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Boxing

"One day the ploughshare came away from the plough and his father observed Glaukos hammering it back with his bare fist. Impressed by his son's great strength, the old man decided to take him to the next Olympic Games." -- Pausanias, Description of Greece, second century A.D.

THE EVENT

Boxing at the Ancient Olympics did not allow wrestling, holding or "clinching," the delay tactic prevalent among today's heavyweights of clinging to an opponent. It apparently was okay to hit a man when he was down, literally. Virtually any type of blow delivered with the hand was allowed, and vase paintings offer evidence of hooks, uppercuts and rabbit punches. Blows with the side and heel of the hand were common, but gouging with the thumb extended was against the rules.

There are surprisingly few references to fatalities during the 1,000 years contests were held, but on such a rare occasion, the dead man was declared the winner and his opponent banished from the stadium.

Boxing did not take place in a ring, which meant there was no opportunity for cornering. Rather, the Greeks placed portable barriers such as ladders or sticks on the ground to set the boundaries. These objects could be moved closer until fighters were forced to stand toe-to-toe. Because all fights were outdoors, a common tactic was to gain an advantage by standing so the sun was in an opponent's eyes.

The story of Glaukos, the farmer's son who became an Olympic champion, mirrors the evolution of boxing. What began as a crude battle of blows gave way to an athletic endeavor requiring strategy and skill. In his only Olympiad, Glaukos won with his fists but took an unmerciful beating in the process. In the final, he seemed certain to lose until his father shouted, "Remember the ploughshare!" inspiring Glaukos to land the decisive blows. Fights featured much action, with fighters moving in small steps, bouncing on their toes and ducking to avoid blows, much like today's bouts.

Melankomas of Karia was reknowned for never hitting anyone. He thought that to injure or be injured showed a lack of bravery. Spectators enjoyed watching as he defended himself against the blows of his opponents without striking them. Eventually, these opponents became so exhausted and frustrated, they gave up. Melankomas, who it was said could stand with his arms up for two days, was known not only for his Olympic victory but also his physical beauty, a forerunner, perhaps, to the boxing style of another legendary champion, Muhammad Ali.

Diagoras of Rhodes

The boxing champion of the 79th Olympiad in 464 B.C., Diagoras of Rhodes was the ultimate noble ancient athlete. Immortalized in an ode by the poet Pindar, Diagoras was victorious at the Olympic Games and every other major Greek festival. His virtuous character was as much a part of his legend as his boxing ability. In his ode, Pindar praised Diagoras as a "fair fighter" and "gigantic" man, someone who "walks a straight course on a road that hates arrogance."

In addition to his feats, Diagoras was the patriarch of an Olympic dynasty. He lived to see the Olympic victories of two sons, Damagetos and Akousilaos. At the 83rd Olympiad in 448 B.C., Damagetos won the second of his two pankrations and Akousilaos the boxing championship. Another of Diagoras' sons won three straight Olympic pankration titles. Two of the sons of Diagoras' daughters were also Olympic boxing champions.

In 1896, the United States dominated boxing at the Olympics, winning every medal. It helped that it was the only country that fielded competitors for the event.

Substantial rule changes took place in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games with the introduction of mandatory head guards and in 1992 in Barcelona with an electronic scoring machine that more accurately tabulated judging. The machine was introduced as a result of controversial judging in the 1988 Seoul Games.

"What is $5-million against five-million Cubans who love me?" Teofilo Stevenson, in turning down a $5-million offer to turn pro and fight heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali in 1976.

Though he never boxed professionally, Cuba's Teofilo Stevenson undoubtedly would have enjoyed a stellar, perhaps legendary, pro career. But Stevenson turned down offers to box beyond the amateur spotlight, leaving his legacy as one of the best boxers in Olympic history: the first man to win the gold medal in the same division three times. Stevenson won the gold in 1972, 1976 and 1980, and added a world title in 1986 at the age of 36.

He might well have won a fourth gold in 1984 in Los Angeles, but Cuba, in support of the Soviet Union, boycotted the Games.

Expect to hear the name of Felix Savon more than a few times this Olympics.

The three-time gold medalist is now coach of the Cuban boxing team, which once again is expected to dominate with Russia. Savon, in fact, made a bold prediction recently regarding the Russians: "We will keep the overall Olympic title for the country. If they need 10 hits, we'll give them 20."

As many as eight boxers coached by Savon have shots at gold medals in Athens, including the new heavyweight contender filling the void, Odlanier Solis.