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Boxing diminished after the fall of Rome. It was revived in the 18th century in England and became especially popular during the championship reign of James Figg, who held the heavyweight title from 1719 through 1730.
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The second heavyweight champion, Jack Broughton of England, drew his own set of rules for his own fights, and these were recognized in 1743
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Rounds ended when a fighter touched ground with a knee. The rules were based on those drafted by Britain's Jack Broughton in 1743, and governed the conduct of prizefighting/bare-knuckle boxing for over 100 years. They were later superseded by the Marquess of Queensberry rules (1865), the origins of the modern sport of Boxing
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In 1866 the Marquess of Queensberry gave his support to a new set of rules, which were named in his honor. These rules limited the number of 3-minute rounds, eliminated gouging and wrestling, and made the use of gloves mandatory..
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Peter "Black Prince" Jackson (1861-1901), St. Croix-born boxer, won the Australian heavyweight championship. In 1892 he won the British Empire title.
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In Mississippi Jake Kilrain (1859-1937) fought boxing champion John L. Sullivan in the last world heavyweight championship prizefight decided with bare knuckles under London Prize Ring rules in history. Sullivan defeated Kilrain in a match that went to 75 rounds.
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James J. Corbett fought Peter "Black Prince" Jackson (1861-1901), in a much-heralded bout between San Francisco cross-town rivals. Since Corbett and Jackson were boxing instructors at the two most prestigious athletic clubs
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In New Orleans the 1st heavyweight-title boxing match, fought with gloves under the rules of the Marquis of Queensbury [Queensberry], aka John S. Douglas, ended when James J. Corbett (1866-1933) knocked out John L. Sullivan (1858-1918) in the 21st round
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John Arthur “Jack” Johnson (1878-1946), Texas born boxer, fought in his first professional prizefight.
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Boxing, often called "the manly art of self-defense," is a sport in which two competitors try to hit each other with their glove-encased fists while trying to avoid each other's blows. The competition is divided into a specified number of rounds, usually 3 minutes long, with 1-minute rest periods between rounds. Although amateur boxing is widespread, professional boxing has flourished on an even grander scale since the early 18th century.
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John Ruiz became the first Hispanic WBA heavyweight champion by defeating Evander Holyfield in a unanimous 12-round decision
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In a boxing match in South Africa, Hasim Rahman stopped Lennox Lewis in the fifth round to capture the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
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Evander Holyfield was denied a fifth heavyweight championship when his third fight against John Ruiz was called a draw after 12 rounds in Mashantucket, Conn.
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John Ruiz retained the WBA heavyweight title in Las Vegas after his opponent, Kirk Johnson, was disqualified for hitting low blows.
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Jerry Boyd (b.1930), boxing trainer and author (pen name F.X. Toole), died.
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George Foreman was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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In Las Vegas, Sugar Shane Mosley beat Oscar De La Hoya, winning a close but unanimous decision to take the WBC and WBA 154-pound titles
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Mike Tyson was knocked out in the fourth round of a fight in Louisville, Ky., by British heavyweight Danny Williams
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James Toney outpointed John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title in NY.
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Mike Tyson arrived in Chechnya to open a boxing match.
