Boxing Amateur

Only men’s competition. No women’s competition.

Boxers qualify for the Olympics through performances at regional tournaments in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania. The number of boxers accepted from any region depends upon the strength of boxing in that region and varies between weight divisions.

The boxers are paired off at random for the Olympic Games, without regard to ranking. They fight in a single-elimination tournament, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser dropping out of the competition. Winning boxers progress through the preliminary rounds to the quarterfinals and semifinals. The two semifinals winners fight for the gold and silver medals, while both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals.

Bouts consists 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 point is awarded for a scoring hit with marked part of the glove on the opponent’s head (side or front) or body (above the belt).

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.

When two boxers trade blows in a flurry of infighting, where no full-force punches can land, the judges wait until the end of the exchange and award a point to the boxer who got the better of it. At the end of the bout, when each judge’s points have been totaled, 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.

If the judges determine those factors to be even, they turn to which competitor showed better defense. Punches to an opponent’s arms do not score points. Punches that are judged to have no force behind them do not score points.

When a boxer commits a foul, he faces a caution, a warning or, in extreme cases, disqualification. Two cautions for a particular offence mean an automatic warning, and three warnings of any kind mean disqualification.

Some of the more common fouls include hitting below the belt, holding, pressing an arm or elbow into the opponent’s face, forcing the opponent’s head over the ropes, hitting with an open glove, hitting with the inside of the glove and hitting the opponent on the back of the head, neck or body. Others include passive defense, not stepping back when ordered to break, speaking offensively to the referee and trying to hit the opponent immediately after the order to break.

During a bout, a boxer is considered down if, as a result of being hit, he touches the floor with any part of his body besides his feet. He also is down if he is even partly outside the ropes or hanging on them helplessly from being hit, or if he still is standing but is judged to be unable to continue.

When a boxer is down, the referee starts counting from one to 10 seconds. The count now is timed electronically, with a beep sounding for each number, but referees often still choose to call them out. The referee also is required to signal the count to the downed boxer by holding a hand in front of him and counting with his fingers. If the boxer is still down after the 10 seconds, the opponent wins on a knockout.

Even if a boxer gets back on his feet immediately, he is obliged to take a mandatory eight-count. After the eight seconds, the referee will give the command “Box” if he feels the match should continue. If the boxer gets to his feet but falls again without receiving another blow, the referee starts counting at eight.

A boxer who is down and being counted can be saved by the bell only in the final round of the final. In all other rounds and bouts, the count continues after the bell sounds.

If any boxer takes three counts in one round or four counts in the bout, the referee will stop the fight and declare the opposing boxer the winner.

If the referee has to stop a bout in the first round because a boxer has suffered a cut eye or a similar injury, the other boxer is declared the winner. If it happens in the second or third round, though, the judges’ point tallies up to that time determine the winner.

Three doctors sit at ringside and each has the authority to stop a bout if medical reasons appear to necessitate it

If both boxers go down at the same time, counting continues as long as one remains down. If both remain down at 10, the boxer with the most points is declared the winner.

Other ways a boxer may be declared the winner during a bout include the referee stopping the bout because the opponent is taking too much punishment, or the opponent being disqualified or withdrawing, perhaps because of injury. Also, the opponent’s seconds could decide he is suffering too much punishment and throw in the towel.

Boxers are required to shake hands before the first round and after the results have been declared.

The age limits for Olympic boxing are a minimum age of 17 and a maximum age of 34.

Boxers must be clean shaven or facial hair restricted to a small moustache no longer than the length of the upper lip. Beards are banned.

Before every bout, a medical examiner must declare the boxers fit.

Boxers must weigh in every day.

There are 11 weight divisions (with maximum weights) as follows:

• Light flyweight (48 kg)
• Flyweight (51kg)
• Bantamweight (54kg)
• Featherweight (57kg)
• Lightweight (60kg)
• Light welterweight (64kg)
• Welterweight (69kg)
• Middleweight (75kg)
• Light heavyweight (81kg)
• Heavyweight (91kg)
• Super heavyweight (more than 91kg)

Boxers must wear boxing gloves conforming to AIBA standards. Gloves weigh 10 ounces and feature a white strip to mark the main hitting area.

Competitors wear either red or blue.

Bouts are conducted in a square ring measuring 6.1 metres inside the ropes on each side. The floor of the ring consists of canvas stretched over a soft underlay, and it extends 45.72 centimetres outside the ropes.

Each side of the ring has four ropes running parallel to it. The lowest one runs 40.66cm above the ground, and the ropes are 30.48cm apart. The corners of the ring are distinguished by colors. The corners occupied by the boxers are coloured red and blue, and the other two corners, called “neutral” corners, are white.

