There are a lot of rules in boxing but only a select few that bettors really need to know about. Learning why boxers have rules around their gloves, what bandages they can and can’t apply, and how smartly their support team is meant to be dressed has nothing really to do with betting.
So, for the purposes of this Paddy Power guide to boxing rules, we’ve boiled it down to those rules that are relevant to your bets.
We’re talking things like round times, how long referees count for during a knockdown, and how fights can be stopped.
If you want the full rules of boxing then check out the British Board of Boxing Control’s rule book here. Below, we’ve split the relevant rules of boxing into various sections:
- Pre fight
- Equipment
- Boxing Scoring Rules
- Boxing Disqualification Rules
Boxing Rules
Let’s dive straight in and look at what boxers need to have ready before they enter the ring.
Pre Fight Rules
3.1 Opponents… must be engaged at the same weight.
– This might sound obvious but the weight categories in boxing are absolutely necessary. Having an 17st clobberer face a lightweight wraith would be somewhat unfair. Boxing weights bind those of similar physical build together, which makes for a fair contest.
3.7 The number of rounds shall be specified
- No contest shall exceed 12 rounds
- No contest be less than 8 minutes of actual boxing
- Rounds shall be of 3 minute duration (inc. 1 minute intervals)
- Contests of 10 rounds or less may have 2-minute rounds
– This is particularly important to know when you’re betting on rounds in boxing. You can either bet on the fight to stop in a specific round or a round band (e.g. rounds 3-6). If you know how long the fight could last then that will help guide your bet choices. Women’s bouts usually go up to 10 rounds, with each round lasting two minutes.
Equipment
3.13 The following equipment must be carried by Seconds for use when working in a Boxer’s corner:
- (a) Clean white towels – nice
- (b) White petroleum jelly – OK, for cuts right?
- (c) Best quality sterile cotton wool – sounds useful
- (d) Sterile gauze in small sealed packets – good stuff
- (e) Orange, Cherry or dental swab sticks – OK
- (f) A quantity of Adrenalin made into a 1-1000 Aqueous solution – just in case
- (g) A pair of blunt edged scissors – erm…
- (h) An ice bag – that would have been my first item
- (i) A roll of 1 inch zinc oxide plaster – zinc what?
- (j) A quantity of soft bandage – quantity, you say…
- (k) An eye iron – now what is that!?
– This has nothing to do with boxing betting but just something we thought was interesting. An eye iron, by the way, is a strip of metal with a handle that is kept on ice (probably next to that ice bag) and can be applied to cuts to reduce swelling.
3.23 Boxing gloves shall be 8 ounces in weight for contests from Flyweight to Welterweight and 10 ounces for contests from Super-Welterweight upwards. In all female contests gloves shall be 10 ounces in weight.
– This is another useful thing to know, although it won’t exactly guide your bets. Boxers aren’t allowed to alter their gloves in any way, so no: “breaking by twisting, removal of padding by fingering, or thumbing from the potential part of the glove”.
Boxing Scoring Rules
Boxers win fights either by forcing their opponent to stop (knockout or technical knockout) or via points. Points are awarded by at least three judges who score the fight. A boxer can score up to 10 points per round and is deducted points if they break certain rules. Most rounds are scored 10-9 in one or the other boxers’ favour.
3.29 A maximum of ten points at the end of each round is awarded to the better boxer and a proportionate number to the other contestant. If they consider the round was even they will then award the maximum number to each contestant.
3.31 Points will be awarded: For “attack” – direct clean hits with the knuckle part of the glove of either hand to any part of the front or side of the head or body above the belt. For “defence” – guarding, slipping, ducking or getting away from an attack. Where contestants are otherwise equal the majority of points will be given to the one who does most leading off or displays the better style.
– This is something that is often overlooked. Points can also be awarded for good defence but boxers are generally rewarded for bringing the fight.
3.32 Should a Boxer go down to the floor as the result of a legitimate blow, the Timekeeper shall count off the seconds strictly in accordance with their watch.
– This is the count. More on this later.
3.33 If a Boxer is “down” under the provisions of Regulation 3.32.1(a) they must return to the boxing ring unassisted within 20 seconds. In all other cases mentioned above, they must regain their feet unassisted within 10 seconds. The Referee shall not permit a Boxer to continue boxing, if in their opinion they are able to do so, until the expiration of eight seconds following the knock down.
– That’s why referees always count to eight even when the boxer is already back up on their feet. Those eight seconds give everyone a chance to recuperate.
3.33.1 A Boxer failing to continue after the intervals specified above shall not be awarded any points for that round but will have 10 points deducted from their score. Their opponent shall receive ten points and be declared the winner.
– This is a knockout. Remember this, as your boxing bets may focus on someone being knocked out.
3.33.2 If a Boxer regains their feet in the boxing ring within the specified intervals but fails to satisfy the Referee that they are in a position and condition to defend themself, the Referee shall stop the Contest and deduct ten points from this score. They shall award the opponent ten points and declare them the winner.
– This is also deemed a knockout.
3.33.3 A Referee shall have the power to interrupt the count where they consider that a fallen Boxer is in need of urgent medical attention and in such cases the opponent shall be declared the winner by a technical count out (TCO).
3.34 If at any time the Referee decides in their complete discretion that one contestant is outclassed or is unable to continue as a result of injury, or is not in a position to continue boxing they shall stop the contest and declare the opponent the winner having score the bout in accordance with Regulation 3.33.2.
– This is a technical knockout (TKO). Most Paddy Power boxing bets combine KOs and TKOs in one bet, so you don’t have to differentiate between the two.
Boxing Disqualification Rules
Finally, let’s look at the rules that lead to boxers being disqualified. There are a lot of them and they can really frustrate your bets if the fighter you backed loses because of the following.
3.38 The following acts shall not be permitted during a contest:-
- (a) hitting below the belt
- (b) using the “pivot blow”
- (c) hitting on the back of the head or neck
- (d) kidney punching
- (e) hitting with the open glove, the inside, or the butt or the back of the hand, or with the wrist or elbow
- (f) holding, butting, or careless use of the head, shouldering, wrestling or roughing
- (g) not trying
- (h) persistently ducking below the waistline
- (i) intentional falling without receiving a blow
- (j) failing to break when so ordered, or striking or attempting to strike an opponent on the break
- (k) deliberately striking an opponent when they are dropping to the floor or when they are down
- (l) hitting an opponent after the termination of a round
- (m) unsporting conduct
- (n) any other conduct which a Referee may deem foul
- (o) boxing whilst under the influence of a prohibited substance
– As you can see, there are a lot of ways a boxer can be disqualified.
3.38.1 In any of the above cases the Referee shall name the Boxer at fault and call upon them to desist and may in their sole discretion have the power to caution or disqualify a Boxer for any such act with or without reference to any medical opinion.
– One punch below the belt, for example, might lead to a warning. Persistent low-blows will almost certainly see the fight ended.
3.38.2 A Referee may also deduct points from a Boxer’s score for breaches of these rules. They should indicate this to the Boxer, their corner and to the Steward in Charge or the Area Representative present by pointing to the offender, raising a finger or fingers to indicate the number of points deducted and call out the reason for the penalty,
– This, for bettors, is incredibly frustrating as boxers usually suffer points deductions for petulant acts.
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THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW