The Importance of Amateur Boxing
For many people boxing isn’t just a sport or a pass time, it’s a way of life.
At the grassroots level, amateur boxing has always had a decisive impact on youth and local communities.
The benefits have long been felt and the overall promotion of a more positive lifestyle stems from the continuous involvement of amateur gyms.
Amateur boxing matters and its overall influence cannot be overstated, not just from a sporting perspective, but in society as a whole.
BOXRAW outline the importance of the amateur boxing scene and how it helps those who become involved.
Reduces Crime
One of the key positives from amateur boxing, especially at the youth level, is its ability to reduce crime within local areas.
This has been proven in studies from the sport’s governing bodies across both the UK and across America, showing that boxing can inspire a more promising lifestyle in even the toughest neighbourhoods.
Keeping kids off the streets is often the main benefit highlighted, with amateur boxing achieving this by engaging those who may suffer from social exclusion in deprived areas and under-represented ethnic minorities.
The majority of popular sports, such as football, have a tendency to be located in less deprived locations. Notably, boxing is an exception. Most affiliated clubs are situated in areas with higher gang-related crime and anti-social behaviour - proving its importance to society in challenging that deprivation.
Provides Purpose In Life
Boxing doesn’t just help young people push themselves to be the best in the ring but it also drives them to reach their full potential in life.
Using the sport they love as a means to better their lives, regardless of their upbringing or background, amateur boxing is a crucial tool for personal growth and development.
Regardless of talent or ability, the determination and work ethic needed to train regularly is enough to give someone a target to maintain focused on in life and steer them clear of negative choices outside of the gym.
Improves Physical and Mental Health
Exercise is necessary for improved health and there’s nothing more testing than boxing training. Through giving everything in the gym and pushing beyond personal limits, physical and mental wellbeing is achieved.
When life gets tough, putting on gloves and letting emotions and daily stresses out in the gym can have long-term benefits for everyone.
Starting from a young age, particularly, can help clear the mind and block out any outside negativity, while promoting a purposeful way of living from early years.
Changes and Saves Lives
Boxing doesn’t just change people’s lives, it literally saves them too. Aggression can be a natural instinct that could lead to dangerous situations for those living in troubled areas.
Boxing is used to channel that aggression positively in a controlled environment, while teaching self-control, respect for others and discipline.
Young people who are typically at risk of mixing with the wrong crowds and becoming involved in self-sabotaging behaviour can be steered down a more prosperous path by putting on their gloves instead.
Brings Communities Together
Boxing reduces barriers of entry for people of different backgrounds in their communities, with the sport transcending nationality or race and building bridges between cultures that potentially would otherwise have been unconnected without the sport.
The tightest of friendships and relationships are constantly forged within boxing gyms, often between people of completely different backgrounds.
Through the shared experiences of training dedication or competing alongside each other in the squared-circle, the strongest bonds are made.
Sets Up Future Careers
While not all amateur boxers will eventually turn over to the professional ranks, many of the top fighters in the sport have built their foundations and learned their trade at the grassroots level first.
The early gruelling process of preparing for a fight and the experience of stepping into the ring for three rounds in the amateurs can be vital for those aiming to pursue a career out of ‘The Sweet Science’.
If an actual boxing career doesn’t come to fruition from an initial involvement on the amateur scene, the same everyday commitments and disciplines can be easily transferred to other walks of life; leading to more focus and success in whatever a person’s chosen field is in the future.
GEAR UP FOR FIGHT SEASON
Amateur Boxing is back as fight season gets underway. Equip yourself for the months ahead with the new Stevenson 2.0 Competition Tank & Shorts.