Boxing Products at INTERSPORT

Welcome to INTERSPORT Boxing. Please click here to find INTERSPORT Store locations that specialise in Boxing footwear, clothing and equipment. You can also view general information about Boxing in our FAQ section below and find out about events taking place in 2010.

FAQ's

Rules

• The rules of boxing vary depending on which jurisdiction you are boxing in and also whether it is an amateur or professional bout.
• Violation of the rules will result in point deductions and possibly disqualification depending on the foul committed.
• You cannot hit below the belt, hold, trip, kick, headbutt, wrestle, bite, spit on, or push your opponent. You cannot hit with your head, shoulder, forearm, or elbow.
• You cannot hit with an open glove, the inside of the glove, the wrist, the backhand, or the side of the hand.
• You cannot punch your opponent's back, or the back of his head or neck (rabbit punch), or on the kidneys (kidney punch).
• You cannot throw a punch whilst holding on to the ropes to gain leverage.
• You cannot hold your opponent and hit him at the same time.
• When the referee breaks you from a clinch, you have to take a full step back; it is considered a foul to immediately hit your opponent which is called 'hitting on the break'.
• You cannot spit out your mouthpiece on purpose to rest.
• If you score a knockdown of your opponent, you must go to the furthest neutral corner whilst the referee makes the count.
• A floored boxer has up to ten seconds to get back up on his feet before losing the bout by knockout.
• A boxer who is hit with an accidental low blow has up to five minutes to recover. If s/he cannot continue after five minutes, s/he is considered knocked out.
• If the foul results in an injury that causes the fight to end immediately, the boxer who committed the foul is disqualified.
• If the foul causes an injury but the bout continues, the referee orders the judges to deduct two points from the boxer who caused the injury.
• If an unintentional foul causes the bout to be stopped immediately, the bout is ruled a 'no contest' if four rounds have not been fully completed.  If four rounds have been completed, the judges' scorecards are tallied and the fighter who is ahead on points is awarded a technical decision. If the scores are even, it will be called a 'technical draw'.
• If a boxer is knocked out of the ring, he gets a count of 20 to get back in and on his feet. He cannot be assisted.

Training aids and equipment

There is a variety of equipment that is used in a bout and a training regime. 

• Bags (heavy bag, speed bag, double end bag, maize bag, pedestal bag, body opponent bag): - Bags are used to help boxers build up punching techniques, power, coordination and timing in place of an opponent.
• Boxing ring: - Used in sparring for practice fights.
• Focus mitts: - Worn as a means of protection, focus mitts are used to allow the boxer to practice punching and combinations by hitting the palms of their trainer’s hands.
• Hand wraps: - Protecting the boxer’s hands and wrists when engaged in sparring, hand wraps are made from gauze and tape and allow boxing gloves to fit securely and comfortably around the hand.
• Headgear: - Used in training, as well as amateur and Olympic competition, headgear protects the boxer's head from bruising caused by light punches. Training headgear does allow for extra protection from punches to the face, by covering the boxer’s cheeks.
• Heavy bag gloves: - Lighter than the boxing gloves used in the ring, heavy bag gloves allow the boxer to build up powerful punches whilst protecting the hand and knuckles from injuries that could be caused by the weight of the bag.
• Jump rope - Used to improve fitness, agility and footwork, boxers use a jump rope for skipping exercises.
• Mirror: Used in shadowboxing, the mirror allows the boxer to observe their technique in order that they may identify areas of weakness to be worked on during training.
• Mouthpiece: Locking the top and bottom jaws together, the mouthpiece protects the boxer from cutting their mouth and cheeks with their teeth when they are hit in the face.
• Sparring gloves: Used in practice fights, sparring gloves have extra padding in order to protect the boxer’s hand and their opponent’s head during training sessions.
• Speed bag gloves: Speed bag gloves are the lightest type of boxing gloves, allowing the boxer to practice quick punches, but provide more protection than hand wraps alone.

Weight divisions

For an evenly matched and fairer fight, weight classes originally split professional male boxers into eight categories:

• Flyweight fighters weigh a maximum of 112lbs or 50.9kg.
• Bantamweight boxers weigh a maximum of 118lbs or 53.6kg.
• Featherweight weigh up to 126lbs or 57.3kg.
• Lightweight fighters weigh up to 135lbs or 61.4kg.
• Welterweight boxers weigh a maximum of 147lbs or 66.8kg.
• Middleweight weigh up to 160lbs or 72.7kg.
• Light heavyweight fighters weigh a maximum of 175lbs or 79.5kg.
• Heavyweight boxers have no weight limit imposed on them, but must weigh in at 200lbs or more.

There is however, a total of 17 weight classes used today, fitting in between the traditional eight.  These new weight classes have allowed fighters to be more precisely matched in terms of weight.

1. Heavyweight (over 200lb, 91kg)
2. Cruiserweight (200lb, 91kg)
3. Light heavyweight (175lb, 79kg)
4. Super middleweight (168lb, 76.2kg)
5. Middleweight (160lb, 72.5kg)
6. Light middleweight, also known as Super welter (154lb, 70kg)
7. Welterweight (147lb, 66.7kg)
8. Light welterweight, also known as Super light (140lb, 63.5kg)
9. Lightweight (135lb, 61.2kg)
10. Super featherweight, also known as Junior light (130lb, 59kg)
11. Featherweight (126lb, 57.1kg)
12. Super bantamweight, also known as Junior feather (122lb, 55.3kg)
13. Bantamweight (118lb, 53.5kg)
14. Super flyweight, also known as Junior bantam (115lb, 52.1kg)
15. Flyweight (112lb, 51kg)
16. Light flyweight (108lb, 49kg)
17. Straw weight, also known as Mini fly (105lb, 47.6kg)

Taking into account the difference between male and female boxers, the weight divisions for professional women boxers are as follows:

• Pinweight (up to 101lb, 45.8kg)
• Light Flyweight (106lb, 48.1kg)
• Flyweight (110lb, 49.9kg)
• Light Bantamweight (114lb, 51.7kg)
• Bantamweight (119lb, 53.9kg)
• Featherweight (125lb, 56.7kg)
• Lightweight (132lb, 59.9kg)
• Light Welterweight (138lb, 62.6kg)
• Welterweight (145lb, 65.8kg)
• Light Middleweight (154lb, 69.9kg)
• Middleweight (165lb, 74.8kg)
• Light Heavyweight (176lb, 79.8kg)
• Heavyweight (over 189lb, 85.7kg)

Amateur weight divisions differ again. These are the divisions to look at if you are considering taking up the sport. The following are the weight categories amateur boxers are split into:

• Light Flyweight (up to 106lb, 48.1kg)
• Flyweight (112lb, 50.8kg)
• Bantamweight (119lb, 54.0kg)
• Featherweight (125lb, 56.7kg)
• Lightweight (132lb, 59.9kg)
• Light Welterweight (141lb, 63.9kg)
• Welterweight (152lb, 68.9kg)
• Middleweight (165lb, 74.8kg)
• Light Heavyweight (178lb, 80.7kg)
• Heavyweight (201lb, 91.2kg)
• Super Heavyweight (over 201lb, 91.2kg)

Basic Product Requirements:

• We recommend that you join a club before investing in any products.