Glossary

Accidental Foul

Rules

An unintentional illegal action such as a headbutt or low blow. If a fight is stopped early due to an accidental foul, scorecards go to the judges if enough rounds have been completed.

More Rules Terms

Amateur Boxing

Boxing governed by national federations and the IBA (International Boxing Association). Fighters wear headgear (in most competitions), bouts are typically 3 rounds of 3 minutes, and scoring emphasizes clean punching.

Bantamweight

A weight class with a limit of 118 lbs (53.5 kg) in professional boxing.

Below the Belt

Any punch landing below the navel/beltline. It is an illegal strike that results in a warning, point deduction, or disqualification.

Break

A command from the referee to separate fighters from a clinch. Both fighters must step back and stop punching immediately.

Cruiserweight

A weight class with a limit of 200 lbs (90.7 kg) in professional boxing, sitting between light heavyweight and heavyweight.

Down

A knockdown. Occurs when any part of the fighter's body other than the feet touches the canvas as a result of a punch, or when the fighter is being held up by the ropes.

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