Boxing
What Is A Haymaker Punch?
In boxing, there are many different types of punches, one of which is referred to as a haymaker. You may have heard this mentioned by a commentator while watching a fight, and perhaps wondered what they meant by ‘haymaker’. So in this post, I am going to answer that question for you. What is a haymaker in Boxing and MMA? In short, a haymaker is a very wide and predictable punch with a lot of power behind it. It is usually a hook that the fighter pulls back and then throws all their momentum into, in hopes of ending the…
Is Drunken Boxing A Real Martial Art?
Perhaps you’ve seen this martial art style in movies or anime, where a martial artist begins to move fluidly and unpredictably, similar to how a drunk person would. The popular movie Drunken Master, which stars Jackie Chan, is based around this concept of “Drunken Boxing”. In the movie, Jackie Chan’s master is notoriously alcoholic, but he uses this attribute to his advantage when he fights. But you may have seen this description of Drunken Boxing somewhere and wondered how feasible it is. So in this post, I am going to address your concerns and answer the question: Is “drunken boxing”…
What Happens When A Fighter Gets Knocked Out?
In combat sports such as boxing or MMA, knockouts are fairly common, and are often applauded by appreciative fans. And while you may know that a knockout results in a loss of consciousness, you may be wondering more about the details regarding a fighter getting knocked out. So what exactly happens when a fighter gets knocked out? In short, when a fighter gets knocked out, a part of the brain known as the Reticular Activating System is disrupted, as this part of the brain is susceptible to rotational forces. The Reticular Activating System is responsible for maintaining one’s consciousness, and…
Why Do Boxers and MMA Fighters Wear Gloves?
With the rising popularity of MMA, there are many people becoming new fans of the sport. You may be one of them yourself, and probably have some questions about MMA competition. While watching fights, you may wonder why MMA fighters don’t just fight bare-fisted, instead of wearing gloves. Well in this post I will answer just that: Why do MMA fighters wear gloves? MMA fighters and Boxers wear gloves during competition primarily to protect their hands, and prevent cuts on the face. The bones of the hands are very fragile, and can easily break when throwing hard punches, even with…
How Often Should You Spar? (Boxing, MMA, Kickboxing)
I’ve had a few sparring sessions since I’ve started practicing martial arts. Since having those I’ve wondered, how often should I be sparring? It is well known that some sparring sessions can have harmful effects on the brain, depending on how hard you are sparring. But should you limit your sparring sessions, or spar lighter? Is there an optimal amount of sparring sessions one can have? In this post, I am going to discuss some of the research, as well my own experiences in sparring, to answer these questions. The short answer is, you should limit your hard sparring sessions…
What Is The Best Striking Martial Art? (Boxing, Karate, Muay Thai?)
If you’re into martial arts, then you probably know that martial arts can be split up into two groups: Striking arts and Grappling arts. UFC 1 showed us that Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling were the most effective ground arts. But one thing it failed to really show us was the effectiveness of striking martial arts. So in this post, I am going to answer the question: What is the best striking martial art? As far as striking martial arts go, Muay Thai is the most effective. Muay Thai is a martial art that emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness. The leg kick is…
Why Do Boxers Hug? (Clinching Explained)
While watching a boxing match, you may have seen the two fighters hug, also known as clinching. You’ve also probably wondered why they do this. Does it benefit them in any way? Is it a good tactic? Look no further my friend, because in this post, I’m going to explain everything about the clinch in boxing. So why do boxers clinch? Boxers clinch or “hug” to slow down the pace of the fight, and to prevent from getting hit at close range. Many boxers also clinch to get a small window of rest during the fight. While in the clinch,…
How Many Boxers Die A Year? (And How To Prevent It)
Unfortunately, many boxers have died in the past due to their injuries in the ring. It is fairly rare for a boxer to die from the injuries sustained a match, but this topic has gained attention after the deaths of boxers Maxim Dadashev and Hugo Alfredo Santillan, both of which happened in the same week. So for those wondering how frequently this happens, as well as other boxer-injury related questions, I’m going to answer the question: How many boxers die a year? On average, about 7 boxers die each year from injuries they sustained in a fight. This is based…
Do Amateur Fighters Get Paid in MMA/Boxing?
You may have watched an organized MMA or Boxing competition which featured amateur fighters, and found yourself wondering: do amateur fighters get paid? What is the pay difference between an amateur and a professional fighter? Well look no further, because in this post, I’m going to discuss finances in relation to amateur fighters, as well as answer the question: do amateur fighters get paid? The short answer is, no, amateur fighters do not get paid for their fights in Boxing/MMA. According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, amateur fighters are allowed to get expenses covered by the promotion, but they…
Why Did They Stop 15-Round Boxing Matches? – Combat Museum
You may be familiar with the fact that boxing matches used to go 15 rounds. In fact, boxing used to have no time limit at all. But why did this end? Today, championship boxing matches can only go to 12 rounds. So why did they stop 15 round boxing matches? 15-round boxing matches ended due to the death of South Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo in the 14th round of his WBA Title fight against Ray Mancini in 1982. Kim Duk-koo’s death prompted the WBC to limit its championship fights to a maximum of twelve rounds, a move followed by the…