MARQUIS OF QUEENSBERRY RULES TO BE HONOURED AT THE 55th WBC CONVENTION

By VICTOR COTA

The modern rules of Boxing , supposedly formulated by the Marquis of  Queensberry one hundred and fifty years ago, will be marked and honoured at the World Boxing Council`s 55th Annual Convention  in Baku, Azerbaijan.

A pilar and  bastian of the “British Nobility” The Marquis of Qeensbury was a wealthy man, famous and obviously very fond of pugilism, but in reality he was NOT  the author of the new rules.

Their actual creator was a former Welsh boxer born in Salford in 1847, named Arthur Chambers (others mention him as John Graham Chambers), who had fought as lightweight and according to the information available, asked the Eighth Marquis of Queensberry, whose name was John Sholto Douglas, to take his place so that those rules were accepted as serious and obligatory by all the people who in those years was immersed in the boxing world.

Of course “Queensberry” accepted  and the new rules came into force 1867, superseding, what was known back then, as “London Prize Ring Rules”, created by another boxer, Jack Broughton, in 1743.

At the same time, but in another latitude then also important for boxing, the United States, used what in this country called “American Rules of Fair Play.”

The enthusiasm of the Marquis, the fact that he was widely known not only for the sport but also for other aspects of his life, such as his demand against the famous writer Oscar Wilde, whom he got sent to prison with his lawyers ( a story we will tell in another another occasion) led to the new regulation to become  an immediate and resounding success, not only in his region, but in all parts where boxing was practiced, including of course the American Union.

Chambers, who was also known by some people as an employee of the Marquis, was soon forgotten as an author and the one who appeared as such everywhere was John Sholto Douglas, who undoubtedly worked for it, with the passion and peppery vim, that according to his biographers was one of his most prominent characteristics.

The Rules of the Marquess of Queensberry were summed up in 12 points that contemplated from our time, can be considered like realistic and to some extent visionary.

Here we have the famous legal content that for many years ruled the activity inside the ring:

1.    To be a fair stand-up boxing match in a 24-foot ring, or as near that size as practicable.

2.    No wrestling or hugging allowed.

3.    The rounds to be of three minutes’ duration, and one minute’s time between rounds.

4.    If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile to return to his corner. If one man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.

5.    A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state, with his toes off the ground, shall be considered down.

6.    No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds.

7.    Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.

8.    The gloves to be fair-sized boxing gloves of the best quality and new.

9.    Should a glove burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee’s satisfaction.

10. A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes.

11. That no shoes or boots with spikes or springs be allowed.

12. The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised London Prize Ring Rules.