Amateur and professional boxing

Abstract

Amateur boxing is a major Olympic sport, featured in each Summer Games over the last 100 years, with 39 medals awarded across eight male and five female weight classes. Both professional and amateur boxing contests are weight restricted. Boxers will often undertake chronic and/or ‘rapid weight-loss strategies’ to make their weight classification. Assessments of body mass and composition should be made at the start of the season or camp to estimate competition mass; thereafter, morning nude-body mass should be assessed weekly. Assessment of body composition is important to monitor body fat percentage and to inform strength training interventions designed to limit segmental atrophy associated with prolonged periods in a negative energy balance. It is common to find boxers with several movement dysfunctions related to these stance-related positions that increase the risk of overuse injury. The landmine-punch throw profile, using a linear position transducer, can also provide insight into punch-force capability and direct strength training programmes.