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Invented by American martial
artists in 1970, as a result of combining Boxing punches and tactics, with
the kicks of Karate. The primary intention was to create a new sport where
karate practitioners in the US could fight with full contact and with rounds
like in boxing, since they weren't allowed to hit each other in traditional
Karate tournaments. The first event of American Kickboxing was held on
January 17 of 1970, fighting Joe Lewis vs. Greg Baines. |
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Rules
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with fists and feet, striking above
the hip
Front leg sweeps, to the inside & outside of opponents front foot are
permitted.
Using elbows or knees is forbidden and the use of the unpadded shins is
seldom allowed.
Bouts are usually 3 to 12 rounds (lasting 2 - 3 minutes each) for amateur
and professional contests with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.
This is in contrast to Muay Thai where the use of elbows and knees are
allowed. Fighters and promoters can agree to various rules including kicks
only above the waist, kicks anywhere, no knee strikes, knees only to the
body, and so on. The round durations and the number of rounds can vary
depending on the stipulations agreed to beforehand by each fighter or
manager. A winner is declared during the bout if there is a submission
(fighter quits or fighter's corner throws in the towel), knockout (KO), or
referee stoppage (Technical Knock Out, or TKO). If all of the rounds expire
with no knockout then the fight is scored by a team of 3 judges. The judges
determine a winner based on their scoring of each round. A split decision
indicates a disagreement between the judges, while a unanimous decision
indicates that all judges saw the fight the same way and all have declared
the same winner. |
