THE BOXING

Boxing is one of the oldest known sports today, with 2,000-year-old depictions on
the walls of tombs in Egypt and stone carvings indicating that Sumerians—who
lived in what is now Iraq—boxed at least 5,000 years ago. Boxing got its start as an
exhausting and brutal spectacle. 

In ancient Greece, two men would sit face to face with their fists tightly wrapped in
strips of tough leather. They would then hit each other until one of them fell to the
ground unconscious, or even worse, dead. Roman fighters or gladiators, on the
other hand, fought with the primary intent to kill their opponent, wearing leather
straps around their fists plated with metal. However, boxing was soon abolished
around 393 AD because it was deemed too savage. 

Boxing didn’t really resurface again until the early 16th Century in London. You
see, the English aristocracy developed a keen interest in recovering the knowledge
and tradition of antiquity, so boxing became a means to handle disputes among the
rich. Wealthy patrons would support their pugilists and put large wagers down on
their fights. This is actually where the term ‘prizefighters’ was coined.

Jack Broughton, the reigning champion from 1734 to 1758, was the first person to
introduce a boxing school. He also helped to formulate the first set of boxing rules
and was the inventor of mufflers, the precursors of modern boxing gloves.
Broughton invited high society gentlemen to make the change from sponsoring
fighters to becoming fighters themselves. As boxing moved across the sea in the
early 19th century into America, it wasn’t very popular—that is until Theodore
Roosevelt became an advocate. 

When Roosevelt was a police commissioner, he would urge his officers to train in
the art of ars pugandi. He believed boxing was a great way “to vent out man’s
animal spirit.” And this didn’t change when he became president, either. Roosevelt
used to box almost daily as a way to keep active and in shape. 

From there, boxing continued to grow in popularity with guidelines and rules put in
place to protect fighters, making it the sport we all know and love today.

What Kind of Training Is Required?

Boxers undergo grueling training to get in top physical condition and master boxing
tactics. Weight lifting, cardio, running, jump-rope, speed bag, heavy bag and
sparring are all part of a boxer's training. Boxers also must maintain a healthy diet,
striving to weigh in near the top of their weight class.
Are Boxers Licensed?

Pro boxers in the U.S. and amateur boxers in some states have to be licensed by
state athletic commissions. Requirements differ by state, but they often involve a
medical exam certifying that a candidate is fit to fight. In some states, moral
character and reputation are also a factor.

What Are the Steps to Going Pro?

Most successful boxers will forge alliances with a team of professionals in the
business, including a trainer, a manager and ideally a promoter. The trainer and
manager may or may not be the same person; the trainer will focus on making the
boxer a better fighter, while the manager is the boxer's agent, responsible for
setting up matches and negotiating payments. A good promoter will work to
publicize the fights, build fan anticipation and turn bouts into media events.

How Much Do Pro Boxers Make?

There are no reliable figures on the average salaries of professional boxers. The
most trustworthy data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which
includes all professional athletes and sports competitors, including the thousands
of pro players on football, baseball, basketball, hockey and other teams. Their
median pay in 2020 was $50,850. As of 2018, many pro boxers are paid in the
hundreds or low thousands per fight ($500-$2500) at the beginning of their careers,
and fights may be few and far between.

The real money, of course, is at the world-class level. According to

MoneyInc.com's 2018 list of the 20 richest boxers in history, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
leads the card with a net worth of $560 million. George Foreman weighs in at $300
million, Oscar De La Hoya at $200 million, Manny Pacquiao at $190 million and
Lennox Lewis at $140 million. And the late, great Muhammad Ali died in 2016 with
a reported net worth of $50 million.