainer. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found fitness boxing to be among the most effective workout regimens. Boxing improves hand eye coordination, mental alertness, balance, posture, and endurance. In addition to its practical applications, fitness boxing is excellent aerobic exercise for heart, lung, and muscular health.
Conclusion
Though boxing defies a lot of conventions we associate with traditional sports, it is still in fact a sport. In addition to being highly competitive and fascinating to watch, it's also a sport that the everyday person can easily incorporate into his or her fitness routine. Try boxing to boost your athletic ability - even if you never intend to do it competitively.