The Oxford Dictionary defines the Art and Sport of Boxing thusly.
Boxing (noun)
A sport in which two people fight each other with their hands, while wearing very large thick gloves (called boxing gloves)
All correct, of course, as an etymological application.
But from a purely historical perspective, the definition must, of necessity, be slightly more broad.
This is owing to the fact that Boxing is not an American invention, nor a British invention; and not even a Greek invention.
Boxing is simply this:
“A form of unarmed self defense, and sport; whereby the primary means of attack is facilitated by the delivery of accurate, hard punches directed to an opponent's vital areas, whilst the legs and feet are reserved for use to gain strategic evasive movement, advantageous positioning, superior leverage and balance while standing. To varying degrees dependent on cultural permutation, strikes with the feet, knees, shins, elbows and head are largely prohibited. Sweeps and throws are sharply limited, and ground grappling, chokes, eye and groin attacks as well as joint hyper-extensions and bites are forbidden entirely. The latter hand to hand combat features are woven into Boxing for use in warfare, but are eschewed, historically for the purpose of sport”.
Like wrestling and other historical “martial arts”, boxing is, to a large extent, in it's most basic form, an organic expression, laying deep within the human need for survival. A very basic use of the body for the purpose of self defense and survival. It was later, in the early periods of civilization, that fighting in this way (and in other ways, such as wrestling), became a codified, best practice art.
Boxing, defined in this broad yet precise way, was likely present in most civilizations, and was anthropologically in evidence in early civilizations the world over, which is reasonable, given the truths that the human is an upright walking creature and that ground grappling, and the alternative mode of weaponless combat cuts off ease of escape should other attackers emerge to participate.
If one can develop skills which extend the likelihood of starting and finishing such an encounter whilst standing, this is a worthy pursuit, therefore.
It should come as no surprise then, that Boxing has a long history in the regions today known as Russia, and in it's neighboring republics. Boxing, as broadly defined above, dates prior to the Christianization of Kievan Rus', and was widely practiced as a celebratory ritual dedicated to Perun, the highest god of the pantheon in Slavic mythology and the god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, law, war, fertility and oak trees.
The sport was clearly still in evidence in the 13th century, following Christianization. Metropolite Kirill II of Kiev, in 1274, created rules declaring “expulsion from Christianity” for any fighter who failed to sing a prayer or hymn at the burial of someone who died during a fight. Historians note that none other than Peter the Great would frequently organize fist fights between champion soldiers in order to display the ability of the Russian people. During the reign of Catherine the Great, Count Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov, a large and powerful man was a noted boxer, and routinely brought in notable fist fighters to test his ability against.
A popular pursuit, most regions had their own events, styles and heroes in the sport, with the most successful at producing champions being Tula, in western Russia; home to the famous Tula Kremlin, a 16th-century stone fortress. Each region practiced unique rules. In some places fighters fought with bare arms, while in others they stretched the sleeves over the fist, and in others, medium and large scale group fights, known as “Wall fights” were practiced like a violent team sport or war game.
Russian boxing was joined to the English style during the time of the Napoleonic wars, when Russian forces joined with their British counterparts to combat Napoleon’s surge across Europe and cultural exchange became more common. On June 14th 1814, the legendary British and world champion Tom Cribb sparred before Alexander I the Emperor of Russia (1777-1825), and it was during these proceedings that the Russian military representatives in attendance conceded that the English style was “superior to that of our people”.
Boxing carried on throughout many of the regions in one form or another until the early 20th century when, at the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917; the sport would again flourish.
During the years of the Soviet Union, boxing was one of the three major sports practiced behind the “Iron Curtain”.
Below is a chronological listing of the most noteworthy Heavyweights through the life of the former Soviet Union 1917 – 1991.
Enjoy!
