A bolo punch is a punch used in
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...
. The bolo punch is not among the traditional boxing punches (
jab
A jab is a type of punch used in martial arts. Several variations of the jab exist, but every jab shares these characteristics: while in a fighting stance, the lead fist is thrown straight ahead and the arm is fully extended from the side of t ...
,
uppercut
The uppercut (formerly known as the undercut) is a punch used in boxing that starts low and travels upwards vertically aiming at the opponent's chin or upper abdomen (so-called " solar plexus"). It is, along with the cross, one of the two main p ...
,
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
and
cross
A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...
).
''
Bolo'' is a Filipino single-edged knife similar to the machete. The primary use for the bolo is clearing vegetation. However, it is also one of the most important weapons in Filipino martial arts. After the United States defeated Spain in the
Spanish–American War
The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...
, they took over occupation of the Philippine Islands. Many Filipinos began emigrating to the United States, mostly California and Hawaii, as farm laborers. These immigrants were practitioners of the Filipino martial arts which included the boxing art known as
Suntukan
Suntukan is the fist-related striking component of Filipino martial arts. In the central Philippine island region of Visayas, it is known as Pangamot or Pakamot and Sumbagay. It is also known as Mano-mano and often referred to in Western mart ...
,
Panantukan
Suntukan is the fist-related striking component of Filipino martial arts. In the central Philippine island region of Visayas, it is known as Pangamot or Pakamot and Sumbagay. It is also known as Mano-mano and often referred to in Western mart ...
, and
Pangamot. Many of these Filipino fighters gravitated towards the local sport boxing matches because they could earn more from one boxing match than working a week on the farms. Some used false names and traveled around so they could get around the boxing commission rules and fight more often without any restrictions. They would often use an unorthodox punch that the non-Filipino boxers had never seen before. It became known as the "bolo punch" because the movement was similar to swinging a bolo machete when working to cut down crops like sugar cane when working in the fields.
Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Montano Garcia (August 26, 1906 – January 1, 1981) was a champion boxer born in Naval, Biliran, Philippines. He holds the most victories ever achieved by a Filipino boxer and is also the only boxer from the Philippines to become worl ...
is commonly referred to as the inventor of the bolo punch, though a 1924 article appearing in the ''Tacoma News-Tribune'' reported a Filipino boxer named Macario Flores to be using it. Garcia,
Kid Gavilán
Gerardo González (January 6, 1926 – February 13, 2003), better known in the boxing world as Kid Gavilan, was a Cuban boxer. Gavilán was the former undisputed world welterweight champion from 1951 to 1954 having simultaneously held the NYS ...
,
Sugar Ray Robinson
Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regarde ...
,
Sugar Ray Leonard
Ray Charles Leonard (born May 17, 1956), best known as Sugar Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professionally between 1977 and 1997, winning quintuple c ...
and
Pedro Carrasco
Pedro Juan Carrasco García (11 July 1943 – 27 January 2001) was a Spanish boxer whose fame transcended the boxing ring. During the 1970s, he was a media darling in Spain.
Professional career
Carrasco was crowned Europe
Europe is a ...
are widely recognized as some of the best bolo punchers in boxing history.
Roy Jones Jr.
Roy Levesta Jones Jr. (born January 16, 1969) is an American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. As an amateur he r ...
and
Joe Calzaghe
Joseph William Calzaghe ( ; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including unified and lineal titles at super-middleweight, and ...
also use the bolo punch frequently.
When used in boxing, the bolo punch's range of motion is like that of a hook combined with an uppercut. As such, the punch should be thrown at 4–5 o'clock from an orthodox boxer's perspective. Its most important aspect is a circular motion performed with one arm to distract an opponent, causing the opponent to either take his eyes off the attacker's other arm or actually focus on the fighter's circling arm. When the opponent concentrates on the hand that is circling, the bolo puncher will usually sneak in a punch with the opposite hand. When the rival concentrates on the hand that is not moving, the bolo puncher will usually follow through with a full punch.
Image: semi-crochet2.jpg, ''A left bolo punch in attack''
Image: Contre_bolo1.jpg, ''A left bolo punch in counterpunch
''CounterPunch'' is a left-wing online magazine. Content includes a free section published five days a week as well as a subscriber-only area called CounterPunch+, where original articles are published weekly. ''CounterPunch'' is based in the Un ...
''
Three of the most famous cases of a fighter using the bolo punch were when Leonard avenged his loss to
Roberto Durán
Roberto Carlos Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held quadruple champion, world championships in four weight classes: Lightweight, welterweight, light middleweigh ...
in "The
No Más Fight
No or NO may refer to:
Linguistics and symbols
* ''Yes'' and ''no'', responses
* No, an English determiner in noun phrases
* No (kana) (, ), a letter/syllable in Japanese script
* No symbol (🚫), the general prohibition sign
* Numero sign ( o ...
", when
Leonard drew with Thomas Hearns in their second fight, and when
Ike Ibeabuchi
Ikemefula Charles "Ike" Ibeabuchi (born February 2, 1973) is a Nigerian former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 1999 in the heavyweight division. He defeated the previously undefeated highly ranked contender David Tua in 1997 and ano ...
knocked out
Chris Byrd
Christopher Cornelius Byrd (born August 15, 1970) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2009. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having first won the WBO title in 2000 after an upset corner stoppage over ...
with a left-handed bolo punch during their 1999 heavyweight contest.
References
External links
Ike Ibeabuchi uses a bolo punch to K.O. Chris Byrd in 1999.
{{Boxing
Boxing terminology
Kickboxing terminology
Punches (combat)