Abbas Tawfeeq Mansoor (1)
General Background: Defensive skills are essential components of boxing performance because boxers must respond to changing fight situations through appropriate defensive techniques. Specific Background: Junior boxers may employ different defensive skills according to their weight categories, but the frequency of arm, trunk, and foot defenses during actual bouts requires systematic examination. Knowledge Gap: Limited studies have focused on the rates of defensive skills used by junior boxers across different weight categories, particularly in local championship competition. Aims: This study determines the percentage and frequency of defensive skills used by junior boxers according to weight category. Results: Using descriptive analysis of 2026 Baghdad Clubs Junior Championship bouts, 15,368 defensive movements were recorded. Lightweight boxers (44–57 kg) performed 5,310 defensive movements, comprising 22% arm, 35% trunk, and 43% foot defense. Middleweight boxers (60–70 kg) recorded 5,215 movements, comprising 24% arm, 42% trunk, and 34% foot defense. Boxers above 70 kg recorded 4,843 movements, comprising 45% arm, 33% trunk, and 22% foot defense. Novelty: The study provides a weight-category-based profile of defensive skills derived from actual junior boxing bouts in the Baghdad Championship. Implications: The findings provide coaches and specialists with numerical information for developing defensive training according to age, weight category, and fight performance requirements.
Highlights:
Keywords: Defensive Skills, Fight Analysis, Arm Defense, Trunk Defense, Foot Defense.
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