2016 RIO OLYMPICS: HISTORY OF BOXING IN THE SUMMER GAMES PART I
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 18 Jul 2016
The sport of boxing began when a man first lifted a fist against another in competition. The earliest proofs of the beginnings of boxing dates back to Egypt around 3000 BC. Soft leather thongs were used to secure the boxers? hands and forearms for the opponents' protection.
The ancient Greeks believed fist fighting was one of the games played by the gods on Mount Olympus. Later it became part of the Olympic Games in about 688 BC as one of the oldest recorded sports in the world. It was when Onomastos of Smyrna won the first ever boxing contest.
Later, in Rome, leather thongs were replaced by the cestus, a glove reinforced with metal. Boxing matches became so brutal during those times that boxers became gladiators in fights that usually ended with the death of one or the other fighter.
The boxing fights were significant events in Roman culture until in around 400 CE, Emperor Theodoric the Great banned it completely. As a Christian, he disallowed it because of the deaths and injuries it could cause, and of its use as a form of violent entertainment.
It was revived in the 17th century in England, and organized amateur boxing officially began in 1880. Originally there were only five weight classes contested: Bantamweight, not exceeding 54 kilos; Featherweight, not exceeding 57 kilos; Lightweight, not exceeding 63.5 kilos; Middleweight, not exceeding 73 kilos; and Heavyweight, any weight.
When boxing made its Olympic debut during the third edition of the Games at the 1904 Olympics in St Louis, the host USA was the only country which entered and won all the medals. Just 18 boxers competed when boxing was launched into the modern Olympic era.
During the 1908 London Olympics, the number had increased to 42 from 4 nations, divided into five weight categories. During the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games, the competition was strong where 116 competitors from 12 nations challenged for medals, with Africa winning its first boxing gold courtesy of South African Clarence Walker.
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