Bare-knuckle boxing

People hit with their hands. They do not wear gloves.

This sport started in England. It has many rules. It is a tough sport.

One man fought for over six hours. This was a very long fight.

In the past, fighters could also kick. Some even used their hair to grab.

Today, the sport is back. It is popular in many lands.

Bare-knuckle boxing is a combat sport. Fighters hit each other with their hands. They do not wear padded gloves.

This sport began in England. It is different from street fighting because it has rules.

In the 1700s, Jack Broughton made the first rules. These rules helped stop many injuries. Later, the London Prize Ring Rules were used. These rules used a square ring with ropes.

If a fighter fell down, the round ended. The next round started after 30 seconds.

Old fights were very different. Some fighters could even kick. A man named Jem Mace had a very long career. He fought for more than 35 years! One fight in Australia lasted over six hours.

Today, the sport is making a comeback. New groups host matches in the UK and the USA. In modern matches, fighters wrap their wrists and thumbs. But they cannot put tape near their knuckles.

This keeps the hands bare. In some groups, fighters can only use punches. They cannot kick or grab. This keeps the sport focused on hand strikes.

Bare-knuckle boxing is a full-contact combat sport. It is a way for people to test their strength and skill. Fighters use their hands to strike an opponent. They do not wear any padded gloves on their hands. This makes the sport very different from the boxing we see on TV today.

It is not just street fighting, though. The sport follows a specific set of accepted rules. These rules make it a real athletic contest. People enjoy the skill and the toughness required to compete.

Rules have changed a lot over the years. In 1743, a champion named Jack Broughton made the first rules. He wanted to make the sport more respectable and safe. Under his rules, a round ended when a man went down. The fighter then had 30 seconds to stand up and face his opponent. Later, the London Prize Ring Rules were used. These rules used a square ring with ropes.

If a fighter fell, he went to his corner. He had to reach a mark in the center of the ring to start the next round. Kicking, biting, and headbutting were against the rules.

This sport has a very long history. It began in England and was documented as early as 1681. A newspaper called the Protestant Mercury reported on an early match. James Figg was the first champion of England in 1719. He even taught people how to use hands and sticks for defense.

Many famous fighters followed him, like Daniel Mendoza and Tom Sayers. One match in Australia in 1855 lasted over six hours! Another fighter, Jem Mace, had a career that lasted over 35 years. He even fought in an exhibition match at age 78.

In the United States, the sport had a different path. It was not legal in most places for a long time. The National Police Gazette magazine helped manage the sport in the 1880s. They even gave out championship belts. John L. Sullivan was a major heavyweight champion in 1889.

Wyoming became the first state to make the sport legal in 2018. Today, new groups like the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship host many matches. They have offices in places like Philadelphia and Miami.

Modern bare-knuckle boxing looks a bit different than the old days. Fighters now wrap their wrists and thumbs for support. However, they cannot put any tape near their knuckles. This ensures the hands stay mostly bare. In some modern groups, fighters can only use punches. They cannot kick or use grappling moves. Some matches use a 10-second count if a fighter falls. Others use an 18-second count. It is a sport that connects old traditions with new ways of competing.

Bare-knuckle boxing is a full-contact combat sport where participants strike one another using only their hands. Unlike modern boxing, fighters do not use any form of padding or gloves on their hands.

This distinction makes the sport a unique test of skill and toughness. While it might look like street fighting, it is actually a structured athletic endeavor. It follows specific sets of rules that govern how the combatants interact. These rules help transform raw fighting into a recognized sport.

Historically, the mechanics of the sport were quite chaotic. Early accounts from 1713 describe techniques like headbutting, eye-gouging, and hard throws.

There were no weight divisions, no referees, and no round limits. A match would only end if a fighter could not "come to scratch," or if a crowd riot occurred. Some fighters even used "fibbing," which involved grabbing an opponent's hair or neck to land multiple punches. As the sport evolved, specialized techniques emerged. Samuel Elias invented the uppercut, and Tom Spring popularized the left hook. Spring also created the "Harlequin Step," which is a type of boxing feint used to dodge and strike simultaneously.

To make the sport more respectable and reduce deaths, formal rules were eventually established. In 1743, Jack Broughton created the first set of rules. Under Broughton Rules, a round ended when a fighter went down. The downed man had 30 seconds to "square off" within one yard of his opponent. Later, the London Prize Ring Rules were introduced in 1838 and revised in 1853. These rules utilized a square ring, 24 feet on each side, bounded by two ropes. If a fighter fell, he went to his corner. He then had to reach a mark in the center of the ring within 8 seconds of the 30-second rest period to continue.

There were also distinct styles of fighting within these traditions. One such style was the "Irish stand down," also known as "strap fighting" or "toe-to-toe" combat. This method minimized movement and evasive maneuvering. Instead, fighters stayed in fixed positions to engage in sustained, close-range striking. Some accounts suggest fighters' non-striking hands were even bound together to enforce this constant engagement. This style was common in Irish-American working-class communities during the late 19th century. It eventually declined as more structured rules, like the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, became popular.

The history of the sport is filled with legendary figures and incredible feats of endurance. In England, James Figg became the first champion in 1719. He was a professional instructor of defense who taught the use of hands and even weapons like the sword.

One of the most remarkable records occurred on December 3, 1855, in Australia. James Kelly and Jonathan Smith fought for 6 hours and 15 minutes. Smith eventually surrendered after 17 rounds. Another fighter, Jem Mace, had a professional career lasting over 35 years. He even participated in an exhibition bout at the age of 78.

In the United States, the sport's legal status changed significantly over time. For many years, it was not legal under federal or state laws. During the 1880s, the National Police Gazette magazine acted as a sanctioning body. It organized matches and issued championship belts. One of the last major heavyweight championships under these old rules occurred on July 8, 1889. John L. Sullivan won that title against Jake Kilrain. It was not until March 20, 2018, that Wyoming became the first U.S. state to legalize professional bare-knuckle boxing.

Modern bare-knuckle boxing has seen a massive resurgence in the 21st century. Organizations like the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) operate in the U.S. and the UK. Modern rules differ from the past; for example, BKFC uses a 10-count for knockdowns, while BKB uses an 18-second count. In the BKFC, fighters may only use punches with a closed fist. They are permitted to wrap their wrists, thumbs, and the mid-hand, but no tape can be within one inch of the knuckles. This ensures the sport remains true to its bare-knuckle roots while providing necessary support for the athletes.