Henry Cooper by Robert Edwards Read Free Book Online Page B

pages, as it is interesting to note the effect of the input of a professional boxer.
    The rules were finally published by a committee of the Pugilist’s Benevolent Association in 1866.
    1. All contests to be decided in a roped ring not less than 15 feet and not more than 24 feet square.
    2. Contestants to box in light boots or shoes or in socks.
    3. In all contests the number and duration of rounds must be specified. The limit of rounds shall be twenty three-minute rounds; the interval between the rounds shall be 1 minute. All championship contests shall be of twenty three-minute rounds. The gloves to be a minimum weight of 6 ozs. and shall be provided by the promoter.
    4. The contestants shall be entitled to the assistance of not more than four seconds who are to be approved by the promoter, and no advice can be given by the seconds during the progress of a round. In all contests the decision shall be given in favour of the contestant who attains the greatest number of points. The points shall be for:
ATTACK – direct or clean hits with the knuckle part of the glove on any part of the front or sides of the head or body above the belt.
DEFENCE – guarding, slipping, ducking or betting away (Where points are otherwise equal, the preference to be given to the contestant who does most of the leading off, or who displays the best style.)
    6. The referee may disqualify a contestant for delivering a foul blow, intentionally or otherwise, for holding, butting, palming, shouldering, falling without receiving a blow, wrestling or for boxing unfairly by hitting with the open glove, the inside or the butt of the hand, with the wrist or elbow, or for roughing.
    7. If in the opinion of the referee a deliberate foul is committed by a contestant, such contestant shall not be entitled to a prize.
The referee shall have the power to stop a contest if, in his opinion a man is unfit to continue, and that man shall be deemed to have lost the contest.
    8. No seconds of any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds. Each contestant shall be entitled to the assistance of not more than four seconds, who must take up positions outside the ring during the rounds and who must not, under pain of disqualification of their principal by the referee, coach, assist in any manner or advise their principal during the rounds, or enter the ring during the progress of a contest. A second refusing to obey the order of the referee shall be removed from his position and replaced by another approved by the referee.
    9. The contestant failing to come up when time is called or refusing to obey the referee, shall lose the contest. A man on one knee, or when on the ropes with both feet off the ground, shall be considered down.
    10. If a contestant slips down, he must get up again immediately. His opponent must stand back out of distance until the fallen man is on his feet, when the contest shall be resumed. A contestant who has knocked down his opponent must immediately walk to his own corner, but should the fallen man be knocked down in that corner, the contestant delivering the knockdown shall retire to the farthest corner. A man knocked down must rise unassisted in ten seconds or lose the contest.
    11. Should a glove burst or come off, it must be replaced to the satisfaction of the referee. The time thus lost shall he considered as no part of the stipulated period of the round.
    12. The contestants shall not hit while in a clinch. A clinch shall be constituted by both men holding, either with one or both hands.
    13. The referee shall decide (a) any question not provided in these rules; (b) the interpretation of these rules.
    Modern boxing had arrived. These rules effectively transferred control of the boxing match from the mob to a single nominated individual who, it was made clear, was in total command of proceedings. It was to become a tradition of the English ring, directly as a result of the work done by Chambers and his circle, that the ultimate