Is boxing a sport, how are sports defined?

DonDaddyD

Boxing is not a sport - its two blokes trying to beat the crap out of each other - maybe you would like to bring back gladiators (not the wussy TV program the real thing )

Made anonymous for decency.

So, is boxing a sport? And by extension the question is raised, what is a sport?

For me a sport has to be a competition against others and won by a defined measurable, which includes but isn't limited to distance, time etc. It also has to involve an activity that involves physical exertion beyond the normal daily activity.

Boxing contains those things.

Now I can understand if people want to say they don't like that particular sport because it is violent/boring etc. But you can't dismiss boxing simply because you don't like it. IMHO.

Rule74Please

Boxing is a sport!!!!

Horse racing is not and don't get me started on darts snooker ten pin bowling and the like

EKE_38BPM

I can dismiss golf because I don't like it, but that is another issue.

Of course boxing is a sport. One person bests another person using their physical attributes and by preventing their opponant from landing a knock-out blow.

dhope

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I can dismiss golf because I don't like it, but that is another issue.

Of course boxing is a sport. One person bests another person using their physical attributes and by preventing their opponant from landing a knock-out blow.

EKE, is Individual Pursuit a sport? :twisted:

rick_chasey

Wikipedia has an excellent definition of a sport:

A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. Generally speaking, a sport is a game based in physical athleticism. Activities such as board games and card games are sometimes classified as "mind sports," but strictly speaking "sport" by itself refers to some physical activity. Non-competitive activities may also qualify, for example though jogging or playing catch are usually classified as forms of recreation, they may also be informally called "sports" due to their similarity to competitive games.

Sports are governed by a set of rules or customs. Physical events such as scoring goals or crossing a line first often define the result of a sport. However, the degree of skill and performance in some sports such as diving, dressage and figure skating is judged according to well-defined criteria. This is in contrast with other judged activities such as beauty pageants and body building, where skill does not have to be shown and the criteria are not as well defined.

Bikequin

Of course its not a sport its just gratuitous violence.

Now more importantly: “Is (internet) fishing a sport?”

shm_uk

My three (probably flawed) criteria:

1 - anything where a referee/umpire (or panel of) is required to decide a result based on his/her judgement is not a sport (ice-skating, gymnastics)

b - anything that doesn't require intense physical exertion isn't a sport (darts, bowls, golf)

iii - anything that can be described as a 'game' isn't a sport (tennis, football, rugby)


At the end of the day, it's all just entertainment, so it doesn't really matter what's what.

rolf_f

shm_uk wrote:

My three (probably flawed) criteria:

iii - anything that can be described as a 'game' isn't a sport (tennis, football, rugby)

So no sports in the Olympic Games then?

Probably best if you just tell us what does clasify as a sport!!

Rule74Please

Bikequin wrote:

Of course its not a sport its just gratuitous violence.

Now more importantly: “Is (internet) fishing a sport?”

strange as it may seem the real aim is not to get hit. The stronger guy doesn't always win Think rumble in the jungle to see the brain is as important as the brawn.

spen666

dhope wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I can dismiss golf because I don't like it, but that is another issue.

Of course boxing is a sport. One person bests another person using their physical attributes and by preventing their opponant from landing a knock-out blow.

EKE, is Individual Pursuit a sport? :twisted:

depends if Mark Renshaw is riding

wgwarburton

Rick Chasey wrote:

Wikipedia has an excellent definition of a sport:

A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means. Generally speaking, a sport is a game based in physical athleticism. Activities such as board games and card games are sometimes classified as "mind sports," but strictly speaking "sport" by itself refers to some physical activity. Non-competitive activities may also qualify, for example though jogging or playing catch are usually classified as forms of recreation, they may also be informally called "sports" due to their similarity to competitive games.

Sports are governed by a set of rules or customs. Physical events such as scoring goals or crossing a line first often define the result of a sport. However, the degree of skill and performance in some sports such as diving, dressage and figure skating is judged according to well-defined criteria. This is in contrast with other judged activities such as beauty pageants and body building, where skill does not have to be shown and the criteria are not as well defined.

That is a good definition- I like the subjective use of "entertaining", which rules out boxing for me and, as an example, sailing for most people!

:-)

I read somewhere that golf's rule against the use of carts (is that current or historical?) was meant to keep it within the bounds of a sport, since the player's had to be able to at least walk around the course...

Then there's Ernest Hemingway's (claimed- maybe it was Barnaby Conrad?) classification- bullfighting, motor racing and mountain climbing are sports, everything else is just a game... Based presumably on the likelyhood of the participant's death at the time of writing!