Article VII, Section 107.6 — Judges

1. Dress.
The judges shall officiate in white clothing, similar to the referee. Female officials will be dressed in white blouse, white skirt or slacks, and preferably, white shoes. Officials working in USA Boxing Group Members’ tournaments may wear the uniforms of that organization at its competitions.

2. Duties.

• Each judge shall independently judge the merits of the two boxers and shall decide the winner according to the rules.
• A judge shall not speak to a boxer nor to another judge nor to anyone else except the referee during the contest, but may, if necessary, at the end of a round, bring to the notice of the referee any incident which the referee may appear not to have noticed, such as the misconduct of a coach, loose ropes, etc.
• The number of legal scoring blows will be counted with the use of a tally counter or similar counting device. Two counting devices will be used. One device will count the scoring blows for the Red corner and the other device will count the scoring blows for the Blue corner. The number of legal scoring blows awarded to each boxer will be recorded on the score card at the end of each round. In addition, any warnings shall be entered by the judge on the scorecard immediately after the end of the round as indicated by Rule 107.7(1)(b) & (c). The scoring device must be reset to zero prior to the start of the next round.
• At the end of the bout, a judge shall total the scoring blows and nominate a winner.
• Judges shall not leave their seats until the result has been announced to the public.

3. Each contest shall be marked by five USA Boxing judges who shall be seated separate from the public and immediately adjacent to the ring. Two of the judges shall be seated on the same side of the ring at a sufficient distance from one another, and each of the other three judges shall be seated at the center of one of the other three sides of the ring. When the number of officials available is insufficient, three judges instead of five may be used, but this shall not apply to the U.S. Championships or similar events.

4. Before a contest begins, the referee and the judges should confirm the identity of each boxer, fill in the necessary preliminary entries on their score card, such as weight class, bout number, date and affix their signature to the bottom of the paper. Each official will print, in large block letters, the names of the boxers in the red and blue corners in the corresponding left and right columns on the scorecard. Note: Competition organizers should strive to have all scorecards pre-printed or typed with names, club representation, weights, etc.

Article VII, Section 107.7 — Awarding of Points

1. Directives.

In awarding points, the following directives shall be observed.

Concerning blows.
1. Scoring blows. During each round, a judge shall assess the respective scores of each boxer according to the number of blows obtained by each. Each blow to have scoring value must, without being blocked or guarded, land directly with the knuckle part of the closed glove of either hand on any part of the front or sides of the head or body above the belt. Blows landing as above described are scoring hits. The value of blows scored in a rally of infighting shall be assessed at the end of such rally and shall be credited to the boxer who has had the better of the exchanges according to the degree of said boxer’s superiority.

2. Non-scoring blows. Non-scoring blows are blows which are struck by a boxer:

• while infringing any of the rules;
• with the side, heel, or inside of the glove or with the open glove or any part other than the knuckle part of the closed glove;
• which lands on the arms;
• which merely connect, without the weight of the body or shoulder.

Concerning fouls – “W,” “X” and “J.”
1. There are three symbols the Judge uses to annotate fouls on the score card – “W,” “X” and “J”.

• W – Referee’s Warning. If the referee issues a “warning” against one (or both) of the boxers, the judge will indicate a “W” on the score card in the column of the offending boxer. The judge will also note the reason for the warning (i.e. W – holding).
• X – Judge disagrees with referee’s warning. If the judge concludes “unequivocally” that the warning was inappropriate or in error, the judge will annotate an “X” in the appropriate column and indicate the reason for the warning (i.e. X – low blow). In this case, there will be no addition to the number of scoring blows awarded the “fouled” boxer. It must be noted if the judge did not see the foul or was unsure if it was a foul, the judge will accept the advice of the referee and issue a “W” for warning.
• J – Judge’s warning. If the judge detects a foul, apparently unnoticed by the referee, the judge may impose a warning by writing a “J” on the score card in the column of the offending boxer. The judge will also note the reason for the judge’s warning (i.e. J – ducking). A “J” warning carries the same penalty as a “W” warning.

How to administer the penalty (foul).
1. The purpose of using a tally counter or similar scoring device is to mimic the computer scoring system. Administering the penalty (foul) will also mimic the computer scoring system. These are the rules a judge must use to administer the penalty (foul).

