Changes

==The Rise of Professional Boxing==

By 1867, the so-called Marquess of Queensberry rules now regulated rounds to be fought, how long the rounds were to last (3 minutes), rest periods between rounds (1 minute), the size of the ring (24 square feet, or slightly bigger than today's rings), the ten second count if a fighter was knocked down, and that gloves can be used to block blows by an opponent. Weight classes were also introduced, which had a heavy, middle, and light weight fighters. Gloves were now regulated as well, where the gloves were to be essentially large bloated mittens. The rule regarding how gloves could be used to block blows was a critical one in how boxing was to develop.<ref>For more on the development of these rules, see: Vann, Mickey, and Gilbert Odd. 2010. <i>Boxing in the United Kingdom: Marquess of Queensberry Rules, National Sporting Club</i>. British Boxing Board of Control. General Publishing.</ref> This now made boxing less of a "slugging" match, where opponents would often simply hit each other until the other was knocked out, to more of a strategic game that utilized the hands as well as the feet in evading and tiring the opponent. The use of gloves for defense also gave rise to what would become the boxing stance that most boxers today take, where they hold the gloves close to the face rather than keeping their hands low.