How Many Times A Year Do Pro Boxers Fight?

in Boxing

minute/s reading time

It might be hard to believe that boxing is an age-old game and comes with a complicated history. In the Olympic Games, held in the 7th Century, several boxers used leather. It protected their wrist and hands. 

Early boxers aimed to take down their opponents in the match. One of them would die at the end of the round. Boxing disappeared for several years but made a comeback In England. Boxing rules and regulations changed over time. 

If you want to know how to train with sacks, you need to know how often pro boxers fight. 

Well, the number of times a pro boxer fight relies on multiple factors. An upcoming boxer fights a couple of matches to make a name in the wrestling world. Mostly, it depends on the amount of money the boxer wants to pile up in a year. 

The boxers also need to keep an eye on their health so that they can recover after matches. They keep on practicing with their heavy bags. 

Also read: What Is the Best Body Type for MMA?

The Number of Matches Fought by Amateur Boxers

An amateur boxer has regional, local and international fighting opportunities. Summer Olympics held in the USA feature boxing as the Nation’s collegiate sport. It organizes several amateur leagues, where the boxes compete for titles like Golden gloves. 

Amateur boxers need to maintain a good record and earn recognition from other boxers, potential sponsors, and other boxing promoters. 

Amateur boxing rounds are also less challenging that allows them to recover after matches and fight more. For lightweight boxers, there are 3×3-minute rounds for chaps. It has 4×2-minute rounds for women. 

In contrast, there are 12 rounds for males and ten rounds for professional women boxers. 

The Number of Matches Fought by Skilled Boxer

A skilled boxer that wants to get on the top position would fight more often. Firstly, his skills would help him to outshine other performers. It’s not unnatural for a boxer with 2 to 3 years of experience to knock down one amateur. 

An easy grip over the opposition allows a boxer to end the match rapidly and bag a title without getting injured. For instance, Ryan Garcia, the Mexican wrestler, fought 14 bouts as a pro and won them all. As of now, his record is 18 for 0. 

Bout Length

An amateur boxer fights every four to six weeks. Fewer rounds in a match help them to maintain an intense rhythm. When he enters the professional world, he has to fight 4 to 8 bouts, each lasting for 3 minutes. 

Short matches allow an amateur to fight more often, but the length of the games won’t increase. To earn popularity and gain Fame, they should fight 10 to 12 rounds on the boxing Rings.

Some professionals like Anthony Joshua and Lloyd Mayweather are known for their million worth of paychecks. Experts admit that they got $15000 when fighting for the first time. With such a small amount, one can’t take care of careers and family.

Moreover, boxers need to pay their manager, training equipment, and other essential things. It might create undue stress for an amateur that needs to fight to earn more, gain recognition, and become the image of brands. 

Professionalism and the Number of Matches Fought in a Year

The more professional you become, the less you have to fight. Let’s take a look at the boxing career of Floyd Mayweather, who happened to be one of the most successful boxers of our time. Between 2000 and 2015, he played about 26 tournaments. In 15 years, this boxer fought about 1.76 matches per year. 

It is different from the initial phase of his boxing career. It took him only three years to step into the boxing ring 20 X. It means that he fought 6.7 matches per year. The turning point of the matches reflected Mayweather bagging titles like WBC flyweight towards the end of 1988. 

It made him a strong competitor of all other boxes of his time. His annual fights reduce to 3 in a year. It allowed him to practice for title defending and be on the top. 

The Number of Matches Fought by Boxing Champions

After winning Championship titles, it’s wise to increase the gap between the matches. If you get more time for training and preparing, it becomes easy to defend the title. In addition, it gives the boxer time to advertise his fight and get more payment.

More interest from people around the world will result in more money. Individual boxing Champions need to fight less than four matches in a year. 

Risk Factors of Heavyweight Boxing Matches

A boxer needs to consider risk factors when challenging others or accepting a challenge. There is no need to fight more tournaments when you can earn the same amount by playing fewer matches. In general, a professional plays two to three matches In a year. 

The risk of injury is higher for champions because their rivals are more skilled. It makes each fight risky and challenging.

Brain Trauma and Other Safety Issues

We all know that professional boxing involves a cloud of risk factors. Brain trauma is one of the major concerns of professionals. A preexisting brain trauma increases the risk of career-ending hemorrhage. 

Aspiring boxers wish to earn the Championship title and defend it as long as possible. Keep in mind that a Championship that has 12 rounds and might take a toll on the health, especially when their competition is skilled.

Conclusion 

How often a boxer fights depends on whether he is a professional or amateur. It likewise relies on the willingness of the fighter to advance his punching skills. There was a time in boxing when professionals showed off their skills in front of the public.

Today there are immense opportunities for amateurs to fight and win fights till they become professional. Boxers fought as many matches as possible before they became professionals. Once they become popular, they fight a couple of matches in a year.

Origin fighter

Origin Fighter is a blog for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to learn about Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, Wrestling, Boxing, Health & Nutrition, Performance and more. Origin Fighter also provides information on how to train smarter with resources such as workout plans and diets tailored for your goals.

About the Author

I am a huge fan of both BJJ and MMA. Jiu-jitsu is my biggest passion, and I’ve been training it for more than 5 years. I have recently been promoted to a purple belt. In this blog, I will be giving you tips on how to improve and how to choose the best BJJ equipment! Learn More