The Beginning of Boxing in Britain, 1300-1700 - by Arly Allen (Paperback)

About the Book

""This is the first description of how boxing was reborn in Europe after the end of the ancient world. It tells the birth of modern boxing: how boxing began as a criminal activity in England; how it then became a sport supported by the aristocracy and the king; how it then was outlawed; and finally, how it became a sport popular around the world. Modern boxing could only have begun in England. It was made possible by the native English sense of Fair Play. Boxing then repaid its debt by saving England from revolution. Because of boxing, Englishmen avoided the violent societal clashes common to France and Germany during the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Because of boxing, Englishmen avoided the violence of the stiletto and the assassin's knife. British boxing also drove out the sword and pistol duels common to other countries. Despite being a brutal sport, boxing made England one of the safest countries in the world. The book describes the meaning of the rituals of boxing: The parade to the ring, the ring itself, the meaning of the handshakes before and after the fight, why a knock-down does not end the fight, and why only two men fight at a time. This is the first book on boxing to rely on material from medieval manuscripts. It has extensive footnotes and a large bibliography."-Provided by publisher"--

Book Synopsis

Many books have discussed boxing in the ancient world, but this is the first to describe how boxing was reborn in the modern world. Modern boxing began in the Middle Ages in England as a criminal activity. It then became a sport supported by the kings and aristocracy. Later it was again outlawed and only in the 20th century has it become a sport popular around the world.

This book describes how modern boxing began in England as an outgrowth of the native English sense of fair play. It demonstrates that boxing was the common man's alternative to the sword duel of honor, and argues that boxing and fair play helped Englishmen avoid the revolutions common to France, Italy and Germany during the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. English enthusiasm for boxing largely drove out the pistol and sword duels from English society. And although boxing remains a brutal sport, it has made England one of the safest countries in the world.

It also examines how the rituals of boxing developed: the meaning of the parade to the ring; the meaning of the ring itself; why only two men fight at one time; why the fighters shake hands before each fight; why a boxing match is called a prizefight; and why a knock-down does not end the bout. Its sources include material from medieval manuscripts, and its notes and bibliography are extensive.

About the Author

Arly Allen was president of Allen Press, Inc., a scholarly printer and publisher for many years until his retirement in 1993. He is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and has written a number of scholarly articles on boxing and medieval history. He lives in Oxford, Ohio.