I think more about the style (how the punches are thrown, the foot work, etc) rather than the rules of the ring

I guess it's because you can't really tell I'm not a boxer until I break one of the ring rules, yet I will kick and scream at the label--that's why I think of boxing as the sport. The punching and the footwork are fairly...well, I'm not good at the footwork, but I would be surprised to see anyone use it if they weren't training with the rules of the sport in mind.

Standard wikipedia disclaimer, but this is close to my opinion:

Boxing, also called pugilism, Western Boxing, prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science (a common nickname among fans), is a sport in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists in a series of one to three-minute intervals called "rounds". In both Olympic and professional divisions, the combatants (called boxers or fighters) avoid their opponent's punches while trying to land punches of their own. Points are awarded for clean, solid blows to the legal area on the front of the opponent's body above the waistline, with hits to the head and torso being especially valuable.

I can't stop giggling.

Ha! Yeah, you can have it.

I suspect the whole thing is via DeBeers.

The whole engagement ring thing is via DeBeers to a pretty amazing extent, so I'm pretty sure this is right. But then, I'm no fan of the whole engagement concept, so it could be I'm a little cynical.

Ha! Yeah, you can have it.

Thanks!

My granddad and his 3rd wife both got engagement rings (custom made, so they look kinda like each other in format and stones). His was a gigantic manly-man ring, but, it was his engagement ring.

That's not boxing. That's punching. Lots of people punch. Boxing is when you say "Okay, no elbows, no kicking, no punching below the belt, etc, etc." It's the rules that set it aside from just striking with a closed fist.

I guess that common usage is confusing here. People say "box your ears" and they mean punch or smack. (Although why you never box a guy's face, I don't know!) Kids in fights tend to ape the boxing stance, especially at first (later they are whipping out their best impressions of the brawl from They Live ). The fact it devolves to Rowdy Roddy Piper material suggests that formal boxing rules -- rules of any kind -- are quickly forgotten, but I see a lot of cultural artifacts of boxing in what you call punching. But I can see how you'd make the distinction.

Boxing doesn't interest me, except in their focus on sweet footwork.

Boxing doesn't interest me much at all, except to notice how hugely popular it used to be in the US, and how that popularity has waned and turned downmarket. Pro wrestling has a certain highlowbrow appeal, but I think that boxing's constant problems with corruption have exiled it from the middle class. (Whereas, horse racing, which was similarly popular at the same time, has gone way upmarket.)

Lee - unfortunately, I keep missing tv shows, so I have nothing to comment on.

Chikat: it really was a very pretty scene. And yep on the little bit weird.

eta: msbelle, You should try to catch this one. It was HAWT.

People say "box your ears" and they mean punch or smack.

First off, I have no cognitive dissonance issue with the verb "box" and the noun "boxing" not being 100% in line with each other. But more notably, what in hell is boxing someone's ears? Is it really a punch? If so, how do you box both of someone's ears (effectively) at the same time? I thought it more of a slap, either open handed or with a loosely closed fist, but definitely not with the top knuckles.

Kids in fights tend to ape the boxing stance, especially at first (later they are whipping out their best impressions of the brawl from They Live ). The fact it devolves to Rowdy Roddy Piper material suggests that formal boxing rules -- rules of any kind -- are quickly forgotten, but I see a lot of cultural artifacts of boxing in what you call punching

But these kids will not stop at punching. They'll kick and bite and elbow--I think it's not boxing anymore at that point.

When I spar in krav I stand in a stance that looks like a boxer's, move slightly like a boxer (I wish I were that good with footwork) and punch. And then I kick to the nuts, and it's not boxing anymore.

At least how I compartmentalise.

I just inherited my Mom's engagement ring. It's a very small opal, in a pretty setting. Dad bought her a diamond for their 40th wedding anniversary. For them, at the beginning, three month's salary pretty much = three month's rent + food. While I don't see it becoming other than theoretical any time soon, I think I'd rather get a semi-precious ring that has emotional importance (an amethyst that belonged to grandma or something like that) than have the fella in question put a quarter of his year's earnings (!!!) into a piece of jewelry. I'd rather we put that money into a long, luxurious trip to someplace cool. Or, you know, build up the IRA. I think retirement investment says, "With you to the end" better than a hockable rock anyway.

I suspect the whole thing is via DeBeers.

The whole engagement ring thing is via DeBeers to a pretty amazing extent

Remember the "Family Guy" diamond ad? Video clip: [link]