BOXING TERMS TO KNOW

It is important for participating athletes to understand some of the basic terminology used in the study of boxing to be able to not only understand the science but to also properly apply the principles learned. We invite you to familiarize yourself with these terms as you progress through the boxing program.

(A)

Amateur Boxing: Competitive boxing matches where neither participant is paid and most fighters are beginning to learn their craft.

(B)

Be First: When your coach tells you to “be first” he or she is wanting you to throw your punches before your opponent. In other words, he/she wants you to be aggressive.
Below the Belt: A punch that strays low, below the waistband of a boxer’s trunks.
Bleeder: A boxer who gets cut easily.
Blow-by-Blow: A detailed description, used by broadcasters, to describe the action as it unfolds in the ring.
Bob and Weave: Side to side and rolling movements that are used as defense to avoid punches.
Bout: A word used to describe a boxing match.
Brawler: This is a type of fighter who likes to exchange punches and relies on being aggressive and fighting on the inside.
Break: This is a command used by a boxing referee to stop the action and separate the fighters.

(C)

Canvas: Although these days the ring flooring can also be vinyl, boxing rings were traditionally made from canvas and were called that. This is now a general term used to reference the floor of the boxing ring.
Card: This is the line-up of bouts that are scheduled on any given boxing event.
Caught Cold: This is a term used to describe a boxer who gets hurt in the opening rounds or is stopped early in the fight. This normally happens when the fighteer is not mentally or physically prepared or has not warmed-up.
Check Hook: This counter-hook is designed to counter the attack of an aggressive fighter. It is executed by pivoting on your lead leg while throwing a hook to catch your forward-charging opponent.
Chief Second: This is the coach or trainer who is in charge of the corner.
Clinch: A term used to describe when two fighters grab or hold each other to prevent an exchange of punches or to slow the action. One fighter may also use this tactic when he is hurt, to prevent absorbing additional punishment.
Combination: This is any series of punches thrown in succession, one right after the other, with no break in between.
Cornerman: A coach, cutman or person responsible for tending to a fighter between rounds.
Counterpunch: This is any punch that is thrown in return or comes back as a response to an offensive move.
Cover-Up: This is a defensive move employed by a fighter to avoid getting hit. He or she simply hides behind their gloves to avoid direct contact from an offensive attack.
Cross: A power punch thrown with the rear hand and travels across the fighter’s body.

(D)

Duck: Dropping under a punch to avoid being hit by it.

(E)

Eight Count: When one fighter is knocked down or in trouble of being stopped, a referee can administer a count of eight to give the fighter time to recover so that he can better assess the situation.
Enswell: This is an official name for a piece of metal used to reduce swelling on a boxer’s face.

(F)

Faded: Usually refers to a fighter who runs out of gas in the later rounds or who, in terms of his boxing career, is no longer performing at his best.
Feint: Faking or feinting a punch is used to make an opponent react, throw him off his game or makes him commit to a false move.
Flash Knockdown: This typically describes as a quick knockdown or a brief trip to the canvas where the fighter that goes down was only temporarily caught off-guard or rocked, but suffered no significant damage.

(G)

Get Off: This refers to a fighter’s ability to “let his hands go” or throw uninhibited; to mount an effective offensive attack.
Glass Jaw: A negative term used to describe a fighter who can’t take a punch, who gets knocked out easily or has a questionable chin.
Go the Distance: To fight to the final bell or the duration of an entire fight.
Go to the Body: An offensive strategy focused on attacking the mid-section or abdominal region, as opposed to concentrating on the head as a fighter’s target.
Go to the Cards: An occurrence where neither fighter is knocked out or stopped. The decision, as to who won the fight, is made by assigned judges who have scored each round as the bout has progressed.

(H)

Haymaker: A desperation punch thrown with full force and with the intent to knock an opponent out.
Head Butt: When two fighter’s head collides or come together. This occasionally happens by accident or is sometimes employed as a blatant foul.
Hook: This punch is thrown with the lead or front hand and is delivered in a semi-circular pattern. The hook is executed by leading with your front hand, bringing your elbow up and rotating the front side of your body (in a similar motion as slamming a door.) It is meant to reach beyond your opponent’s guard and make contact with the side of his head or chin.

(I)

Infighting: This is also called “inside fighting” or exchanging punches at close-range.

(J)

Jab: The jab is a punch that is thrown with your front hand and delivered straight at your opponent. It should be the centerpiece of any boxing offense.

(K)

Kidney Punch: This is an illegal blow thrown at an opponent’s lower back, usually while in a clinch or as a counterpunch.

(L)

Lead Right: A lead right is delivered in place of a lead jab, but is harder to execute because it has to travel across the distance of a fighters body to land, so it has to be thrown quickly and catch an opponent off-guard.
Low Blow: This is any punch that is thrown or strays below the waistband of a boxer’s trunks. It can also be an imaginary line at the base of the midsection, where the referee had deemed illegal.

(M)

Mauler: Most often this is used to describe a fighter who likes to fight wildly on the inside and uses roughhouse tactics to nullify their opponent’s effectiveness.
Majority Decision: (awarded by the majority of the judges) When two of the three judges score it for one fighter, while the third judge scores it as a draw.
Majority Draw: When two of the three judges score the fight as a draw, while the third judge scores it for one of the fighters.
Mouse: A bump or isolated area of swelling on a fighters face.