Cheers,
W.

EKE_38BPM

I think boxing is probabily the first sport. No fancy equipment, few rules and the winner was decided when the loser couldn't go on.

Simples.

rjsterry

Slightly OT, but anyone else heard that point about boxing getting more dangerous since the introduction of padded gloves - I think it came up on QI once :roll: . The logic being that you can hit someone a lot harder with gloves on, without damaging your hand. I'd say that the general perception is that bare-knuckle fighting is more brutal, although perversely less dangerous.

tailwindhome

Amateur boxing is a sport.

Professional boxing isn't. It's a pantomine.

daviesee

shm_uk wrote:

My three (probably flawed) criteria:

1 - anything where a referee/umpire (or panel of) is required to decide a result based on his/her judgement is not a sport (ice-skating, gymnastics)

b - anything that doesn't require intense physical exertion isn't a sport (darts, bowls, golf)

iii - anything that can be described as a 'game' isn't a sport (tennis, football, rugby)


At the end of the day, it's all just entertainment, so it doesn't really matter what's what.

That appears to exclude everything?????????????????

or was that the idea.........

Jay dubbleU

DonDaddyD wrote:

Boxing is not a sport - its two blokes trying to beat the crap out of each other - maybe you would like to bring back gladiators (not the wussy TV program the real thing )

Made anonymous for decency.

So, is boxing a sport? And by extension the question is raised, what is a sport?

For me a sport has to be a competition against others and won by a defined measurable, which includes but isn't limited to distance, time etc. It also has to involve an activity that involves physical exertion beyond the normal daily activity.

Boxing contains those things.

Now I can understand if people want to say they don't like that particular sport because it is violent/boring etc. But you can't dismiss boxing simply because you don't like it. IMHO.

DDD - you don't have to make it anonymous - I'm quite happy to defend my opinion - by your definition foxhunting is a sport

Rule74Please

rjsterry wrote:

Slightly OT, but anyone else heard that point about boxing getting more dangerous since the introduction of padded gloves - I think it came up on QI once :roll: . The logic being that you can hit someone a lot harder with gloves on, without damaging your hand. I'd say that the general perception is that bare-knuckle fighting is more brutal, although perversely less dangerous.

If it was bare knuckles the fight would last 1 or 2 rounds and be stopped by cuts. Modern 12 ounce gloves are causing more brain injuries than the old 8's. 8's were banned due to cuts and bruises not brain injuries.

If the sport looks cleaner people will watch it - who cares how many punch drunk fighters we send out this will keep the doctors happy and keep boxing out of the press for the wrong reasons

Wallace1492

Plus I said it was not a sport first!! Yet you quote or rather anonymously quote Jay DubbleU.

OK, it is classed as a sport, but lets face it, the purpose of it is to knock out your opponent, pulverise, beat them, cause them harm. Yes, there can be skill doing it, but it does not mask the brutal side of it.

In my opinion it does not merit the tag "sport"

My opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

The Rookie

Not sure how DDD's def makes foxhunting a sport, no competition against others!

Boxing is a sport, as is golf, darts isn't as its played by fat people (no stereotypes - honest) and has no requirement for physical fitness, snooker is on the line.....

Simon

shm_uk

daviesee wrote:

shm_uk wrote:

My three (probably flawed) criteria:

1 - anything where a referee/umpire (or panel of) is required to decide a result based on his/her judgement is not a sport (ice-skating, gymnastics)

b - anything that doesn't require intense physical exertion isn't a sport (darts, bowls, golf)

iii - anything that can be described as a 'game' isn't a sport (tennis, football, rugby)


At the end of the day, it's all just entertainment, so it doesn't really matter what's what.

That appears to exclude everything?????????????????

or was that the idea.........

Anything that's a straightforward race against the clock qualifies.

And boxing, if it's a win by KO.

Clever Pun

rjsterry wrote:

Slightly OT, but anyone else heard that point about boxing getting more dangerous since the introduction of padded gloves - I think it came up on QI once :roll: . The logic being that you can hit someone a lot harder with gloves on, without damaging your hand. I'd say that the general perception is that bare-knuckle fighting is more brutal, although perversely less dangerous.

look up the kimbo slice video and one guys eye practically hanging out..

