"Origins of words" by Susie Dent, Countdown 29/01/18 (boxing, sport metaphors: pugilism, cadaver, Real McCoy)

Well, out for the count, not pulling any punches, below the belt, on the ropes, in your corner, saved by the bell - English has possibly more metaphors from the sport of boxing than almost any other, including football. Perhaps it's because it's captured the public imagination for many, many centuries, so they are carvings from ancient civilisations and they are alresdy wearing their tight wrist-straps to protect their bones. It was known to the Romans as pujilato. it was incredibly popular. That's what we get "pugilism" from, of course, and it was really impoltaint patr of gladiatorial sport. It was verey, very bloodthirsty, and the boxers would wear leather knuckle-dusters knowing as caestus, and they were really horrible. They were decided to shred the face and limbs of the opponent, and that word shared the ancient root with "cadaver", and did ultimately, usually the result in the death of one and huge adultation of the winner. We get not just all those expressions, but also some idioms as well, so the Real McCoy was certanly popularised by Kid McCoy, who was a very popular Anerican boxer. He was so much inpressionated, he went under the epithet the Real McCoy, cos that was really him. And as happy as Larry, again, he probably wasn't the originator, but Larry Foley was a very, very succesful boxer himself, and retired very early, so he too was happy. But the sport of wrestling is just as old, and its name come from Old English, but again, its ars goes back thousands and thousands of years and, again, you can find carvings representing the sport ever back then. Again, it's given us lots of expressions. They have lost their moorings somewhat, but no holds barred is one of them, and that refers to a no-holds-barred contest, quite obvious when you think about it, in which the usual rules are complitely lost or left behind, and competitors are permitted to use any means they can to throw their opponent, topple him or her, and keep their shoulders pinned to the floor. Before there were any regulations, wrestling was indeed a freeform affair, so you didn't even need to say no holds barred. But cage fighting, hardcore wrestling, they still have no holds barred, and the Hulk Hogan slogan was, of course, "No ring, no ref, no rules". Thst's pretty much what it is. But, yes, so many words come over from boxing. 

 - Why it called boxing?

 - It's a really good question, and it's a bit of a mystery. No-one knows. It probably comes from Old English, and maybe the idea of the clenched fist forming a box shape, but that's as far as we go.