(N)

Neutral Corner: Each of the two fighters are assigned a red or blue corner. Two white corners of the ring are remaining and are considered “neutral territory.” Neither fighters cornermen are stationed there so it’s where a fighter is sent if he knocks his or her opponent down. They remain there while a count is administered by the referee.

(O)

On the Ropes: Whether purposely, as a defensive technique, or he is forced to fight from this position by a more aggressive opponent, a fighter who lays against the ring ropes is considered “on the ropes.”
Orthodox: A right-handed fighter or one who leads with a left jab and uses his back, or right hand as his cross.
Outside Fighter: Boxers who prefer to fight from the outside, typically behind a long jab, from long-range are considered outside fighters.
Overhand: A punch that is delivered in an arching motion, traveling downward on the opponent.

(P)

Palooka: This is an old boxing term used to describe a fighter who is uneducated, who is lacking in ability and/or who is generally clumsy.
Parry: This is when you not only block an incoming punch, but actually re-direct it away from your body or the intended target.
Paw: When you don’t fully commit to a punch and throw it with any real intent to land, but more like you are testing the waters, this is referred to as “pawing.”
Peek-A-Boo: This style of fighting was attributed to legendary trainer Cus D’Amato and involved placing your hands high in front of your face, providing a lot of angles to confuse your opponent and moving your upper torso rapidly from side to side. Mike Tyson was famous for employing this type of style.
Play Possum: This is when a fighter acts like he is hurt or tired in an attempt to lure his opponent in and carelessly leave himself open, while attempting to take advantage of the “vulnerable” fighter.
Plodder: A heavy-footed, slow fighter who consistently moves forward is considered “a plodder.”
Point Deduction: A point is taken away from a fighter when a blatant foul or rule infraction occurs. It can also happen after several warnings have been issued, such as in a case of unintentional, but repeated low blows.
Pull: A defensive move where a fighter leans away from or pulls back to avoid being hit.
Pull Your Punches: When a punch is not delivered at full force, but held back. Fighters sparring each other may pull their punches to keep the intensity light. Some fighters may do it in a competitive match to trick their opponent into a feeling of safety before they surprise them by throwing with full power.
Puncher’s Chance: A term used to describe the type of fighter, who although may be outclassed, still possesses the kind of knock out power to end a fight with one punch. He could clearly not outbox his opponent, but would always have a chance to win based on his power.

(R)

Rabbit Punch: This is any punch that is delivered to the back of another fighter’s head. It is an illegal blow, due to being highly dangerous. It is called that because of its similarity to the way that hunters used to kill rabbits.
Ring Generalship: This is the manner in which a fighter controls the action in the ring and understands his position. It is the way he is able to impose his will on his opponent and strategically outmaneuver him.
Roll with the Punches: The ability to move with a punch to reduce its impact or turn in that same direction so that it doesn’t land cleanly.
Rope-a-Dope: When you maintain a defensive posture on the ropes in an attempt to outlast or tire your opponent. It is most recognized and was actually given that name by Muhammad Ali when he employed the technique to defeat George Foreman.
Roughhousing: When an opponent uses “questionable” offensive tactics or is highly physical and aggressive.

(S)

Saved by the Bell: If a fighter is knocked down and seemingly cannot get up by the time the round ends, he is considered to have been “saved by the bell.”
Second: One of a fighter’s cornermen.
Shoe Shine: A series of flashy punches, in quick succession, that look impressive, but do little damage.
Shopworn: This refers to a fighter who has taken too much punishment or suffered too much wear and tear on his body over the course of his career.
Shoulder Roll: This is a defensive move where a fighter leaves his front arm low and drapes it across his midsection, so that when his opponent throws a punch he can use his shoulder to block or roll with it. This is done so that the defensive fighter is able to counter back with either hand, because neither was used for blocking.
Slip: When you move your head to avoid getting hit.
Southpaw: Slang for a left-handed fighter or someone who is left hand dominant.
Spar: This is used for training and preparation in the gym. It should be much less intense than an actual fight, incorporate greater padded gloves, headgear and should be conducted at much less intensity.
Spit Bucket: The bucket or container a corner uses to carry their supplies, but is primarily used between rounds for the fighter to spit excess water into so that he doesn’t swallow too much during the course of a bout.
Split Decision: (split between the two fighters) When two of the three judges score the bout for one fighter and one judge scores it for the other.
Stick and Move: This is an offensive style of fighting that incorporates a great deal of movement, punching and moving constantly.
Stylist: A fighter who uses skill and technique more than power.
Sucker Punch: A punch thrown at an unsuspecting victim or after the bell has sounded.

(T)

Technical Knockout: This is also called a TKO and is administered when a fighter is getting hit too much or has been dropped repeatedly. The referee stops the contest before the predetermined distance.
Throw in the Towel: When a fighter’s corner tosses a towel into the ring in order to stop the fight. It is usually due to their fighter taking too much punishment and is symbolic of surrendering.
Toe-to-Toe: When two fighters don’t back down, stand directly in front of each other and exchange punches.

(U)

Uppercut: A punch thrown in an upward fashion, up the middle of a fighters guard intended to make impact on the point of his chin. It is delivered from a crouched position, with your hands up and, as you twist your upper torso, you extend your hand out and up slightly to make contact. This can be thrown with either hand.
Upstart: A beginning fighter who shows potential.