• “W” – Two scoring blows will be added to the round score of the FOULED boxer. This will be done for each “W” occurring in that round.
• “X” – In this case no scoring blows will be added.
• “J” – Two scoring blows will be added to the round score of the FOULED boxer. This will be done for each “J” occurring in that round.
• When using tally counters or similar scoring devices, there will be no “offsetting” fouls. Two scoring blows will be added to the round score of any boxer fouled.
• The judge must immediately note the foul in the remarks column of the scorecard, when given by the referee. A judges warning must be noted prior to the beginning of the next round.

Concerning the award of scoring blows.

1. At the end of the bout the scores for each of the rounds will be totaled and the winner will be the one with the higher score.
2. If, at the end of a bout, having marked each round, the judge finds that the boxers are equal in scoring blows after totaling the scorecard, the judge is required to select a winner. The judge must record the criteria for the selection of the winner. The judge must record the criteria for the selection of the winner in the remarks column next to the scorecard total of the winner.

The criteria for selecting a winner is as follows:

• Who has done most of the leading off or was the effective aggressor? If equal, in that respect:
• Who has shown the better defense (blocking, parrying, ducking, side-stepping, etc.) by which the opponent’s attacks have been made to miss? If still equal:
• Who boxed cleaner and had the better style?
• A winner must be nominated in all USA Boxing competitions (in AIBA dual matches, a draw decision may be awarded).

3. Knockdowns. No extra points shall be awarded for a knockdown.

Article VII, Section 107.8 — Method of Scoring

1. A judge is advised to fixate in between the two boxers; do not develop a tendency to study or follow just one of the boxers.
2. Never rely on past performance, reputations or titles earned by a particular boxer.
3. Amateur boxing is scored on a point system, not on a round basis.
4. The winner is decided on the majority of judges, i.e., 5-0, 4-1 or 3-2.
5. Amateur boxing is scored on a legal scoring blow system not on a round basis.
6. Decisions.

Types of decisions.
1. Win on points. At the end of a contest the boxer who has been awarded the decision by a majority of the judges shall be declared the winner.
If both boxers are injured or down simultaneously and cannot continue the contest, the judges shall record the points gained by each boxer up to its termination, and the boxer who was leading on points up to the actual end of the contest shall be declared the winner.
AIDS Stoppage Rule: If both boxers are bleeding or where one boxer is bleeding and the opponent has an open cut or abrasion, the referee may stop the bout and take the boxers to the doctor to be examined. If the bout is stopped the boxer ahead on points shall be the winner.

2. Win by retirement. If a boxer retires voluntarily owing to injury or other causes, or if a boxer fails to resume boxing immediately after the rest between rounds, the opponent shall be declared the winner. If a boxer retires during the rest between rounds, the referee will immediately notify the jury and the judges of the retirement and the other boxer is declared the winner.

3. Win by referee stopping contest (RSC).
Outclassed. RSC is a term used to stop a bout when a boxer is outclassed or unfit to continue.
If a boxer, in the opinion of the referee, is being outclassed or is receiving unnecessary and excessive blows, the bout shall be stopped and the opponent declared the winner.
Outscored. RSC-OS is only used with the Computer Scoring System and stops a bout when a boxer is outscored as follows:
If one boxer has a 20-point advantage (for Open and Under 19/Junior men), or a 15-point advantage (for Women and Junior Olympics/Cadets) over their opponent, the bout must be stopped except in the last round, and the boxer with the advantage is declared the winner.
Injury:
If a boxer, in the opinion of the referee, is unfit to continue because of injury or other physical reasons, the bout shall be stopped and the opponent declared the winner. The right to make this decision rests with the referee, who may consult the doctor. Having consulted the doctor, the referee must follow the doctor’s advice.
When a referee calls a doctor into the ring to examine a boxer only these two officials should be present. Coaches should not be allowed into the ring or on the apron.
The ringside physician has the right to request the bout be suspended if the physician thinks, for medical reasons, the bout should not be allowed to continue.
Compulsory Count Limits. When a male boxer has three compulsory counts in the same round or four counts during the same bout, the match must be stopped. When a female boxer has two compulsory counts in the same round or three counts during the same bout, the match must be stopped. A count issued for a harm foul is not included in this number.

4. RSC(H). If a boxer is down due to head blows, and fails to box within eight to 10 seconds, whichever is applicable, the opponent shall be declared the winner by RSC(H). For more information on awarding RSC(H), see section 107.1.

5. Win by disqualification. If a boxer is disqualified, the opponent shall be declared the winner. A boxer is automatically disqualified for not making weight or for committing three warnings in a bout. If both boxers are disqualified, the decision shall be announced accordingly. A disqualified boxer is eliminated from the tournament and shall not be entitled to any prize, medal, trophy, honorable award or grading, relating to any stage of the competition in which the boxer has been disqualified.

