DOUGLAS HEALEY—AP

Boxing

Boxing has a long Olympic history. The rough-and-tumble combat sport debuted at the Ancient Games nearly 3,000 years ago. Its road to the modern Olympics, however, proved a bit rockier. When the Games were revived in Athens in 1896, the organizing committee deemed boxing too dangerous to include in the program. Boxing was reinstated at the 1904 Summer Games, only to be knocked out again in 1912. The sport finally stepped back into the Olympic ring to stay in 1920.

The Rules of the Game

Boxers battle each other according to weight class. The divisions range from light flyweight (for fighters weighing up to 106 pounds) to super heavyweight (for fighters heavier than 201 pounds). All challengers must officially weigh in on each day they compete.

Boxers are paired off at random. There is a single-elimination tournament for each of the 11 weight classes. Matches are made up of four rounds, each lasting two minutes. Competitors get a one-minute rest period between rounds. There are several ways to win, including knocking out your opponent. But the most common victory is earned by points. Whoever scores the most points at the end of the contest becomes king of the ring.

Unlike other Olympic sports, the two boxers who lose in the semifinals do not fight each other. Instead, they both receive a Bronze medal.

--Vickie An