# Why no shirts for male boxers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140 "2007-08-27T19:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/21 "2007-08-28T14:19:21Z")
If this [old ,old poster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Byrne) is to be believed–and I know of no reason why it shouldn’t be–fighters have been duking it out bare-chested since at least the early 1800’s. Fighting (whether gloved or bare-knuckles) is an old sport, and developed in an era before there were a lot of options in athletic or leisure wear–it was pretty much “all or nothing” in terms of upper body cover. Later on, the practice continued out of custom and habit, like so many things in sports. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/22 "2007-08-28T14:36:23Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] World Boxing Organization, _Regulations of World Championship Contests_:World Boxing Association, _Championship Rules_: [/QUOTE] So they can’t use it for _championship_ fights, according to the rules. Do you have any doubt that boxers who don’t happen to be fighting for a title will use lubricants? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/23 "2007-08-28T14:54:34Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] If this [old ,old poster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Byrne) is to be believed–and I know of no reason why it shouldn’t be–fighters have been duking it out bare-chested since at least the early 1800’s. Fighting (whether gloved or bare-knuckles) is an old sport, and developed in an era before there were a lot of options in athletic or leisure wear–it was pretty much “all or nothing” in terms of upper body cover. Later on, the practice continued out of custom and habit, like so many things in sports. [/QUOTE] Besides, how many of those guys do you think owned more than one shirt? Those things cost money, you know. Shame to get any blood on it. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/24 "2007-08-28T14:57:35Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] So they can’t use it for _championship_ fights, according to the rules. Do you have any doubt that boxers who don’t happen to be fighting for a title will use lubricants? [/QUOTE] I do. It wouldn’t make any sense, and perhaps even prohibit perspiration. And I’ve watched billion non-championship fights. I’ve never seen a trainer apply lubricant to a body (and they apply it to a face almost every round). I’ve never seen lubricant on a body. Lastly, I suspect that even in non-championship fights, they’re fighting according to the same rules. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/25 "2007-08-28T15:04:34Z")
Sweat will do an okay job of defelcting blows, if my mosh pit experience is of any relevence. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/26 "2007-08-28T16:12:31Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] I can’t imagine any shirt that a boxer would wear in the ring that would deflect and/or absorb a blow. Are you thinking “mithril” or something? [/QUOTE] 🙂 That would help, I am sure. I was thinking of American Football uniforms. I understand those are very sheer and tight so they can’t grab them by it. (the fabric on top, not the plastic underpieces) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/27 "2007-08-28T16:44:38Z")
And, of course, boxers have been fighting to show off their manliness for a lot longer than they’ve been fighting to win money, or to honor their country. For most boxing, it really doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, but how you look doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/28 "2007-08-28T17:36:11Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] So they can’t use it for _championship_ fights, according to the rules. Do you have any doubt that boxers who don’t happen to be fighting for a title will use lubricants? [/QUOTE] Having watched numerous non-championship fights on television and in person, yes I do doubt that. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/29 "2007-08-28T17:50:31Z")
[QUOTE=ernesto] What I fail to see is the Women’s Volleyball. I mean COME ONE like the women need to be in those skimpy bikinis. [/QUOTE] TV viewership. I kid you not. Not cite on hand, but I do recall an article about 5 years ago or so from _Volleyball_ magazine. The article also went on to say that men’s shorts had to end at least 10cm above the knee. That’s 4", which is fine if you are over 6’ tall. But in the men’s league I played in, which was required to follow Volleyball Canada rules, which followed the above FIVA Rules, there were men whose height would have made that awkward. Luckily, the rules were not strictly enforced. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/30 "2007-08-28T20:44:46Z")
[QUOTE=whole bean] they do, in the olympics. as for pros, comfort? [/QUOTE] Comfort? The guy is getting the living bejesus beaten out of him and comfort is an issue? mm ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/31 "2007-08-28T20:52:04Z")
[QUOTE=FordPrefect] The article also went on to say that men’s shorts had to end at least 10cm above the knee. [/QUOTE] And no higher, or no lower? ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/32 "2007-08-29T01:13:05Z")
No lower, penis length notwithstanding 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140/33 "2007-08-29T04:35:52Z")
They’re pushing their bodies to the limit, standing under bright lights, and for all the bobbing and weaving, they’re more or less staying in place which means they don’t get a breeze to cool off. Most boxers train more intensly than any other type of athlete, and even with a minutes break between three minute rounds, a lot of fights get stopped because one guy is completely worn out. A shirt would only make them overheat faster (as would vaseline, but the face needs the help.) Besides, a good heavyweight can punch with a force of 1100-1600psi [(allegedly)](http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/printthread.php?t=67219&pp=40). Who would want to want to have a layer of soaking wet fabric repeatedly rubbed against their skin with that much force? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-shirts-for-male-boxers/417140.md?page=1)