Simulating a Boxing Match

[DemiBenson]

I was watching The Sand Pebbles and the boxing scene made me wonder how to adequately model that in gurps combat. Boxing gloves give DR 2 vs self-inflicted injury (which won't normally matter since boxers don't wear rigid armor), and give -2 to basic damage (essentially DR 2 for the target as well).

With the reduction in damage, it seems that most strikes to the arms and torso have no effect (at least in game mechanical terms). I imagine boxing matches all come down to hitting the face and vitals, since those require the target to make a knockdown roll every time they're hit for at least one point of damage.

Am I missing something?

[Verjigorm]

Harsh Realism for unarmed fighters, for one. That's why you want DR vs. self-inflicted injury(punching someone's skull).

boxing does focus on repeated blows to the head, leading to extensive brain injury amongst boxers, including deaths in the ring. Mixed Martial Arts doesn't tend to have this. This is precisely because boxing gloves remove the danger of breaking your fist against someone's head. That really hurts, alot. I've got two or three broken knuckles from pugilism in streetfights.

I've since learned that the best method for streetfighting is to throw the other person on the ground, sit on his chest and hammerfist his head and skull. It hurts less.

Blows to the same arm can sap one's punching power as pain and fatigue meld into one horrible penalty. I generally avoid striking the arms, because that doesn't tend to put people out.

[Lord Carnifex]

I'd borrow a concept from 3e's MA. Boxing punches with gloves do full damage in FP. Lose all of your FP and you lose due to being too knocked out to continue.

[IrishRover]

One thng to remember about boxing. Most boxing matches don't end with a knockout, especially in the amateurs. This is especially true at the lighter weight divisions, and in fights were both boxers are reasonably skilled. But even a lot of 12 round heavyweight matches end with a decision.

[LynGrey]

Here is how you do it.

ALOT OF DEFENSIVE ATTACKS
ALOT OF COMBINATIONS
ALOT OF FIENTS/DECEPTIVE ATTACKS

Most Boxers are extrememly defensive minded, rarely will you see one go nuts and repeatily strike and drop his hands for some added damage(AoA:Deteremind or Strong).

Boxers very selectivily chose thair blows to maximize defense. Ie (Jab and tuck the chin in the shoulder) Also a common missconception is boxers punch people in the face. ALOT hit the chin, not the face area. Most of the ones that "head chase" or "face smash" are trained by instructors geared towards the sport than the actual fighting edge of it.

As far as amature events, i've wittnessed a golden glove competition, 6 fights, 1 made it to decision.

The best way to do a boxing match is. Stat up Boxer A and B. Have a list of Combinations they like, a Techniques that match their style. Have them fight according to their style or not(if they don't listen) Have them fight out rounds, 60 Combat turns per minute. so 120 - 180. This consiting of Waits, and AoD for counter attackers and rope-a-dopers, or AoD and Dodges(slips and side steps) for in-fighters. Lots of Long attacks for the guys who stay outside the box. Or what ever you think. Assest FP damage after the round, make Breath controls and what not checks for the Damage. I would Say 1 FP damage for comabt, plus 1 extra FP per minute beyond 1 for the round based on HT roll (minus 1 per round after the first) and modify it with Fit and Very Fit. Also don't forget the cut man. A First Aid roll, made in a hurry to make it under a minute, so at a waht -5 or -10, i would say a cut man would have a Technique bought up for it. Also a Ring Doctor with high Diagnosis to deem wether their should be stopage. Then off to the next round.

With ST 11-12 a Boxer with Dx+2 skill can do 1d+1 damage with out gloves, 1d-1 with gloves, and 1d-3 for defensive attacks. This means 1-3 damage per blow on average. With out combinations the only good blows will be bad Defense rolls or Cirts really. The most common defense for one attack is going to be Parry and Retreat. Thats +3 to what ever parry they have, odds are they will parry, and then get out of range. Also factor in the Vasaline, which i would say give a few points of ablative DR to the Face.

Targeted Attacks to the Chin, Vitals(Liver and Kidneys), Head, Face would be important in that order.

[Verjigorm]

I wish we would use vaseline more often. Or at all. :)

[Ludo]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

Blows to the same arm can sap one's punching power as pain and fatigue meld into one horrible penalty.

Just bouncing off this remark. RAW states that for the sake of simplicity ST-based values should not be impacted by FP decreases below 1/3 Fatigue... Why that?! On precalculated sheets, and even on paper sheets, writing down a second line for "fatigued damages" is really easy.
When you see all the stuff in MA that make GURPS look like it's become a complex crunchy-bits game (like D&D), why not adding this closer-to-reality rule of damage reduction because of fatigue?

[Steev]

If we were feeling nasty we would undo the stiching in our gloves and footpads, take most of the padding out and then re stich them again.

Those were the days ....

[Ludo]

Originally Posted by Steev

If we were feeling nasty we would undo the stiching in our gloves and footpads, take most of the padding out and then re stich them again.

Those were the days ....

It's a bit like using too small gloves in MMA matches... No one ever does it...

[LynGrey]

Originally Posted by Lord Carnifex

I'd borrow a concept from 3e's MA. Boxing punches with gloves do full damage in FP. Lose all of your FP and you lose due to being too knocked out to continue.

This is something i disagree with. First off i have never been punched one time and felt like i couldn't go on anymore, or fatigued. I've never bene punched a few times and just felt DRAINED, i felt hurt, wobbly, or pain, but never tired and lifeless. That kicks in MUCH LATER.

Also due to scientific methodology and testing, the force of a punch with a boxing glove has the same force as a punch with out the glove. The only difference is the bigger surface dispursing the pressure along the surface, thus why the Chin is often targeted. (Its smaller than the head and face, and all the force from the glove is channeled into the chin) That and their are alot of tricks you can do with boxing glove to create damage that you couldn't do with out your hands.

With boxing for lengthy periods of time with out rest, i would start to impose fatigue rolls vs health because someone is going to tire soon. When you get to 1/3 HP you are pretty much out, your dodge is half and so is your move. So a move boxer is move 6, that greatly reduced his move and attack to get i and out, you probably want be burning ANY fatigue for Extra effort so if you do get an opening you can't capitalize on it. Also if its a long straight fight, you access the fatigue damage after the fight for encomburance... it can add up quick.