The first instance of film censorship in the United States occurred in 1897 when several states banned the showing of prize fighting films from the state of Nevada, [33] where it was legal at the time. However, there are detailed records of various fist-fighting sports that were maintained in different cities and provinces of Italy between the 12th and 17th centuries. If a boxer simply quits fighting, or if his corner stops the fight, then the winning boxer is also awarded a technical knockout victory. Largest CTE study to date finds evidence of disease in 6% of all test subjects, over 28% in former boxers".

Supporters of the ban state that boxing is the only sport where hurting the other athlete is the goal. Although the term boxing is commonly attributed to Western boxing, in which only fists are involved, it has developed in different ways in different geographical areas and cultures of the World.

The few extant Middle Eastern and Egyptian depictions are of bare-fisted contests with, at most, a simple band supporting the wrist; the earliest evidence of the use of gloves or hand coverings in boxing is a carved vase from Minoan Crete ( c. The corner will occasionally throw in a white towel to signify a boxer's surrender (the idiomatic phrase "to throw in the towel", meaning to give up, derives from this practice). The preparatory positioning of the bodyweight over the bent lead leg is also known as an isometric preload. Since boxing involves forceful, repetitive punching, precautions must be taken to prevent damage to bones in the hand. The Mahabharata describes two combatants boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes and headbutts during the time of King Virata.

To help prevent overuse injuries, a person can take frequent breaks from tasks that involve repetitive finger movements, such as typing or writing.

With the rise of Christianity and the concurrent decline of the Roman Empire, pugilism as entertainment apparently ceased to exist for many centuries. In-fighters operate best at close range because they are generally shorter and have less reach than their opponents and thus are more effective at a short distance where the longer arms of their opponents make punching awkward. From the guard position, the torso shifts slightly to the right, the rear hand drops below the level of the opponent's chest and the knees are bent slightly. This is usually an effective combination, because the jab blocks the opponent's view of the cross, making it easier to land cleanly and forcefully. Referees also ensure that the boxers don't use holding tactics to prevent the opponent from swinging.