Para and Adaptive Boxing

What is Paralympic Boxing? | What is Adaptive Boxing? | Boxing Canada’s Goals | Pathway | Classifications | Rules and Adaptations | Key information for Athletes | Key information for Coaches | Key information for Officials | Key information for Hosting | Paralympic and Adaptive Boxing Committee

[This page is under construction]

 

What is Para Boxing?

  • Competitive Boxing with rules designed to ensure safety, protect competitiveness, and provide participation opportunities for individuals who are not included within the general rules for boxing
  • Currently Para Boxing provides encompasses manual and powered wheelchair divisions. Other divisions could be available in the future.
  • Para Boxing is otherwise similar to Olympic Boxing; same coaches, officials, training philosophies, gloves, headgear, uniforms, and rules.

What is Adaptive Boxing?

  • Adaptive Boxing is a recreational and fitness activity for individuals who would not typically fit within the normal participative structures of boxing
  • Adaptive boxers use modified equipment, techniques, and training to realized the benefits of boxing as a recreational and fitness activity
  • Adaptations exist for nearly all types of participants, from Olympic athletes recovering from an injury to Parkinson’s patients to blind boxing

What are Boxing Canada’s Goals related to Para and Adaptive Boxing?

  • Availability of Para division into all National Championships and nationally-sanctioned competitions by 2026
  • Nationally-distributed Adaptive Boxing Program Guide available for clubs to run by 2025
  • Education of Coaches and Officials regarding Para and Adaptive Boxing integrated into Instructor Beginner and Official Level 2 courses
  • Para and Adaptive Boxing integrated into the 2025-2032 Strategic Plan

 

 

Athlete Pathway

Recreational:

1. Connect with a club or coach

2. Non-contact training

3. Fundamental skill development

4. Intro to Contact

Competition:

5. Contact training

6. Sparring

7. Classification

8. Competition

 

Classifications for Para Boxing

  • Wheelchair Boxing uses a point system for classification:
    • 1 Point
      • No lower limb and little or no trunk movement
      • Boxers with little or no controlled trunk movement in all planes
      • Balance in both forward and sideways directions is significantly impaired, and they rely on their arms to return them to the upright position when unbalanced
      • No active trunk rotation
      • Require full back support and possibly arm supports
      • A boxer can be classified as 1.5 if they display characteristics of a 1 point boxer and 2 point boxer.
    • 2 Points
      • Boxers with no lower limb control
      • Partial trunk control in a forward direction; minimal to no controlled sideways movement
      • May have good upper trunk active rotation but poor lower trunk rotation
      • Rely on hand grip to remain stable in an unbalanced position (eg. a collision)
      • Mild-to-moderate loss of trunk stability may cause 2-point boxers to punch with one hand, while stabilizing with other hand
      • May not require total back support at all times
      • *A boxer can be classified as 2.5 if they display characteristics of a 2-point boxer and 3-point boxer.
    • 3 Points
      • Full or nearly full control of upper body (arms, shoulders, upper torso)
      • Can move arms in all planes
      • Can lean forward and return to upright position without support from arms
      • Good active trunk rotation, but cannot lean sideways and return upright without using arms to assist
      • Does not require full back support
      • May include: paraplegia with control of hip flexion & adduction, but not hip extension or abduction, hip disarticulation, ATK amputees with very short residual limbs
      • *A Boxer can be classified as a 3.5 point player if they display characteristics of a 3 point boxer and 4 point boxer.
    • 4 Points
      • Normal trunk movement (flexion, extension, rotation)
      • Some reduced lower limb function
      • Able to lean to one, but not both sides with full control due to limitations in lower limb power
      • Boxer is able to move the trunk forcefully in the direction of the follow-through after punching
      • Do not require back supports
      • May include: paraplegia with control of hip abduction and extension on at least one side, hemi-pelvectomy, single ATK amputee with short residual limbs, most double ATK amputees, some double BTK amputees
    • 4.5 Points
      • Minimal lower limb dysfunction
      • Normal trunk movements in all directions; able to reach side to side with no limitations
      • May include: single BTK amputees, some double BTK amputees, extensive orthopaedic issues of hips, knees, ankles

Rules and adaptations for Para Boxing

Key information for Para and Adaptive Boxers

Key information for Coaches

Key information for Officials

Key information for Hosting Para and Adaptive Boxing Competitions and Programs

 

Boxing Canada Para and Adaptive Boxing Committee

  • <Public-facing Google Drive Link>
  • If you are interested in joining our Para and Adaptive Boxing Committee please email [email protected]