Boxing is a dangerous sport to those on the receiving end of the punches as well as those throwing the punches. When the bones of the hand get compressed as punches are thrown, they can get damaged and broken. That's why trainers wrap their fighters' hands.
Protection
Handwraps protect the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments of the fighter. Some fighters will throw as many as 200 punches per round, and if the punch lands anything but squarely, the fighter's hand is in danger of getting hurt. That's why handwraps are used. They will protect the fighter's hands. The handwrap is not designed to cause damage to those on the receiving end of the punch.
Pre-fight Inspection
There have been occasions when a fighter and his trainer break the rules by adding a bit of concrete to the taping process. This can be devastating to the fighter on the receiving end of the punches. As a result, the referee in charge of the particular fight must inspect the fighter's hand wraps before the fighter's gloves are put on. The referee puts his initials on the wrap to show it has been approved.
Post-fight Inspection
After the fight is over, an official from the state boxing agency that is sanctioning the fight will look at the fighters' hands to make sure the wraps have been initialed by the referee. If the wraps don't match the way they were before the fight, the fighter is subject to suspension.
Over and Under
To wrap hands for a fight, start by wrapping the hands just above the wrist. It will take three wraps to cover the wrist. Once the wrist is covered, the first wrap should be around the back of the hand and then under the hand. Do this wrap three times and then do one wrap around the thumb. Go back around the hand until two-thirds of each finger are covered. Tie the wrap to finish the procedure. The wrap should be snug and secure, but not too tight. Fighters who have their wrap tied too tight lose circulation.
Finger Technique
Fighters who have had hand or finger injuries in the past might want to wrap each finger. This will provide greater protection to each finger, but it is a bit more difficult to manage. The wrapping technique starts with three wraps around the wrist and then moves to the thumb before getting to all the fingers. This wrap needs to be quite secure in order to protect each finger, but there is a danger of wrapping too tightly.
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