A Knock-Out Vocabulary Guide to Boxing in Spanish
If you are a (soon-to-be) bilingual boxing enthusiast, this vocabulary guide to boxing in Spanish is a game changer.
Boxing is a major sport in Latin America. Benefit from the Hispanic community’s interest to find compelling stories, legends, and information to energize your Spanish practice.
This article gives you all the words needed to understand and discuss boxing in Spanish. You’ll also get an idea of the importance of this sport in different Spanish-speaking countries.
In the wise words of Rocky Balboa, “Remember: the mind is your best muscle. Big arms can move rocks, but big words can move mountains.”
¡Prepárate para la primera ronda!
Get ready for Round 1!
Elements of Boxing in Spanish
First things first: the basic elements of boxing in Spanish. You need to know things like the equipment boxers need to fight and train.
Los guantes – gloves
Las onzas – ounces
Las vendas / vendajes – bandages
La pera – speed bag
El saco de boxeo / costal – punching bag
La pera loca – double end bag
El entrenamiento – training
La condición física – physical condition
La caminadora – treadmill
El uniforme – uniform
Los pantalones cortos – trunks
El protector bucal – mouthguard
El casco de boxeo – boxing helmet
Las espinilleras – shin pads
Los calcetines – socks
Las botas de boxeo – boxing boots
La cuerda para saltar – jump rope
El deporte de contacto – contact sport
El deporte de combate – combat sport
El equipo de protección – protective equipment
El combate mano a mano – hand-to-hand combat
Los combates de box profesionales – professional box bouts
Los juegos olímpicos – Olympic games
In the Boxing Ring
Now we get to the fun part: the fight in the ring. This is the key section of this lesson on boxing in Spanish; these words cover what happens in the ring, in the corner, and after the fight.
El cuadrilátero – ring
La esquina – corner
Las cuerdas – ropes
El tiempo – time
El dinero – money / cash
El boxeador / púgil / pugilista – boxer / pugilist
Las apuestas – bets / wagers
Los boletos – tickets
Las entradas – tickets
Las cámaras – cameras
Las entrevistas – interviews
La campana – bell
La pelea – fight
La paliza – beating
El uppercut / opercot – uppercut
El directo / jab – jab
El gancho – hook
El gancho derecho – right hook
El gancho izquierdo – left hook
Recuperarse – to recover
El codo – elbow
El puño – fist
El golpe – blow / hit / punch / strike
El golpe bajo – low blow
El gancho al hígado – liver punch
El gancho al riñón – kidney punch
Derechazo – forehand
Lastimado/a – hurt
Herido/a – wounded
La cortada – cut
El descanso – rest / break
El hielo – ice
El agua – water
La vaselina – vaseline
La pelea estelar – main event
Las peleas millonarias – million-dollar fights
Libra por libra (LxL) – pound-for-pound (P4P)
People in the World of Boxing in Spanish
People are the most important thing in a sport. And I’m not talking only about the athletes. Every one of them comes with a team of doctors, trainers, managers, and promoters that have a role in creating a safe event for everyone. And what about the press and the boxing enthusiasts, the viewers? All of these and more are highlighted in this section.
El réferi / árbitro – referee
El entrenador – trainer
El representante / manager – manager
El retador – challenger
El promotor – promoter
La prensa – press
Los reporteros – reporters
Los periodistas – journalists
Los apostadores – bettors
Los aficionados – enthusiasts
Los espectadores – spectators
Los televidentes – viewers
El equipo médico – medical team
El médico – the doctor
Los revendedores – resellers
El juez – judge
El campeón – champion
Zurdo/a – left-handed / southpaw
La postura zurda – southpaw stance
Diestro/a – right-handed / orthodox
La postura diestra – orthodox stance
El alcance – reach
La edad – age
La estatura / altura – height
La nacionalidad – nationality
Salón Internacional de la Fama del Boxeo – International Boxing Hall of Fame
Weight Classes in Boxing in Spanish
La división – division
La categoría – category
Peso mínimo o paja – strawweight
Peso minimosca / mosca junior – light flyweight
Peso mosca – flyweight
Peso supermosca / gallo junior – super flyweight
Peso gallo – bantamweight
Peso supergallo / pluma junior – super bantamweight
Peso pluma – featherweight
Peso superpluma / ligero junior – super featherweight
Peso ligero – lightweight
Peso superligero / wélter junior – super lightweight
Peso Wélter / medio mediano – welterweight
Peso superwelter /medio junior – super welterweight
Peso mediano – middleweight
Peso supermediano – super middleweight
Peso semipesado – light heavyweight
Peso crucero – cruiserweight
Peso completo / pesado – heavyweight
Boxing in Spanish Organizations
Boxing organizations follow protocols and bylaws to provide a safe environment for athletes and everyone in the world of boxing.
La Asociación Mundial de Boxeo (AMB) – World Boxing Association (WBA)
Federación Internacional de Boxeo (FIB) – International Boxing Federation (IBF)
Consejo Mundial de Boxeo (CMB) – World Boxing Council (WBC)
Organización Mundial de boxeo (OMB) – World Boxing Organization (WBO)
Rules of Boxing in Spanish
Since 1899, the Queensberry bylaws have been in force. Here are some of the most important boxing rules.
- Both boxeadores have to use guantes (gloves).
- Each round lasts tres minutos (three minutes)
- There is an un minuto de descanso (one-minute break) after every round.
- Whenever a boxer se cae (falls down), a conteo regresivo (countdown) from 10 occurs.
- It is forbidden to empujar (push) or abrazar (hug) the oponente (opponent).
- No punching on the nuca (nape of the neck) or back of the head.
- Do not patear (kick) or tropezar (trip).
- Darle la espalda (turning one’s back) on an adversary is prohibited.
- You can’t punch debajo del cinturón (below the belt).
- No cabezazos (blows to the head).
- It is forbidden to tamper the gloves with yeso (plaster) or anything similar.
- No one from the boxer’s equipo (team) is allowed in the ring during a match.
Results of Boxing in Spanish
A boxing match ends in a win, loss, or tie. This section lists some of the technical names for victory, defeat, draw, disqualification, and more.
La victoria – win
El ganador – winner
La derrota – loss
El perdedor / la perdedora – loser
El dinero del premio – prize money
El empate – tie / draw
La victoria por puntos (VP) – points decision (PTS)
La decisión unánime – unanimous decision (UD)
La decisión dividida – split decision (SD)
La decisión mayoritaria – majority decision (MD)
La victoria por nocaut (VKO) – knockout (KO)
La victoria por descalificación (VD) – disqualification (DQ)
La victoria por knock-out técnico (VKOT) – technical knockout (TKO)
La victoria por decisión técnica (VDT) – technical decision
La victoria por abandono (VAb) – retirement (RTD)
El combate nulo (CN) – null combat
El combate sin decisión – No contest (NC)
El título – title
El cinturón – belt
Dichos del Boxeo – Sayings in Boxing
Some of the phrases we say in our day-to-day life come from boxing. Learn these to expand your vocabulary and talk about boxing in Spanish (and life in general!).
- Contra las cuerdas – on the ropes
- Golpe bajo – low blow
- Debajo del cinturón – below the belt
- Salvado por la campana – saved by the bell
- Tirar la toalla – throw in the towel
Did You Like This Lesson?
Did you like this lesson on boxing in Spanish? Try watching a match with Spanish-speaking sportscasters and see if this vocabulary guide is helpful. What other terms should be added?
Would you like other guides like this one explaining other sports? Please leave a comment to let us know!
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