6. No contest. A bout may be terminated by the referee inside the scheduled distance owing to a material happening outside the responsibility of the boxers, or the control of the referee, such as the ring becoming damaged, the failure of the lighting supply, exceptional weather conditions, etc. In such circumstances the bout shall be declared “no contest” and in the case of championships, the jury shall decide the necessary further action.

7. Win by walkover. Where the boxer presents themselves in the ring fully attired for boxing and the opponent fails to appear after the opponent’s name has been called out by the public address system, the bell sounded and a maximum period of two minutes has elapsed, the referee shall declare the first boxer to be the winner by a walkover. The referee shall first inform the judges to mark their score cards accordingly, collect them and then summon the boxer to the center of the ring. After the decision is announced, the referee raises the boxer’s hand as the winner.
For medical eliminations determined by a medical doctor and administrative eliminations, such as a boxer not having his USA Boxing passbook, not having the properly filled out entry forms, parents approval for minors, etc, the winning boxer may enter the ring for the announcement of the verdict but shall not be required to be in proper boxing attire. The official in charge or tournament administrator should endeavor to inform the affected boxer as soon as possible.

8. A draw (AIBA dual matches only). Two clubs or two nations in a friendly dual match may agree to a draw decision when the majority of the judges scored the competition equally. Likewise, an accidental injury in the first round may result in a draw in dual matches.

Article VII, Section 107.9 — Score Cards

1. Scorecards from each competition will be submitted to the LBC’s designated officer within 10 days following the event and will be kept on file for one year.

2. Scores can be obtained from the Chief of Officials after the session, with judges’ names confidential.

Source: Official USA Boxing Rulebook

Amateur boxing is practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring (based on number of clean punches landed) rather than physical power. Bouts comprise four rounds of two minutes in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and four rounds of two minutes in a national ABA (Amateur Boxing Association) bout, each with a one-minute interval between rounds..

Men’s senior bouts changed in format from four, two minute rounds to three, three minute rounds on January 1 2009.
Headgear is mandatory in amateur boxing

Competitors wear protective headgear and gloves with a white strip across the knuckle. A punch is considered a scoring punch only when the boxers connect with the white portion of the gloves. Each punch that lands on the head or torso is awarded a point. A referee monitors the fight to ensure that competitors use only legal blows (a belt worn over the torso represents the lower limit of punches – any boxer repeatedly landing “low blows” is disqualified). Referees also ensure that the boxers don’t use holding tactics to prevent the opponent from swinging (if this occurs, the referee separates the opponents and orders them to continue boxing. Repeated holding can result in a boxer being penalized, or ultimately, disqualified). Referees will stop the bout if a boxer is seriously injured, if one boxer is significantly dominating the other or if the score is severely imbalanced.[1] Bouts which end this way may be noted as “RSC” (referee stopped contest) with notations for an outclassed opponent (RSCO), outscored opponent (RSCOS), injury (RCSI) or head injury (RSCH).

History

Amateur boxing emerged as a sport during the mid-late 1800s, partly as a result of the moral controversies surrounding professional prize-fighting. Originally lampooned as an effort by upper and middle-class gentlemen to co-opt a traditionally working class sport, the safer, “scientific” style of boxing found favor in schools, universities and in the armed forces, although the champions still usually came from among the urban poor.

The Queensberry Amateur Championships continued from 1867 to 1885, and so, unlike their professional counterparts, amateur boxers did not deviate from using gloves once the Queensberry Rules had been published. In the United Kingdom, the Amateur Boxing Association (A.B.A.) was formed in 1880 when twelve clubs affiliated. It held its first championships the following year. Four weight classes were contested, Featherweight (9 stone), Lightweight (10 stone), Middleweight (11 stone, 4 pounds) and Heavyweight (no limit). (A stone is equal to 14 pounds.) By 1902, American boxers were contesting the titles in the A.B.A. Championships, which, therefore, took on an international complexion. By 1924, the A.B.A. had 105 clubs in affiliation.

Boxing first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1904 and, apart from the Games of 1912, has always been part of them. From 1972 through 2004, Cuba and the United States have won the most Gold Medals, 29 for Cuba and 21 for the U.S. Internationally, Olympic boxing spread steadily throughout the first half of the 20th century, but when the first international body, the Federation Internationale de Boxe Olympic (International Olympic Boxing Federation) was formed in Paris in 1920, there were only five member nations.

