Knockout Discoveries: Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Boxing

1. David and Goliath of Boxing

In a heavyweight battle of David and Goliath proportions, the ring once trembled beneath the thunderous footsteps of giants, with punches powerful enough to topple mountains: Primo Carnera, known as "The Ambling Alp," stood tall at 6 ft 6 in and weighed a monstrous 275 pounds, but was dwarfed by Nikolai Valuev, the heaviest world champion, who tipped the scales at a gargantuan 328 pounds, leaving Carnera to claim victory with a record of 72 knockouts by a world heavyweight champion.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. The Never-Ending Match

Talk about throwing hands until the cows come home: Andy Bowen and Jack Burke took this quite literally on April 6, 1893, when their gloved boxing match stretched on for a whopping 110 rounds and over 7 hours, only to be declared a no contest as the exhausted and dazed pugilists just couldn't throw another punch.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that karate's origin involved China and its name once meant "I promise I won't touch you"? Discover how this martial art evolved into the "empty-handed" self-defense we know today, with some unexpected connections to everyday objects and pop culture icons.

=> Fun Facts about Karate

3. The Square Ring Evolution

Ever wonder why boxing rings aren't loyal to their name by being round, kind of like a loveless marriage between geometry and sports? Well, let's dive into that romantic tangle: The term "ring" actually hails from the olden days when bloodthirsty spectators formed a circle around scrappy bare-knuckled brawlers, which then evolved to crudely drawn circles on the ground, and finally into today's boundary-cornered square with ropes. So, they've come quite a square er... long way from their original shape!
Source => wonderopolis.org

4. Roosevelt's Boxing Blunder

They say love is blind, but in Theodore Roosevelt's case, love for boxing left him visually impaired: Our 26th president officially hung up his gloves when he lost sight in his left eye during a sparring session and didn't want his presidential image blackened by the effects of the sport, as evidenced in his letter to the father of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin.
Source => ussporthistory.com

5. Embracing Boxing Gloves

In the boxing ring of yesteryear, fighters discovered that it was high time to kiss the knuckle sandwich goodbye and embrace a more tender punch: the emergence of boxing gloves predated the Marquess of Queensberry Rules published in 1867, which were actually the first to mandate their use in the sport.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Beatles vs. Ali Showdown

When British Invasion met the knockout punch: In a cheeky celebrity showdown in 1964, the fresh-faced Beatles made a pit stop to see Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) in Miami Beach, only to find themselves playfully "floored" by the heavyweight champ during an impromptu sparring session – a hilarious moment immortalized in legendary photographs. The Fab Four, still riding high from their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, took Ali up on his offer of a harmless boxing match after being snubbed by his title fight opponent, Sonny Liston, and spent some time griping about the wait in Ali's dressing room before their light-hearted bout commenced.
Source => foxsports.com.au

7. The Saint Paul Thunderbolt

He gave thunderclouds a run for their money with his lightning-fast punches: Billy Miske, known as "The Saint Paul Thunderbolt," boasted a record of 48 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses in official bouts while fighting over 100 matches, including 54 "no decision" matches due to the era's lack of a point system.
Source => refresher.com

8. Heenan and Sayers Epic Battle

Before the days of Mayweather and McGregor, where 12 rounds just didn't cut it and boxers duked it out until they dropped: On April 17, 1860, Heenan and Sayers brawled their way into history in England as the epicenter of the first world boxing championship, a cringe-worthy scene featured in Harper's Weekly where fists and blood flew for the grand prize of £200.
Source => rarenewspapers.com

9. Victorian Boxing Etiquette

If you thought boxing in the old days was just an uncivilized, no-holds-barred, tooth-and-nail kind of affair, you better brace yourself for some twisted truths and surprising subtleties. Picture a Victorian pugilist donning spiked shoes, ready to "kick" some serious butt: Little did they know, the London Prize Ring Rules of 1838 (and revised in 1853) actually prohibited biting, gouging, scratching, kicking, hitting a man when he's down and other decidedly unpleasant acts. Fighters had to abide by these rules, which also surprisingly allowed holds and throws, for more than a century. So, hold onto your monocle and tug at your handlebar mustache – boxing has always had its codes of conduct!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Chávez's Impressive Record

Who knew boxing could be so "Chávez-y?" In the red corner, we have the undefeated, reigning champion of title defenses and fights: Julio César Chávez! With the belts to back his punches, this fighter's not just a pretty face: Julio César Chávez holds the records for most total successful defenses of world titles at 27, most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title both at 31, and the most title fights with 37, along with the second most title defenses won by knockout at 21, following Joe Louis' 23 knockouts.
Source => en.wikipedia.org