The earliest evidence of fist-fighting sporting contests date back to the ancient Near East in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. A relief sculpture from Egyptian Thebes (circa 1350 BC) shows both boxers and spectators where fighters were bare-fisted.

Boxing was a popular amateur sport in ancient Greece and was a part of the first ancient Olympic Games in 688 BC. The Rome boxers wore the cestus, a kind of metal-studded leather hand glove to punch their opponents or even killed them. The events were held at Roman Amphitheatres.

Boxing evolved from 16th- and 18th-century prizefights, largely in Great Britain. In London boxing was revived in the form of bare-knuckle prize fights during the 18th century. The winner received the money as well as the spectators from the outcome.

In 1743, the first boxing rules were introduced by champion Jack Broughton, called the Broughton’s rules, to protect fighters during the fight where deaths sometimes occurred. Under these rules, the fight was over if a fighter went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds.

The modern boxing rules was initially formed in the mid 19th century with the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules in 1867. The rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweights, Middleweights and Heavyweights.

There were twelve rules in all and they specified each of it such as fights should be “a fair stand-up boxing match” in a 24-foot-square or similar ring. Rounds were three minutes with one-minute rest intervals between rounds and so on.