Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people engage in a contest using only their fists. There are two forms of boxing: amateur and professional. Amateur boxing is an Olympic and Commonwealth sport and is a common fixture in most of the major international games - it also has its own World Championships. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds. The result is decided when an opponent is deemed incapable to continue match by a referee or if an opponent is disqualified for breaking a rule, resigning by throwing in a towel, or by judges' scorecards at the end of the bout.
The birth hour of boxing as a sport may be its acceptance by the ancient Greeks as an Olympic game as early as 688 BC. Modern boxing evolved in Great Britain and United States. In 2004, ESPN ranked boxing as the most difficult sport in the world.
Fist fighting depicted in Sumerian relief carvings from the 3rd millennium BC, while an ancient Egyptian relief from the 2nd millennium BC depicts both fist-fighters and spectators. Both depictions show bare-fisted contests. Other depictions can be seen in Assyrian, Babylonian and Hittite art. The earliest evidence for fist fighting with any kind of gloves can be found on Minoan Crete (c. 1500–900 BC), and on Sardinia, if we consider the boxing statues of Prama mountains (c. 2000–1000 BC).
Howard, the strangest things
have happened lately when I
take a good swing
and all my dreams
they pivot and slip.
I drop my fists
and they're back, laughing.
Howard, my intentions
become not to lose what I've won.
Ambition has given way
to desperation and I,
I've lost the fight from my eyes.
Boxing's been good to me, Howard.
Now I'm told,
"You're growing old."
The whole time we knew
a couple of years I'd be through.
Has boxing been good to you?
Howard, now I confess
I'm scared and lonely and tired.
Everyone says I'm made of clay,
that I've had my day,
that I'm not cut out for this.
I just know what to say.
And I say,
boxing's been good to me, Howard.
Now I'm told,
"You're growing old."
The whole time we knew
a couple of years I'd be through.
Has boxing been good to you?
Well, sometimes I punch myself
hard as I can.
Yelling, "nobody cares!"
hoping someone will tell me how wrong I am,
Howard.
Boxing's been good to me, Howard.
Now I'm told,
"You're growing old."
The whole time we knew
a couple of years I'd be through.
Has boxing been good,
has boxing been good,
Howard, the strangest things have happened lately
When I take a good swing at all my dreams, they pivot
And slip, I drop my fists and they're back laughing
Howard, my intention's become not to lose
What I've won, ambition has given way
To desperation and I lost the fight for my eyes
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good to you?
Howard, now I confess, I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay, another day
I'm not cut out for this, I just know what to say, I say
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good to you?
Well, sometimes I punch myself hard as I can
Yelling, "Nobody cares", hoping some one
Will tell me how wrong I am, Howard
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good?
Howard, the strangest thing
Has happened lately
When I take a good swing
And all my dreams
They pivot and slip
I drop my fists and they're back
Laughing Howard
My intention's become not to lose what I've won
Ambition has given way to desperation and I
Lost the fight from my eyes
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm old, you're growing old
The whole time we knew
In a couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good to you?
Howard, I confess I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay
Another day, not cut out for this
I just want to say, I say
Well sometimes I punch myself as hard as I can
Yelling nobody cares hoping someone will tell me how
Wrong I am
Has boxing been good