History of the Soviet Union Heavyweight Boxing Championship 1917 – 1991
1920's
Ivan Stepanocich Bogayev Soviet Boxing Pioneer
Konstantin Gradopolov Soviet Boxing Pioneer
1930's
Arkady Georgievich Kharlampiyev Soviet Boxing Pioneer
Viktor Mikhailov 1932 - 1935 Soviet champion
1940's
Nicolai Fyodrorovich Korolyov USSR National champion 1936 – 1953 Legend of Soviet sport
Evgeny Ohurenkov 1940's rivel of Korolyov
1950's
Algirdas Socicas 1953, 1955 Europe Gold
Lev Mukhin 1958 Olympic Silver (Lost to Pete Rademacher)
Andrey Abramov 1957, 59, 61 and 63 Europe Gold
1960's
Vadim Yemelyanov 1964 Olympic Bronze (Lost to Joe Frazier)
Aleksandr Izosimov 1965 Europe Gold
Ionus Jonas Čepulis 1968 Olympic Silver (Lost to George Foreman)
Vladimir Saarinen 1969 Soviet Champion
1970's
Kamo Saroyan 1971 Multiple USSR champion. Lost to Ron Lyle US-USSR
Vladimir Chernychev 1972 Europe Gold, 1972
Viktor Ulyanich 1973 Eupope Gold, USSR champion 1973-75
V. Timoschenko 1974
Valeri Pochetukhin 1974
Gennady Kokurin 1974 Soviet Champion
Igor Vysotski 1970's Beat Teofilo Stevenson, Top Soviet, Sparred Ali June 1978
Aleksandr Nikulin 1975
Leonid Zadorozhny 1975
Nikolay Aksenov 1976 Lost to Gerry Cooney US-USSR duel meet
Davit Kvachadze 1976 Soviet Champion
Nikolay Malika 1976
Vyacheslav Alekseev 1976
Viktor Ivanov 1977 Soviet Champion
Sergey Plisov 1977
Mikhail Subbotin 1977
Yevgeniy Gorstkov 1978 Europe Gold, Sparred Ali June 1978
Alexander Jagubkin (Yagubkin) 1979 Soviet champion, 1983 World Cup Gold
Khoren Indzheyan 1979 Europe Bronze
1980's
Pyotr Zayev 1980 Olympic Silver, Sparred Ali June 1978
Aleksandr Lukstin 1982 Soviet Champion
Valery Abadzhyan 1984 Friendship Games Silver
Vyacheslav Yakovlev 1986 Europe, 1986 Olympic Bronze
Aleksandr Miroshnichenko 1988 Olympic Bronze, 1st ex-Soviet champ to turn Pro (1990-93).
Evgeni Sudakov 1989 Soviet Champion
Yevgeni Belousov 1991 Europe Gold
(The Soviet Union fell and was dissolved in 1991)
Boxing (noun)
A sport in which two people fight each other with their hands, while wearing very large thick gloves (called boxing gloves)
All correct, of course, as an etymological application.
But from a purely historical perspective, the definition must, of necessity, be slightly more broad.
This is owing to the fact that Boxing is not an American invention, nor a British invention; and not even a Greek invention.
Boxing is simply this:
“A form of unarmed self defense, and sport; whereby the primary means of attack is facilitated by the delivery of accurate, hard punches directed to an opponent's vital areas, whilst the legs and feet are reserved for use to gain strategic evasive movement, advantageous positioning, superior leverage and balance while standing. To varying degrees dependent on cultural permutation, strikes with the feet, knees, shins, elbows and head are largely prohibited. Sweeps and throws are sharply limited, and ground grappling, chokes, eye and groin attacks as well as joint hyper-extensions and bites are forbidden entirely. The latter hand to hand combat features are woven into Boxing for use in warfare, but are eschewed, historically for the purpose of sport”.
Like wrestling and other historical “martial arts”, boxing is, to a large extent, in it's most basic form, an organic expression, laying deep within the human need for survival. A very basic use of the body for the purpose of self defense and survival. It was later, in the early periods of civilization, that fighting in this way (and in other ways, such as wrestling), became a codified, best practice art.
Boxing, defined in this broad yet precise way, was likely present in most civilizations, and was anthropologically in evidence in early civilizations the world over, which is reasonable, given the truths that the human is an upright walking creature and that ground grappling, and the alternative mode of weaponless combat cuts off ease of escape should other attackers emerge to participate.
If one can develop skills which extend the likelihood of starting and finishing such an encounter whilst standing, this is a worthy pursuit, therefore.
It should come as no surprise then, that Boxing has a long history in the regions today known as Russia, and in it's neighboring republics. Boxing, as broadly defined above, dates prior to the Christianization of Kievan Rus', and was widely practiced as a celebratory ritual dedicated to Perun, the highest god of the pantheon in Slavic mythology and the god of sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, law, war, fertility and oak trees.
