http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47jmOxzux-8
Pretty fuckin' cool, imo.
Wat?
Calling Jim Arvanitis!
Very cool, another thanks for posting.
Interesting... that standing hammerfist thing was a very common fight-ending move in pankration I believe, almost like their equivalent of an overhand right. I always wondered how effective it would be, maybe it's due to the gloves?
I have no idea what is going on here. It looks like some high school kids made up their own "boxing" style.
"The pankratiasts, my boy, practice a dangerous brand of wrestling. They have to endure black eyes ... and learn holds by which one who has fallen can still win, and they must be skillful in various ways of strangulation. They bend ankles and twist arms and throw punches and jump on their opponents." - Philostratos, On Gymnastics, second to third century A.D.
THE EVENT
The pankration, a form of extreme wrestling, was the last of the combat sports and among the last of all ancient sports to join the Olympic program. While it might seem the most violent Greek sport, the Greeks considered boxing more dangerous. If a man was entered in both events, he asked for the pankration to be scheduled first so he would not be worn out for boxing. Like other combat sports, pankration had no weight classes, rounds or time limit. A victor was declared when one man admitted defeat by raising an index finger.
Bouts began with both men standing but quickly gave way to ground wrestling. The genitals were not off limits. Only biting and eye gouging were against the rules, though there is evidence pankratiasts frequently tried to get away with both.
Leg and foot holds were common, as well as scissor holds, which not only put tremendous pressure on an opponent's midsection but left the hands free for strangling. It was this move that cost three-time champion Arrichion of Phigalia his life in the 54th Olympiad, in 564 B.C., but not before his opponent indicated he could not continue, making Arrichion the victor.
THE COMPETITION
At the beginning of a bout, opponents usually sparred with their hands and fists, twisting each other's arms and fingers. Sostratos of Sikyon, a three-time Olympic winner, became known as "Mr. Fingertips" for his habit of breaking his opponent's fingers at the start of a match, a tactic he picked up from the wrestler Leontiskos. Most of the altercations took place on the ground because no one wanted to suffer a heavy fall, so pankratiasts often practiced wrestling on their knees.
Because of its popularity, pankration was among the first sport to be taken over by professionals. By the end of the fourth century B.C., prize money at many of the local festivals was quite a bit more than for other events.
It's time that those fools evolve. 
I thought ancient Greek Boxing used kicks, knees and elbows too?
Dr Violence - Interesting... that standing hammerfist thing was a very common fight-ending move in pankration I believe, almost like their equivalent of an overhand right. I always wondered how effective it would be, maybe it's due to the gloves?
I don't know what effect the gloves had. Wiki says they were leather, but I also recall hearing stories that they were wrapped with stones over the knuckles as well, though that may have been a Roman invention added later. However, if the stones were there then I think that, more than anything, would account for the finishes. Even so, hammerfists like the ones in the video were pretty popular/effective in boxing before the queensberry rules went into effect.
Nevertheless, my favorite part of the video is the weaving hook the guy with blue shoes lands at :08. Pretty slick.
shanoknowsmma - I thought ancient Greek Boxing used kicks, knees and elbows too?
You're thinking of pankration.
In ancient boxing any strike with the hands was permitted, and they could hit anywhere on the body. If you notice at about :56 the guy with blue shoes delivers a sweet hammerfist to his opponent's leg.
thanks for the vid
I don't understand the wing chun style stuff... it seems like they are mimicing how those guys used to fight but how would you know that? From old vases and some written descriptions?
Missing Glove Tape - I also recall hearing stories that they were wrapped with stones over the knuckles as well, though that may have been a Roman invention added later.
Iron plates worn on the fists were Roman. I think it was called a Cestus or Caestus.
Why not just punch to the face like today?
Well, they make it look a lot more deadly than these guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifn3sHvPlx0&NR=1
PrettyBoy - Why not just punch to the face like today?
For the same reason bareknuckle boxers didn't punch to the face like today: breaking your hands.
Footwork looks terrible.
Only works against another ancient Greek boxer.
Lord Kancho -Missing Glove Tape - I also recall hearing stories that they were wrapped with stones over the knuckles as well, though that may have been a Roman invention added later.
Iron plates worn on the fists were Roman. I think it was called a Cestus or Caestus.
Ah, yes. Thanks for the clarification.
@PrettyBoy. I'm not sure what you're asking because they are punching to the face in the video. They're just really not sparring that hard. My guess is due to the lack of headgear. Or are you talking about stylistically? If so, LK's point about bareknuckle boxing is correct. Your hands won't hold up over the course of a fight, so you have to pick your shots and be trickier about it.
I dunno about the wing chun comments. Maybe Greek texts say something to the effect of stylistic rituals they abided by? That, or maybe the Greeks hadn't developed things like footwork yet.
They also didn't have time limits or judges. If a fight went on too long and it started getting dark, they would stop the match and take it in turns to throw haymakers at each other - no blocking allowed - until one guy went down.
funny I was thinking the same thing that it looks like one of the guys was trying to trap using wing chun and is using a lot of weird blocks and entering
funny I was thinking the same thing that it looks like one of the guys was trying to trap using wing chun and is using a lot of weird blocks and entering