In 1946, however, when the International Amateur Boxing Association (A.I.B.A.) was formed in London, twenty-four nations from five continents were represented, and the A.I.B.A. has continued to be the official world federation of amateur boxing ever since. The first World Amateur Boxing Championships were staged in 1974.[2]

Computer scoring was introduced to the Olympics in 1992. Each of the five judges has a keypad with a red and a blue button. The judges must press a button for which ever corner they feel lands a scoring blow. Three out of the five judges must press the button for the same boxer within a one-second window in order for the point to score. A legal scoring blow is that which is landed cleanly with the white knuckle surface of the glove, within the scoring area (middle of the head, down the sides and between the hips through the belly button, and the boxer can’t be committing a foul (slapping, ducking head, wrestling, holding, etc). As long as the punches land within the scoring area, they are legal and that includes body punches, as well as those to the face. When computer scoring is used, and one opponent is leading by 20 points at any time before the fourth round, the referee is notified and the bout is stopped on an RSCOS – meaning the referee stopped the contest as the opponent was outscored.

Recent developments in sports technology for boxing[3] has introduced systems like the Automated Boxing Scoring System which uses instrumented boxing gear to send information back to a ring-side computer for the purposes of scoring. The system was developed to overcome the shortcomings of the computer scoring system, however the automated system has not been introduced as the official scoring system yet and could take some time to become accepted by boxing officials.

Rules And Regulation (United Kingdom)

Amateur boxing has an age limit that states that you must be at least 11 years of age to have bouts, but there is no training age limit.

Seniors 1. A Boxer becomes a Senior on his 17th birthday. When he reaches his 34th birthday, he will no longer be allowed to box, and his ME3 must be returned to his Association Registrar for cancellation.

Round Duration 2. Boxers will box 3 x 2 minute rounds and males may box 4 x 2 minute rounds or 3 x 3 minute rounds by agreement. Females may box 4 x 2 minute rounds by agreement. In Open Championships and Internationals, males will box 3 x 3 minute rounds and females 4 x 2 minute rounds. In every case there will be an interval of one minute between rounds.

3. A Senior Boxer may participate in a maximum of 18 contests per season excluding Championships and International matches.

Classification 4. There shall be three classes of Senior Boxers. The appropriate classification being: (a) Novice A Novice is a boxer who has not competed in any stage of an Open Senior Championship. A Novice Boxer must not compete against an Open Class Boxer other than in recognised Championship (b) Intermediate An Intermediate is a Boxer who has: (a) entered and competed in an Open Senior Championship but has not won a Regional Association Title, (b) won a Novice Class ‘B’ Title. (c) won a CYP Class C Title. (d) returned from professional boxing. (c) Open

An Open is a Boxer who has: (a) won an ABAE Senior Championship Regional Association Title. (b) boxed at Senior level for his Country. A Regional Association Executive Committee may upgrade a Boxer who in their opinion, is clearly above the prevailing standard for his current level of classification. Similarly, a boxer may be downgraded if his ability, in their opinion is below the standard prevailing in his current classification.

Juniors 1. A boxer is a junior from his 11th birthday (at which age he is eligible to hold an ME3), until his 17th birthday. 2. (a) Boxers under the age of 17 years MUST NOT concede more than 12 months in age, except where necessary for specific International Events. (b) Novice boxers aged 17 years can compete against boxers aged 16 years provided 43 there is no more than 12 months difference in age. (c) It is recommended that Junior boxers do not concede age, weight and experience in a contest. The final decision for any contest is the responsibility of the OIC. Rounds Duration 2. Unless the conditions for Championships or other authorised events prescribe otherwise the duration of bouts for Junior boxers will be as follows: Both boxers aged over 11 years and under 14 years – 3 x 1.5 minute rounds One boxer aged 13 and the other 14 years – 3 x 1.5 minute rounds Both boxers aged 14 years – 3 x 2 minute rounds One boxer aged 14 years and the other 15 years – 3 x 2 minutes rounds Both boxers aged 15 years or over – 3 x 2 minute rounds, or 4 x 2 minutes by agreement. 3 x 3 minute rounds by agreement (Male boxers only)

United States amateur boxing organizations

Amateur boxing can be considered any amateur fight at a local boxing gym, but there are several tournaments that take place to determine amateur champions.

There are several different amateur sanctioning bodies in the United States, including the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) of the United States, the Golden Gloves Association of America, and USA Boxing.

The Golden Gloves is an amateur boxing tournament that is fought at both the national level and the regional level. Although the Golden Gloves typically refers to the National Golden Gloves, it can also refer to the Intercity Golden Gloves, the Chicago Golden Gloves, the New York Golden Gloves, and other regional Golden Gloves tournaments. The winners of the regional tournaments fight in a national competition annually.

USA Boxing also sanctions a national tournament to determine who will compete on the United States National boxing team at the Olympic Games.