During the original inception of the use of boxing gloves, their primary use is to protect the knuckles of the fighters. However, in recent years the padding requirements of boxing gloves have increased. The first boxing gloves were eight ounces; today the boxing gloves used in boxing leagues are ten ounces. The original function of protecting the fighter's knuckles is still in effect, but now the extra padding is used for a different reason: to protect the opponent from an easy knockout. The extra padding will force the boxers to use extra strategy instead of pure brute force. The primary technique of boxing is to use your hands to strike your opponent with as much force as you possibly can. Your hand contains many bones, and if you hit a surface wrong you could break those bones. Today, most trainers will not allow you to train without some from of protective gear. Hand wraps are used to help keep the bones in your hands secure. Boxing gloves are used to protect them from blunt force trauma. This protective gear allows boxers to throw punches with more force than normal during training with minimal risk of injury. The first recorded use of boxing gloves was 1863 when the Marquees of Queensberry rules were drafted. The purpose of these gloves of "fair size" was to make knockout victories more difficult to achieve. Because of this, boxing bouts became longer, and strategy became more important than pure brute strength. With the drafting of these rules and adaptation of safety equipment like the boxing glove, the formation of professional and amateur boxing leagues began to form, and governing bodies were created to enforce the rules. This is the reason why boxing has become internationally recognized as a sport. |
