BOXING GLOSSARY: G, H, I

A boxing glossary of terms and phrases through G, H, I – just part of our extensive Boxing FAQ.

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Boxing Glossary: G

Gate

The total money generated from ticket sales for a fight.

Gatekeeper

A fighter who is not considered world class, but serves a tough test for prospects; for example, Jesus Soto Karass is often considered one of today’s Welterweight ‘gatekeepers’.

Getting Off First

When a fighter lands punches before his opponent. For example, in the early stages of a contest, a fighter may ‘get his jab off first’; in other words, beating his opponent to the punch.

Gift Decision

A fighter who was seemingly the bout’s loser may in fact be awarded a win on the scorecards; a journalist may write that “John Smith was lucky tonight, leaving the arena with a gift decision.” You can find out more about boxing’s different scorecard decisions on our Boxing Results Guide page.

Glass Chin/Jaw

Refers to a fighter who can be hurt/knocked out easily due to limited punch resistance. Conversely, a fighter can have a ‘granite chin’, meaning he can take a solid blow without incurring or revealing too much damage. An aging fighter, or one who has seen many wars in the ring, can often loose punch resistance and appear more ‘chinny’. Heavyweight prospect Seth Mitchell was exposed as being chinny following his bouts with Jonathon Banks and Seth Mitchell, both which ended in early knockouts. Fighters cannot strengthen/develop their chin; however, a chinny fighter can increase his chances of victory by implementing a tighter defense and employing a more-suited strategy such as ‘sticking and moving’.

Go the Distance

When both fighters complete the scheduled fight time, usually 12 rounds.

Go to the Scorecards

A fight which has completed the maximum amount of scheduled rounds goes to scorecards to determine a winner; scorecards are also used to determine winners when a fight is stopped due to a cut, sustained from an accidental head butt, for example. More information can be found about scorecards and decisions in our Boxing Result Meanings section.

Granite Chin

Fighters like Carl Froch, George Foreman and Bermane Stiverne are often pigeonholed with this title; in other words, they are extremely durable fighters who aren’t wobbled easily. A fighter with a ‘granite chin’ can sometimes end their career without having received a loss by knockout or stoppage.

Guard Position/Style

Refers to a fighter’s preferred guard; there are many types in boxing, such as a traditional high (peek-a-boo) guard with tucked in elbows, philly shell, cross-guard, and mixed guard. Some unorthodox fighters may use little or no guard at all; stylistic, awkward fighters like Sergio Martinez and Prince Naseem Hamed often fought with their hands by their side.

Guns

Refers to fighter with well-built, muscular arms – though this doesn’t necessarily mean he carries greater power than a leaner opponent. Timothy Bradley carries one of the most muscular physiques in boxing, but he is also one of the lightest hitters in his (Welterweight) division.

 

Boxing Glossary: H

Ham and Egger

Or Palooka, Tomato Can, Journeyman; a term used to describe an unskilled, overtly average fighter who stands little chance of making a name for himself as a boxer.

Handwraps

A thin layer of material wrapped around a fighter’s hands and wrists to provide safety, support and protection; there are different variations of handwrapping technique depending on the preference of a fighter/trainer. A boxing official will often oversee the wrapping of a fighter’s hands prior to the fight to endure no illegal substances are added to the knuckle area.

Haymaker

When a fighter loads up and swings with a powerful shot; this punch is commonly thrown by a fighter desperately looking to score a knockout. If it doesn’t land, oftentimes it will leave the fighter off balance.

Headgear

A protective garment worn in Amateur contests and professional sparring to add greater safety to a fighter; generally the facial area is left completely open.

Heavy Bag

A cylindrical bag considerably heavier than that of a standard punch bag; it is used to increase strength and endurance in training.

Heavyweight

A boxer who campaigns in the sport’s heaviest division. There is no weight limit; though a prerequisite for most Heavyweights is that they weigh in excess of 200lbs to ensure they can remain competitive in the ‘big man’ division. You can find out more about weights on our Boxing Weight Divisions page.

Hitting on the Break

When a fighter – or both – hit during the break; the moment when the referee separates both fighting from a clinch. The rules stipulate both men must stop throwing leather when a ‘break’ is called and to take two steps back before resuming action. For more information on rules, you can visit our Boxing Rules section.

Holding

Or clinching; this often happens when fighter’s arms become tangled during heated exchanges, or a hurt fighter ‘holds’ his opponent in an effort to stave off an ensuing attack that could result in a knockout loss.

Hometown Decision

A boxer competing in his hometown awarded a debatable scorecard decision may be said to have received a ‘hometown decision’, suggesting the judges were biased, scoring the bout more so in favor of the victor.

Hook

A short, powerful hook-shaped punch. Though one of the most hardest punches to perfect technically, it is considered by many trainers to be one of the most devastating punches in a fighter’s arsenal – particularly the lead (orthodox) left-hook.

Hungry (fighter)

Simply refers to a fighter who is highly motivated and focused on winning a bout; a complacent Champion or financially comfortable prospect must be careful not to overlook a ‘hungry’ opponent, as it can lead to an upset defeat.

Hype Job

Refers to a mainstream fighter – usually unbeaten and financially successful – who is criticized for not having fought any notable ranked/top contenders. A boxer might comment: “John Smith holds the IBF title, but look at who he beat to capture it – Smith is a paper champion, a real hype job.”

 

Boxing Glossary: I

IBO

International Boxing Organisation; a sanctioning body who awards title belts to victors of championship matches.

IBF

International Boxing Federation; a sanctioning body who awards title belts to victors of championship matches.

IBHOF (International Boxing Hall of Fame)

The IBHOF is an organization which recognizes and honors the achievements of great fighters, and inducts the most outstanding into their Hall of Fame. A fighter is generally retired before he is inducted; fighters can be inducted posthumously.

Illegal Blow

A punch not permitted within the rules; rabbit punches, low blows, to name a few, are considered illegal blows. A full list of illegal blows can be found in our Boxing Rules area.

Infighting

Very close-range fighting; boxers may be leaning against each other, and driving home body shots and uppercuts.

Infringement

A foul, rule-breaking action such as a low blow or rabbit punch.

Inside Fighter

A fighter who prefers to operate and land punches at close-range. This style suits short and stocky fighters, and those who are particularly aggressive – but is often adopted by most fighters when necessary. Ricky Hatton is a renowned inside fighter. Effective shots when working inside are the uppercut and body shots; lateral movement, combined with bobbing and weaving also prove effective.

 

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