why do bareknuckle boxers stand like that?

[Mistadobalina]

there was a lot of wrasslin' and tossing around during those fights.

[squealpiggy]

there was a lot of wrasslin' and tossing around during those fights.

Yep wrestling was permitted under London Prize Ring rules. Prize ring rules were bare knuckle, a round lasted until one or both fighters were downed and the downed fighter then had thirty seconds to "come up to scratch" at the centre of the ring or he lost. Queensberry rules divided the contest into equal three minute rounds with a minute between and introduced counting to ten for a knockout. Number of rounds was limited to (I believe) 40 initially.

There were a number of fighters who straddled the change from London Prize Ring to Marquess of Queensberry rules, one of whom was Jack Johnson, others include Jim L Sullivan and Gentleman Jim Corbett.

[Kayo]

i did a project on the evolution of boxing for school

[yidish pugilist]

Daniel Mendoza was one of the pioneers of the defensive style.

[SpeedKillz]

i did a project on the evolution of boxing for school

and.....?

[Feint]

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I'm guessing that it was probably just the boxing technique that they were taught. But I also can't help but wonder if it was also just the posing style for fighters back then, kind of like how in nearly all the old B&W photos the people don't smile?

[fraidycat]

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I'm guessing that it was probably just the boxing technique that they were taught. But I also can't help but wonder if it was also just the posing style for fighters back then, kind of like how in nearly all the old B&W photos the people don't smile?

I read somewhere that one reason they don't smile in old photos is that they had to stand (or sit) still for a long while, and any motion would blur the photo. The shutter speed was a few seconds long, IIRC.

[PunchDrunk]

A mouth full of rotten teeth is nothing to show off

[Feint]

I read somewhere that one reason they don't smile in old photos is that they had to stand (or sit) still for a long while, and any motion would blur the photo. The shutter speed was a few seconds long, IIRC.

I didn't know that. Great information!