Boxing
The Origins of Boxing
Boxing has been around for several thousands of years, extending as far back as well before Christian era. Basically, the martial art (or sport) of boxing was originally just a fight between two people who wore or did not wear protective gear or gloves. It is unclear whether this was for the purpose of settling a dispute or as sport.
However, it is believed that Boxing as a sport first appeared in some areas in Africa, particularly around Egypt, perhaps as early as 4000BCE. From there, the sport spread to other parts of the world, beginning in the south of Europe. It even appeared in the 23rd Olympics in 688BCE, when Onomastos of Smyrna became the first ever Olympic Boxing Champion.
Participants in Boxing at the Olympics in this year trained on punching bags, and even had a type of simple protective gear that covered the body (mainly the chest area), wrists and hands (but leaving the fingers free). This was constructed out of leather, and typically consisted of just a strip of leather that was simply bound around the areas that required protection. Protective gear for Boxing was further developed by the Ancient Romans, at a time when the sport became a popular form of entertainment. Often, participants in bouts fought to the death, in a round circle that represented the area in which they were to fight. In modern times, this area is called the ring.
Boxing lost its popularity until the 17th century.