BOXING GLOSSARY: P, Q, R
A boxing glossary of terms and phrases through P, Q, R – just part of our huge Boxing FAQ.
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Boxing Glossary: P
Palooka
Refers to a boxer past his prime likely to lose and deeply struggle in the twilight of his career.
Paper Champion
A boxer who holds a world title belt but is considered a weak champion, hence the word ‘paper’, due to beating a soft opponent to capture the title.
Parrying
A defensive maneuver; the act of slapping/swiping an opponent’s punches away. Fighters may also push their glove toward a shot, to ‘catch’ a jab, for example.
Paw
When a fighter pokes/lightly throws out a jab to his opponent’s face; this is not strictly a punch, but more so a range-finder, particularly if a fighter is having trouble maintaining distance or is looking to throw a hard rear-hand shot.
Pay Per View
Big mainstream fights often take place on television networks such as Showtime, HBO and Sky, to generate as much revenue as possible from audiences. Marquee names and promoters, such as Floyd Mayweather, have capitalized greatly from Pay Per View sales, which can fetch in excess of $50 per household.
Peek-a-Boo (defense)
A defensive high guard a fighter looks over the top of, protecting his jaw and face. Mike Tyson famously implemented the peek-a-boo style.
Perfect Record
A fighter’s record that is yet to suffer a loss; records with a draw may still be considered perfect.
Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)
Illegal substances which may improve the performance of a boxer. Though some athletes have knowingly taking PEDs, some controversy surrounds the issue and certain individuals who have been cautioned/suspended; slight traces of PED chemicals can be found in energy supplements, both liquid and tablet-based, meaning some athletes may have been unaware they were ‘cheating’.
Picked Off
An overmatched fighter may be ‘picked off’ by an opponent who grows in confidence and begins to fire at will.
Pinweight
The lightest weight class a woman can compete at in the female professional ranks; a maximum of 101lbs/46kg.
Pitty-Pat Punches
Soft, ineffective punches that are unlikely to damage and discourage an opponent, or score on the judge’s cards.
Phantom Punch
A punch that dubiously ends a fight via knockout. Spectators both in the crowd and watching via television may seriously question whether the punch was legitimate – or even landed – and therefore contemplate whether the fight was fixed. Muhammad Ali’s rematch with Sonny Liston featured possibly the most famous ‘Phantom Punch’ – or did it?
Philly Shell
Or shoulder roll; a type of guard largely employed by fast, athletic and skillful boxers who generally like to counterpunch. A fighter’s chin (orthodox) is usually tucked in behind his left shoulder, his left forearm horizontally positioned at his waist, and his right hand by his jaw. Through rotating the upper body (tucking the chin behind either shoulder when under a combination attack) a fighter can remain highly elusive and difficult to catch with a clean punch; with either forearm always at the waist, his body is protected from punches. Modern era fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Pernell Whitaker demonstrate excellent Philly Shell execution, and often frustrate and neutralize the attacks of highly aggressive fighters. Poor execution of a Philly Shell can be detrimental to a fighter’s performance; Andre Berto’s improvised/unrefined shoulder-roll proved ineffective against Robert Guerrero who landed many of his punches.
Play Possum
Refers to a situation where a fighter deliberately acts hurt in an effort to make his opponent rush in; the fighter playing possum will look to then catch his opponent with a counter-punch.
Plodder
A slow-moving, flat-footed fighter who generally struggles with energetic, fleet-footed opponents who move in and out of range. Plodders are not known for ‘keeping on their toes’.
Or the danger-zone, punch-zone; the pocket refers to the area between fighters where both can be hit. Confident counter-punchers may deliberately inhabit this space to land shots. Fighter’s like Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford often look extremely comfortable in the pocket, and are considered experts of range perception.
Pod Index
A system which evaluates the worldwide performance of ringside judges at professional boxing bouts; the occasions his/her scorecards were consistent with the two other judges working the same fight are measured. The Pod Index was designed to find objectivity in a scoring system renowned for being subjective.
Point Deduction
When a referee deducts a point from a fighter following an infraction of the rules; for instance, a fighter may continuously rabbit punch or excessively clinch.
Points Decision (PTS)
A decision reached generally from one judge, often being the referee in contests lasting 8 rounds or less, and often in non-title UK bouts. You can find the meaning of every kind of decision in our Boxing Result Guide section.
Post-Fight Interview
In mainstream fights, particularly those on Pay Per View, a TV network host will interview both fighters to gain an insight into how they felt about the fight and their performances.
Power Punches
Simply refers to a fighter’s hardest punches; generally excludes the jab and anything that is thrown without venom.
Pound for Pound (P4P)
Love it or hate it, the Pound for Pound rankings are a somewhat mythical ranking of elite fighters regardless of their weight division. Publications and sanctioning bodies hold their own rankings which may differ. Pound for Pound rankings measure the skill level, ability, and overall achievements of a fighter; they should not be confused with individual weight division rankings.
