Boxing has an ancient history, with its roots in the hand-to-hand combat contests of Mesopotamia and ancient Greece, where it was included in the Olympic Games. The sport declined after the Roman Empire's fall but was revived in 16th-century England as bare-knuckle prizefighting. The modern era of boxing began with the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules in 1867, which mandated the use of gloves, set time limits for rounds, and established a standardized ring, making the sport safer and more strategic. Â