Modern scientific approaches to the analysis of competitive activity in boxing

Abstract

Purpose: to generalise and systematise contemporary scientific approaches to the analysis of competitive activity in boxing. Material and Methods. The study was based on the analysis and synthesis of modern scientific and methodological sources devoted to the investigation of boxers’ competitive activity. The literature search was conducted using scientometric databases (in particular Google Scholar), open-access scientific repositories, and specialised international journals, applying relevant search queries in both Ukrainian and English. Scientific articles, systematic reviews, and dissertation studies addressing technical-tactical, physiological, biomechanical, and psychophysiological aspects of competitive activity in boxing were included in the analysis. Comparative and structural-logical methods were used to systematise the selected sources and to identify the main research directions. Results. The analysis of scientific literature demonstrated that contemporary studies of competitive activity in boxing are characterised by a comprehensive and multidimensional approach. The key research areas include the identification of performance indicators, analysis of technical-tactical actions, determination of factors influencing victory, and the impact of athletes’ individual characteristics. It was established that the most informative indicators of performance are the number and accuracy of punches, the effectiveness of offensive and defensive actions, as well as the variability of technical-tactical decisions during a bout. The findings indicate that successful boxers demonstrate higher technical efficiency, greater attacking activity, and more rational tactical behaviour. At the same time, competitive activity indicators vary depending on athletes’ qualification level, sex, age, and weight category. Additionally, a growing body of research focuses on physiological, biomechanical, and psychophysiological aspects, expanding the understanding of the structure of competitive performance in boxing. Conclusions. The generalisation of modern scientific approaches allows competitive activity in boxing to be considered as a multifactorial system formed by the interaction of technical-tactical, functional, and psychophysiological components. Technical efficiency, punch accuracy, and activity volume are identified as the most significant determinants of performance. At the same time, current research trends highlight the need for integrating different analytical approaches, which provides a basis for improving the objectivity of performance assessment and optimising the training process in boxing.