Boxing: Boxing-Factbox for Athens 2004

ATHENS, July 7 (Reuters) - Factbox on boxing at the August 13-29 Athens Olympics:

HISTORY
Boxing is one of the oldest sports. It was part of the original Olympics, although by modern standards the ancient Greek version was brutal: boxers were not matched by weight, and bouts went on uninterrupted until one fighter was knocked out or admitted defeat by raising his hand.

Boxing has been part of the modern Olympics since the 1904 St Louis Games. Since then, there have been numerous changes to its rules, including several revisions of the weight categories.

Five ringside judges were introduced in 1960 to score matches. In 1992, electronic scoring was brought in as part of a package of reforms to judging which had been mired in controversy in 1988's competition.
Boxing is one of the last Olympic sports to admit only amateurs, although many previous champions have gone on to become successful professionals, including Muhammad Ali, who as Cassius Clay won 1960's light-heavyweight gold medal in Rome.

Unlike in professional boxing, Olympic boxers must wear headguards.