(Reuters) – The 2020 Tokyo Olympics includes 33 sports, one of which is boxing.
Here are some key facts about boxing at the Olympics.
Introduced: Men’s boxing was first introduced in the 1904 Games, with women’s events added more than a century later at the London 2012 Olympics.
Events: As in professional boxing, Olympic competition is broken down by weight, with men competing in eight events, ranging from flyweight to super heavy, and women competing in five.
The Tokyo Games will feature two more women’s events on top of the existing three, with featherweight and welterweight included for the first time.
The competition is run as a single-elimination tournament, with the winner of each match advancing to the next round.
Rules and scoring: Boxers compete in three, three-minute rounds per match. Winners can secure victory by knocking out their opponent or through a points victory determined by judges. Referees are given the discretion to stop a match.
The 1992 Games were the first to include electronic refereeing to better ensure fairness.
In November, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that all boxing judges and referees from the 2016 Rio Games would be barred from officiating at the Tokyo Olympics after allegations that fights were fixed.
An International Boxing Association (AIBA) investigation in 2017 found no interference in the results, but the IOC’s new selection criteria ruled them ineligible for Tokyo.
Key techniques: A skilled boxer blends a mixture of defensive moves and punches, including jabs, hooks and uppercuts, to beat an opponent. Taller boxers have a greater reach, while shorter ones often have more agility.
Top performers: Cuba is one of the strongest nations in boxing, having claimed 73 Olympic medals, including three golds at the 2016 Games.
Sources: International Olympic Committee, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
(Graphics: Boxing – https://graphics.reuters.com/OLYMPICS-2020-BOXING/0100B5FC3NX/BOXING.jpg)
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Ken Ferris)