The sport was clearly still in evidence in the 13th century, following Christianization. Metropolite Kirill II of Kiev, in 1274, created rules declaring “expulsion from Christianity” for any fighter who failed to sing a prayer or hymn at the burial of someone who died during a fight. Historians note that none other than Peter the Great would frequently organize fist fights between champion soldiers in order to display the ability of the Russian people. During the reign of Catherine the Great, Count Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov, a large and powerful man was a noted boxer, and routinely brought in notable fist fighters to test his ability against.
A popular pursuit, most regions had their own events, styles and heroes in the sport, with the most successful at producing champions being Tula, in western Russia; home to the famous Tula Kremlin, a 16th-century stone fortress. Each region practiced unique rules. In some places fighters fought with bare arms, while in others they stretched the sleeves over the fist, and in others, medium and large scale group fights, known as “Wall fights” were practiced like a violent team sport or war game.
Russian boxing was joined to the English style during the time of the Napoleonic wars, when Russian forces joined with their British counterparts to combat Napoleon’s surge across Europe and cultural exchange became more common. On June 14th 1814, the legendary British and world champion Tom Cribb sparred before Alexander I the Emperor of Russia (1777-1825), and it was during these proceedings that the Russian military representatives in attendance conceded that the English style was “superior to that of our people”.
Boxing carried on throughout many of the regions in one form or another until the early 20th century when, at the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917; the sport would again flourish.
During the years of the Soviet Union, boxing was one of the three major sports practiced behind the “Iron Curtain”.
Below is a chronological listing of the most noteworthy Heavyweights through the life of the former Soviet Union 1917 – 1991.
Enjoy!
History of the Soviet Union Heavyweight Boxing Championship 1917 – 1991
1920's
Ivan Stepanocich Bogayev Soviet Boxing Pioneer
Konstantin Gradopolov Soviet Boxing Pioneer
1930's
Arkady Georgievich Kharlampiyev Soviet Boxing Pioneer
Viktor Mikhailov 1932 - 1935 Soviet champion
1940's
Nicolai Fyodrorovich Korolyov USSR National champion 1936 – 1953 Legend of Soviet sport
Evgeny Ohurenkov 1940's rivel of Korolyov
1950's
Algirdas Socicas 1953, 1955 Europe Gold
Lev Mukhin 1958 Olympic Silver (Lost to Pete Rademacher)
Andrey Abramov 1957, 59, 61 and 63 Europe Gold
1960's
Vadim Yemelyanov 1964 Olympic Bronze (Lost to Joe Frazier)
Aleksandr Izosimov 1965 Europe Gold
Ionus Jonas Čepulis 1968 Olympic Silver (Lost to George Foreman)
Vladimir Saarinen 1969 Soviet Champion
1970's
Kamo Saroyan 1971 Multiple USSR champion. Lost to Ron Lyle US-USSR
Vladimir Chernychev 1972 Europe Gold, 1972
Viktor Ulyanich 1973 Eupope Gold, USSR champion 1973-75
V. Timoschenko 1974
Valeri Pochetukhin 1974
Gennady Kokurin 1974 Soviet Champion
Igor Vysotski 1970's Beat Teofilo Stevenson, Top Soviet, Sparred Ali June 1978
Aleksandr Nikulin 1975
Leonid Zadorozhny 1975
Nikolay Aksenov 1976 Lost to Gerry Cooney US-USSR duel meet
Davit Kvachadze 1976 Soviet Champion
Nikolay Malika 1976
Vyacheslav Alekseev 1976
Viktor Ivanov 1977 Soviet Champion
Sergey Plisov 1977
Mikhail Subbotin 1977
Yevgeniy Gorstkov 1978 Europe Gold, Sparred Ali June 1978
Alexander Jagubkin (Yagubkin) 1979 Soviet champion, 1983 World Cup Gold
Khoren Indzheyan 1979 Europe Bronze
1980's
Pyotr Zayev 1980 Olympic Silver, Sparred Ali June 1978
Aleksandr Lukstin 1982 Soviet Champion
Valery Abadzhyan 1984 Friendship Games Silver
Vyacheslav Yakovlev 1986 Europe, 1986 Olympic Bronze
Aleksandr Miroshnichenko 1988 Olympic Bronze, 1st ex-Soviet champ to turn Pro (1990-93).
Evgeni Sudakov 1989 Soviet Champion
Yevgeni Belousov 1991 Europe Gold
(The Soviet Union fell and was dissolved in 1991)
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