Descriptionary

kidney punch an illegal punch to the lower back or kidneys.

knockdown a blow that knocks a fighter to the can­vas; he must get up within 10 seconds or lose the bout.

knockout the point in a match when a fighter is knocked unconscious or fails to get up from a knock­down within 10 seconds, thus losing the bout. Also known as a KO.

lead the jabbing hand.

light heavyweight weight division with a 175- pound limit.

lightweight weight division with a 135-pound limit.

low blow a blow below the belt.

mandatory eight count a rule in which a knocked- down boxer must wait at least 8 seconds before resuming the fight, a safety factor.

middleweight weight division with a 160-pound limit.

mix it up to exchange punches. mouse a black eye.

neutral corner either of the two corners not used by the fighters and their cornermen; where a fighter must stand for the count after knocking down an opponent.

one-two punch a short left jab followed by a right cross.

on one's bicycle performing footwork.

over and under a head punch followed by a body punch.

overhand punch a punch that starts high and swings down on the opponent's head or upper body.

peanut bag a very small speed bag, used to develop reflexes and timing.

prizefighter a professional boxer.

pugilism the sport of boxing.

pugilist a boxer.

pull a punch to punch with only a portion of one's strength; to hold back.

punch-drunk dazed; mentally deficient or slow in speech due to blows to the head over an extended period.

put away to knock an opponent out.

rabbit punch an illegal blow to the back of the neck.

referee the official who oversees a match.

roadwork boxer's training term for long-distance running to build stamina.

roll with the punch to move one's head back with the thrust of a punch to lessen impact.

round in a professional bout, one three-minute period.

roundhouse a broad or wide, sweeping hook.

shadow box to spar with an imaginary opponent.

shake the cobwebs to shake off a daze after being punched in the head.

slugfest an exchange of blows without regard to defense.

south of the border below the belt.

spar to practice boxing with a sparring partner.

sparring partner one who serves as a practice opponent.

speed bag a pear-shaped punching bag hung at eye- level that bounces back rapidly with each punch, used to develop speed.

split decision a decision in which one official has a scoring disagreement with the other two officials.

square circle another name for the boxing ring.

standing eight count a count of eight given by the referee to a stunned boxer who has fallen but is able to stand.

stick to jab.

sucker punch a surprise punch.

Sunday punch one's best punch.

take out to knock out an opponent.

tale of the tape the weight and measurements of the two boxes before the bout, and how they match up.

technical draw a bout that ends in a draw due to an accidental injury.

technical knockout the awarding of a win to a fighter when his opponent is injured, or unable or too stunned to resume fighting. Also known as a TKO.

telegraph a punch to communicate unwittingly by body language to an opponent what the next punch will be.

throw in the towel to concede defeat by literally throwing in a towel from the fighter's corner.

thumb to gouge.

TKO see technical knockout.

under and over a punch to the body followed by a punch to the head.

uppercut a punch starting low and hooking straight up with bent elbow to the opponent's head.

WBA World Boxing Association.

WBC World Boxing Council.

weigh-in the inspection of weight before a bout to assure each opponent falls within the divisional weight limit.

welterweight weight division with a 147-pound limit.

bullfighting

banderilla a 24-inch-long, barbed dart stuck into the bull's neck or shoulder. Several banderillas are usually driven in to these areas to weaken the bull's neck muscles and therefore make it impossible for it to lift its head.

burladero a wooden shelter located near a wall that a matador can run into and hide behind to escape a charging bull.

capework the technique of drawing the bull close by waving the cape.

cuadrilla a team that assists the bullfighter in the ring. gore to pierce with the horn of the bull. matador the bullfighter.

muleta the red cloth waved to entice the bull into charging.

pass a passing of the bull past the matador's cape, or muleta.

pic a picador's lance.