Press Conference
An event staged where members of the press – and public in big name fights – can photograph and ask fighters questions in the build up to their bout. In addition to fighters, promoters, managers, trainers and undercard fighters may also give a speech and answer questions. To market and build interest in a fight, press conferences may be staged in different states or even countries; Floyd Mayweather and Saul Alvarez travelled to different states in both North and South America to promote their lucrative fight.
Pressure Fighter
A fighter who characteristically never stops coming forward and throwing hard shots in high volume. Throughout history, pressure fighters have matched up stylistically well with boxers, given their contrasting styles.
Prize Fight
Any fight that earns its fighters a payday; most, if not all, professional fights guarantee a purse to each combatant.
Professional
A fighter in the professional (prize fighting) ranks, most likely progressing from the Amateurs, though it is not a prerequisite.
Promoter
An individual or organization in charge of arranging, advertising and putting on a professional boxing event; promoters have to work with boxing commissions, officials, managers and fighters, in addition to setting up a fight’s main event and undercard.
Protected Fighter
Often a valuable fighter a promoter or manager keeps out of harm’s way for as long as possible, generally to maximize their marketability and earnings before being matched up with a dangerous opponent. For instance, Golden Boy Promotions‘ Saul Alvarez was once considered a ‘protected fighter’ for a long time due to his limited opposition. Promoters/managers will often matchup their prospect with ‘blown-up’ opponents (fighters who have bulked up to make the weight) or aging big names (once-elite fighters). Of course, an unbeaten fighter in boxing can draw huge crowds – so it’s no wonder careful matchmaking takes place.
Protective Cup
A cup-like protective garment that it worn to protect a fighter’s groin in the event of a low blow.
Pulling a Magoo
A judge who hands in a dubious scorecard may be said to have ‘pulled a Magoo’, referring to the sight-challenged cartoon character, Mr Magoo. A referee who makes a bad call can also fit the bill.
Pulling Away
A defense maneuver that simply involves leaning the head back, and or stepping back out of range to avoid an attack. Pulling away is one of the easiest defensive moves often taught to novices starting in the sport.
Pull One’s Punches
If a fighter pulls their punches, it means that they are not producing full power; this may be due to improper technique or being cautious of their opponent’s counterattacks, for example.
Puncher
Often characterized as a fighter who may carry fight-ending power in both hands, and generally throws copious hard punches.
Puncher’s Chance
An overmatched fighter’s only chance of winning may be that of a ‘puncher’s’ – for example, a critic may comment: “John Smith may not have the reflexes of old, but he still has a puncher’s chance of beating the champion tonight.” Fighter’s like Shane Mosley have been testament to this in their later years.
Punching Air
When a fighter cannot successfully land his shots on an opponent and literally hits the air as a result.
Punch Drunk
Refers to a fighter who, due to overstaying his welcome in boxing, has taken too many blows to the head and may be uncoordinated and or slurring his words as a result. He may be suffering from Dementia Pugilistica, a neurological disorder.
Punch-Out
When a fighter punches himself out; i.e. a fighter may have to hold back on his offense after exhausting himself by throwing a barrage of punches. George Foreman famously punched-out himself against Muhammad Ali; his depleted energy contributed to his knockout defeat.
Punch Output
Measures the amount of punches a fighter throws. For instance, fighter’s like Joe Calzaghe often threw a large amount of punches per fight, often averaging around 1200. At the other end of the scale, a fighter may be more economical and cautious with his output, throwing far less. Statistically, the lighter the fighter (such as those between bantamweight and lightweight), the more punches they throw.
Punch Perfect
This refers to an emphatic win that may be described as punch perfect; i.e. there was little John Smith did wrong in the bout. Floyd Mayweather’s bout with Robert Guerrero could be described as such.
Purse
The ‘prize money’ a fighter is guaranteed following the contest; this can range from hundreds, thousands, to millions depending on the mainstream appeal of the fighter. Purses, if contractually agreed upon, can be supplemented by extra revenues such as those from Pay Per View sales.
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Boxing Glossary: Q
Queensberry Rules
A set of rules that govern modern era boxing to create order and sporting fairness for combatants; though they have been developed since, the original rules were established by the Marquess of Queensberry during the 18th century. Most, if not all professional bouts, implement Queensberry Rules, though they may vary slightly.
Queer Street
The figurative place a fighter’s mind inhabits after being dazed following a knockdown or damaging blow.
Boxing Glossary: R
Rabbit Punch
An illegal blow to the back of a fighter’s head.
Range
At the start of a bout, fighter’s often ‘feel each other out’ with jabs to establish ‘range’; in other words, the correct distance necessary to land punches.
Reach
Refers to a fighter’s arm span which can play a big factor in fights; a shorter fighter will often struggle to get ‘inside’ a long-armed opponent’s jab.
