Boxing Fouls

Boxing sanctioning bodies consider the following types of acts or contact to be fouls in boxing:

  1. Hitting an opponent below the navel or behind the ear;
  2. Hitting an opponent who is knocked down;
  3. Holding an opponent with one hand and hitting with the other;
  4. Holding or deliberately maintaining a clinch;
  5. Wrestling, kicking or roughing;
  6. Pushing an opponent about the ring or into the ropes;
  7. Butting with the head, shoulder, knee, elbow;
  8. Hitting with the open glove, the butt or inside of the hand, or back of the hand, the elbow or the wrist;
  9. Purposely falling down onto the canvas of the ring without being hit or for the purpose of avoiding a blow;
  10. Striking deliberately at that part of the body over the kidneys;
  11. Using the pivot blow (pivoting while throwing a punch) or the rabbit punch (punches thrown to the back of the head and neck areas);
  12. Jabbing the eyes with the thumb of the glove;
  13. Use of abusive language;
  14. Unsportsmanlike conduct causing injury to an opponent that does not meet the standard of a fair blow;
  15. Hitting on the break;
  16. Intentionally spitting out the mouthpiece;
  17. Hitting on or out of the ropes;
  18. Holding rope and hitting;
  19. Biting/spitting;
  20. Not following referees instructions;
  21. Stepping on opponent;
  22. Crouching below opponents belt;
  23. Leaving neutral corner; and
  24. Corner second shouting.

Also see boxing rules