Punching above our weight? Irish boxing and the Olympic Games

Formal Irish participation in Olympic boxing had to wait until the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) re-formed in May 1920, following the hiatus of the Great War. Their first major all-Ireland tournament was at Dalymount Park in July 1920, and the first championship took place at the Abbey Theatre in February 1922. The organisation was … Read more

‘Robust fighting’ versus ‘scientific boxing’

‘Robust fighting’ versus ‘scientific boxing’The calibre of officials appointed to judge the boxing bouts was a perennial problem. Discontent often centred around a perceived disparity between the evaluation of ‘robust fighting’ versus ‘scientific boxing’. A.P. McWeeney, wiring from Amsterdam 1928, remarked: ‘The combination of racial prejudice and ignorance of the rules seems an insuperable barrier … Read more

USSR and Cuban dominance

USSR and Cuban teams began to make their presence felt on the Olympic boxing medal tables from the mid-1950s and early 1970s respectively. Both countries had replaced the concept of ‘professional’ sport with a comprehensive egalitarian ‘sports for all’ philosophy. The Cubans developed a scientific planning system and technical coaching methodology in their boxing programmes. … Read more