I like UFC a lot and the more tactics that are involved than boxing(which nowadays can be a little tedious)... with the thinner gloves the punchers chance is more likely so can throw up some interesting results. and the groundgames can be really intregiing

I'm sure some will label it as brutal blood"non"sport etc but ignorance be-gets ignorance

flicksta

Jay dubbleU wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Boxing is not a sport - its two blokes trying to beat the crap out of each other - maybe you would like to bring back gladiators (not the wussy TV program the real thing )

Made anonymous for decency.

So, is boxing a sport? And by extension the question is raised, what is a sport?

For me a sport has to be a competition against others and won by a defined measurable, which includes but isn't limited to distance, time etc. It also has to involve an activity that involves physical exertion beyond the normal daily activity.

Boxing contains those things.

Now I can understand if people want to say they don't like that particular sport because it is violent/boring etc. But you can't dismiss boxing simply because you don't like it. IMHO.

DDD - you don't have to make it anonymous - I'm quite happy to defend my opinion - by your definition foxhunting is a sport

Foxhunting is a sport.

Whether foxhunting is sporting or not, is a different question.

Clever Pun

shm_uk wrote:

My three (probably flawed) criteria:

1 - anything where a referee/umpire (or panel of) is required to decide a result based on his/her judgement is not a sport (ice-skating, gymnastics)
Team sports require a ref

b - anything that doesn't require intense physical exertion isn't a sport (darts, bowls, golf)
These all require some level of physical dexterity/exertion

iii - anything that can be described as a 'game' isn't a sport (tennis, football, rugby)
Well now, you know this is utter guff

At the end of the day, it's all just entertainment, so it doesn't really matter what's what.

Gazzaputt

Yes.

edhornby

I'd say boxing is a sport - corrupt but still a sport at the point where the fighters get into the ring

however my personal take is that; anything you can participate in and smoke a cigar at the same time isn't a sport (Golf, darts), and anything where winning or losing is based on someone elses subjective points awarded isn't a sport (rhythmic gymnastics, dancing on ice)

by my own criteria - if a boxing match goes the distance it's not a sporting contest but a KO is - maybe the answer is no KO, no new winner....

rjsterry

The Beginner wrote:

Not sure how DDD's def makes foxhunting a sport, no competition against others!

Boxing is a sport, as is golf, darts isn't as its played by fat people (no stereotypes - honest) and has no requirement for physical fitness, snooker is on the line.....

Simon

Competition against the fox - fox wins if it doesn't get caught. Talking of which, the local hunt is welcome in my garden atm. If they're not screeching at each other at all hours, they're sh!tting on my doormat, or digging up my garden.

Limburger

A sport has an inherent risk of death or maiming. Everything else is just a game.

rolf_f

shm_uk wrote:

Anything that's a straightforward race against the clock qualifies.

So as well as not including anything in the Olympics, there is no racing either (which is people against people rather than against the clock)?

I tend to think that a sport should require some sort of development of a physical perfection to excel in. Which effectively rules out things like darts, golf etc.

The Rookie

Seeing as how the oldest sport after boxing/wrestling was running, then followed by how far you can throw a spear and then HOW ACCURATELY, I'm not sure how you can rue out sports like darts/golf/snooker etc.....Are you saying Archery isn't a sport....

Simon

DonDaddyD

rjsterry wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

Not sure how DDD's def makes foxhunting a sport, no competition against others!

Boxing is a sport, as is golf, darts isn't as its played by fat people (no stereotypes - honest) and has no requirement for physical fitness, snooker is on the line.....

Simon

Competition against the fox - fox wins if it doesn't get caught. Talking of which, the local hunt is welcome in my garden atm. If they're not screeching at each other at all hours, they're sh!tting on my doormat, or digging up my garden.

Fox chased me for my kebab once, I've never sprinted so fast in my life the Fox actually gave up.

Bloody things are vile I need one of these:



Hunting when it's not for (human) survival is a sport. I'd argue that it's one of the oldest sport. First person to take down the Saber-tooth Donkey becomes Chieftain!

wgwarburton

Rolf F wrote:

shm_uk wrote:

Anything that's a straightforward race against the clock qualifies.

So as well as not including anything in the Olympics, there is no racing either (which is people against people rather than against the clock)?

I tend to think that a sport should require some sort of development of a physical perfection to excel in. Which effectively rules out things like darts, golf etc.

Nah, I don't buy that- darts and golf are about accuracy. Arguably more challenging than competing on the basis of strength and/or stamina. The quest for "physical perfection" is perfection of control instead of power.
Then there's tactics, strategy, use of external factors... A complication in some sports and an inherent part of others.
As long as the playing field is level and the competition fair (arguably ruling out judging, but including refereeing?), surely it should be considered a sport.

Cheers,
W.