A fine line between sport and punching people in the head

I saw a T-shirt on a website that grouped fencing together with wrestling and boxing.

I'm not 100% sure about the wrestling (which surely belongs with judo, jujitsu and rugby - you know, sports that involve throwing people onto the ground and sitting on them), but I can see the boxing thing.

I watched a bit of the feather-weight boxing during the Commonwealth Games, while I was waiting for something else, and they almost managed to convince me it was a sport.  It actually looked kind of like what we do with fencing, although with more of an emphasis on punching people in the head.

I've always had a bit of trouble accepting boxing as a legitimate sport, because the entire goal of a bout is to try to punch someone in the head until they lose consciousness.  People have tried to tell me that the "sport" side of things comes from the fact that each boxer is trying to use all of his/her skill to avoid being hit.

Be that as it may, the ultimate goal is to punch someone in the head.  You can't deny that.

But, to be fair, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones (or walk around naked).

I've made the comment in the past that fencing is kind of like a cross between boxing and tennis.  On the one hand, you have people wearing poncy white clothes, fussing over hand-held doodads and being oh-so traditional as they salute and shake hands and stuff.  On the other hand, you have people trying to do each other harm in the name of sport.

Let's face it, fencing is all about trying to poke someone with a stick.  Or, in the case of sabre, trying to beat them with a stick.  You don't even try to do it lightly - if there are bruises, then there are bruises (and, believe me, there are bruises).

And, yes, there is an element where it's a good thing to aim straight for someone's head (unless you're a foilist, in which case the head is off limits, so aim for the groin instead).  I've had my share of mask-rattling head hits, and I've dealt out a few on occasion as well.

So, there's an extent to which fencing isn't that removed from boxing.

I have to admit, since taking up fencing I've toyed with the idea to trying boxing as well...

And then I remember that the entire goal is to punch someone in the head.

At least with fencing you are also aiming for other parts of the body.  If you're any good, you can win your bouts by constantly tapping your opponents on the wrist - no head shots necessary.  I somehow doubt you can win a boxing match by completely avoiding any attempt to hit your opponent's head.

If it were possible to win a boxing match without aiming for the head, I'd be interested to know about that.