Beard regulations ???

[Skyway71]

I'm just wondering why they let Caleb Plant go in the ring with his beard but make Adrien Broner shave his off before entering the ring. What's up with that? Too much inconsistency in the sport gets tiring.

[_original_]

I remember reading that it's up to the opponent.

[Sweet Scions]

I'm all for consistency either way, but my thoughts on beard-as-advantage theory can be distilled to:
Yeah, my graying beard is the majestic shield that makes the difference between Deontay Wilder liquifying my brain or not. That's it.

I think you get the gist.

[Sweet Scions]

...that's how I feel about beard as cushion at least, which is what I remember being cited as the main concern when I've seen the topic of facial hair in combat sports crop up before. But I can defnitely see other ways in which it could it be advantageous, or at least disadvantage to opponent. As a trap for sweat and debris that could really mess up an opponent in the clench by obscuring vision. Or by way of additional "splash" from the beard on punch impact. Maybe?

[Blond Beast]

Yeah I mean I’d be more concerned with thick tight dreadlocks, or knotted breads on the side of the head being more of a cushion, but they’d have to be an amount of hair equivalent to adding noticeable weight to a glove. But u can add Vaseline to a beard also. Still I don’t think a regular beard can be much of a quantifiable advantage. If u had a long beard and rolled it into tight curls against ur chin then yes I could see that as an advantage. Princess Leia’s hairdo would be an advantage most likely.

[repsa]

The only beard regulations imposed by commissions is that you can not have a beard on your forehead, I think.

[TBear]

The only beard regulations imposed by commissions is that you can not have a beard on your forehead, I think.

But in Nevada you can't have on your back or shoulders.

[Dariusz]

If you're good, you'd KO a bearded guy. If you're bad you'd be KOd even with a huge beard.

[Citizen Koba]

...that's how I feel about beard as cushion at least, which is what I remember being cited as the main concern when I've seen the topic of facial hair in combat sports crop up before. But I can defnitely see other ways in which it could it be advantageous, or at least disadvantage to opponent. As a trap for sweat and debris that could really mess up an opponent in the clench by obscuring vision. Or by way of additional "splash" from the beard on punch impact. Maybe?

I've seen the argument that a beard could irritate the opponents eyes (in the case of a longer beard) or any cuts in the clinch, which actually seems a considerably more legitimate concern than the 'punch cushion' theory which to me seems flat ridiculous. It ain't gonna protect you from the impact of a punch but it might offer some protection from grazes or abrasions and conversely make the opponents face more likely to graze or redden when the heads rub together.

[Sweet Scions]

I've seen the argument that a beard could irritate the opponents eyes (in the case of a longer beard) or any cuts in the clinch, which actually seems a considerably more legitimate concern than the 'punch cushion' theory which to me seems flat ridiculous. It ain't gonna protect you from the impact of a punch but it might offer some protection from grazes or abrasions and conversely make the opponents face more likely to graze or redden when the heads rub together.

The abrasion angle is s good point, hadn't really considered that one. I agree that of all potential anti-beard arguments, cushion definitely feels the most preposterous by a landslide. It's hair. Thin and flimsy, barely more a buffer than the air between the opponent's first and my chin. It will provide about as much resistance to punches thrown with purpose and resolve as a post-it note stuck to my chin.