From Steve Wilson
John Hardy’s call to ban boxing (10 August, p 26) inadvertently suggests a less dictatorial solution: a ban on boxing gloves.
These were originally introduced to protect the faces of rich young men who would pay to go a few rounds with the champions of the day.
As gloves became heavier, boxers began defending their heads by holding the glove a short distance away and stiffening the arm. Some of the power of the incoming punch is still received, but most is absorbed by the defending glove.
In bare-knuckle boxing, fighters would either move their head out of the way or deflect an incoming punch with their forearms. They would avoid every one they could, making the sport a safer one.
London, UK
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