The damaging punch
Open accessAbstract
The mechanical properties of a boxing punch have been determined using several techniques. The results are consistent with the medical consequences of boxing discussed in the report of the Board of Science and Education Working Party on boxing. Data were gathered from a world ranked British professional heavyweight, Frank Bruno, as he punched an instrumented, padded target mass suspended as a ballistic pendulum. Within 0.1 s of the start the punch had travelled 0.49 m and attained a velocity on impact of 8.9 m/s. The peak force on impact of 4096N (0.4 ton), attained within 14 ms of contact, represents a blow to the human head of up to 6320N (0.63 ton). The transmitted impulse generated an acceleration of 520 m/s2 (53 g) in the target head. For comparison an equivalent blow would be delivered by a padded wooden mallet with a mass of 6 kg (13 lbs) if swung at 20 mph.
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Previously, researchers have primarily focused on the resultant punch impact force characteristics of elite boxers, with fewer studies investigating the contributing role of force production from the lower- and upper-body.
“Previously, researchers have primarily focused on the resultant punch impact force characteristics of elite boxers (3,32,40,41,49), with fewer studies investigating the contributing role of force production from the lower- and upper-body (12).”
From The Role of Strength on Punch Impact Force in Boxing (2022) · cites this paper as [3]
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Smith, M. S., Dyson, R. J., Hale, T., & Janaway, L. (2000) · Journal of Sports Sciences · doi:10.1080/02640410050074377 · Cited by 196 · see citing works
Defining the phases of boxing punches: A mixed-method approach
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The Role of Strength on Punch Impact Force in Boxing
Beattie, K., & Ruddock, A. D. (2022) · Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research · doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000004252 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
- Authors
- Atha, J., Yeadon, M. R., Sandover, J., & Parsons, K. C.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- ORCID
- Yeadon, M R
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 1985-12-21
- Volume
- 291
- Issue
- 6511
- Pages
- 1756-1757
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0267-0623
- 1468-5833
- OpenAlex
- W2076680269
- Cited by
- 146
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.bmj.com/company/legal-information/terms-conditions/legal-information/tdm-licencepolicy (tdm)
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Martial Arts: Techniques, Psychology, and Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Automotive and Human Injury Biomechanics
- Keywords
- boxing, traumatic brain injury, ballistic pendulum, impact acceleration, impulse, boxing injuries
- MeSH terms
- Athletic Injuries, Biomechanical Phenomena, Boxing, Brain Injuries, Humans, Male, Methods
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