OLYMPIC PREVIEWS: Boxing

This year at the Olympics, the usual men’s boxing will return, but women’s boxing will also be joining for the first time. It will be held from July 18-August 12 at ExCel. There will be 286 athletes participating (250 men, 36 women).

THE GAME

There will be ten categories for men and three for women. The categories are organized by weight. Men’s bouts are three three-minute rounds, while women’s are four rounds of two minutes. Points are scored by hitting your opponent on the upper body or head.

THE HISTORY

Boxing has been in the Olympics since the 7th century, with participants using strips of leather wrapped around their hands as opposed to the modern boxing gloves. Big names like George Foreman and Muhammad Ali have won Olympic gold.