A Boxing Lexicon ::: The Letter C

Can bang with both hands: a phrase used to describe a fighter capable of landing hard punches with either hand

Canvas: the muslin cloth covering a wooden platform creating a boxing ring

Carrying the fight: term used to identify the fighter who initiates or forces the action during a bout

Carrying an opponent: a term used for a fighter who delays knocking out his opponent so as to give the fans a better show

Catch weight fight: a prize fight were fighters complete at whatever weight they are most comfortable at regardless of the opponent's weight.

Caught in the corner: a fighter who is backed into a corner by his opponent and can not fight or maneuver his way out

Champ: see “Champion”

Champion: a fighter identified or recognized as the best in his weight class; may be considered 'lineal' or a sanctioning body representative, see 'claimant'

Championship fight: a prize fight in which there is a recognized championship title at stake

Championship rounds denotes the extra rounds added to a prize fight to distinguish it as a championship bout; in a 15 round fight the championship rounds would be the 13th, 14th, and 15th rounds; a 12 round fight, the 11th and the 12th only

Claimant: a fighter designated a champion by a sanctioning body

Clinch: denotes when one fighter attempt to stop the action by grabbing his opponent’s arms; illegal act but commonly deployed

Clinching: see 'clinch'

Combination: throwing two or more punches in succession

Came to fight: denotes a fighter who is initiating the action during the bout

'Come on fight' common phrase heard from audience members not satisfied with the extent of the action occurring in the bout

Comeback fight: a fight in which one of the contestants has recently suffered a setback and is seeking redemption

Controversial decision: a judges' decision the fans do not agree with

Counter punch: a punch thrown in retaliation of an opponent's lead punch

Counter puncher: a fighter who prefers to retaliate instead of leading punches

Counted out: denotes a fighter who has lost by knock out KO; a fighter fails to rise from the canvas before the referee has completed a 'ten count'

Crossed fighter: a 19th century term ( bare knuckle fighter) who agrees to throw a fight (fixed fight); called a 'tanker' in the modern lexicon; related to the term 'double crosser' which denotes a fighter who does not deliver the expected lose bargained for

Cruiserweight: weight class between light-heavyweight and heavyweight; usually contested at 190 lbs.

Cut man: a trained 'second' responsible for tending to a fighter’s cuts between rounds