Referee
The third man in the ring responsible for ensuring rules are adhered by. If rules are breached, he has the power to issue warnings, deduct points, disqualify a fighter, and call a no contest if necessary. You can see a full list of boxing rules and boxing result explanations here at Boxing Base.
Referee’s Instructions
The referee generally gives his instructions (rules he expects) to fighters in their changing rooms shortly before the fight, and briefly reiterates them prior to the first bell.
Rehydration Weight
A boxer’s fight night weight, i.e. his weight following that on the scales 24 hours earlier. The extra weight gained is often referred to as ‘rehydration weight’ as many fighters may stop drinking water for two days or more in order to weigh within the division’s weight limit.
Rematch
A second encounter between two fighters who have shared the ring before.
Rematch Clause
Some fight contracts may feature a rematch clause; quite simply meaning that should fighter A beat B, fighter B must be granted another chance to capture victory. However, fighter B can waive the contract; Lucian Bute was beaten so savagely by Carl Froch that he chose to not enforce the rematch.
Rest Period
An allotted time of rest between rounds in a bout; in professional boxing, one minute rests are taken.
Retire/d (RTD)
Following a punishing round or rounds, a fighter may voluntarily Retire himself from a fight; more commonly, his corner or a doctor makes the decision for him.
Ring Announcer
Or the master of ceremonies; this person stands center ring and introduces bouts and their boxers to the crowd. Fan-favorite Michael Buffer will likely be forever synonymous with his famous line “let’s get ready to rumble!”.
Ring Doctor
A doctor present at a fight who may choose to inspect a fighter during rounds to assess whether he is capable of continuing/should continue out of concern for their wellbeing. Doctors are usually first on the scene following a knockout. Sanctioned bouts, both amateur and professional, would be unregulated without doctors present.
Ring Entrance
Or ring walk; more than just a walk to the ring, fighters use music and sometimes large entourages to psych out their opponents prior to climbing through the ropes. Showboating fighters such as Prince Naseem Hamed were often carried in on thrones and wearing elaborate costumes, while some of today’s fighters are accompanied by rappers. A ring entrance is a statement about the fighter, often revealing their character and charisma.
Ring Generalship
Refers to how well a fighter asserts himself and controls the action in the ring – in other words, who is the boss! Fighters like Manny Pacquiao have remarkable ring generalship, which often pays dividends should a fight go to the scorecards.
Ringside
Refers to both the area where officials and corner members sit around the ring, and the closet audience seating rows.
RING title/belts
A world title bout awarded by The RING magazine; though only recently established, it carries clout with many serious boxing fans as belts can only be won by the top two contenders in their ranking table; or in some circumstances, the number one/two and three. Though on the surface this appears more satisfactory criteria than used by other sanctioning bodies, some critics are suspicious of The RING’s rankings as the publication is owned by one of the US’ biggest promoters, Golden Boy Promotions.
Roadwork
Refers to running or any type of training a fighter does on the road, whether flat or inclined. Fighter’s such as Floyd Mayweather wear military-style boots during roadwork to improve stamina and build strong legs.
Rolling
A defensive maneuver whereby a fighter ducks and moves under his opponent’s attack; the rolling fighter may throw a counter-shot shortly after or simultaneously.
Roll with the Punches
A term to describe a fighter moving from side-to-side and under an opponent’s punches to avoid being hit.
Rope-a-Dope
A tactic used by Muhammad Ali whereby a fighter purposely languishes on the ropes in a bid to tire his opponent out. Ali exhausted a very dangerous George Foreman in this manner, leading to a knockout victory.
Rough-Housing
A fighter may use rough-house tactics to throw off his opponent; i.e. a brawler-type fighter may choose to outmuscle and physically overwhelm a refined boxer in an effort to break his rhythm. Shawn Porter did particularly well by employing this tactic in his encounter with Devon Alexander.
Round
Fights consist of segments known as ’rounds’; in a championship fight, there are often twelve 3 minute rounds.
Rubbery Legs
Following a knockdown, a fighter’s legs may appear to be jelly-like or ‘rubbery’ due to the after affects of concussion or head trauma. A commentator may observe that “John Smith beat the count, but now has to survive the round on rubbery legs.”
RSC
Referee Stops Contest; a fight result used in Amateur contests when a referee stops a bout out of concern for a hurt fighter’s safety.
RSCH
Referee stop contest due to head blows; a fight result scored in Amateur contests at the discretion of the referee.
RSCOC
Referee Stops Contest Outclassed; the most common of stoppage results in Amateur bouts, taking place when a fighter is unable to compete with his opponent and is receiving a beating.
Rubber Match
The third – often trilogy-making – matchup between two fighters to decide the winner. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III was dubbed their ‘rubber match’ since the score was 1-1 going into the fight.
Rules of Boxing
You can find an extensive list on our Boxing Rules page.
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