Rabbit punch

This article is about the illegal boxing move. For the 1948 cartoon, see Rabbit Punch. For the video game, see Rabio Lepus.

A rabbit punch is a blow delivered to the back of the head or to the base of the skull, notorious for its potential to cause severe and irreversible injuries, including spinal cord injury or even instant death.

Rabbit Punch
A depiction of a rabbit punch, an illegal strike to the back of the head.
Martial art	Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Etymology

The term "rabbit punch" dates back to the early 20th century,^[1] which derives from a hunting technique where a quick, sharp strike to the back of a rabbit's head was used to ensure a swift kill without damaging the fur, considered a humane method for killing injured or trapped rabbits.^[2]

Legality and risks

Rabbit punches are illegal across all major combat sports, including boxing,^[3] MMA,^[4] and other combat sports^[5] that involve striking due to the significant risk they pose to the spinal cord and brain stem. Such strikes can lead to catastrophic injuries, including paralysis, severe brain damage, or death, due to the vulnerability of the back of the head and neck area. The only exceptions are no-holds-barred events such as the International Vale Tudo Championship (prior to rule changes in mid-2012).^[6]

Notable incidents

Several high-profile incidents have underscored the dangers of rabbit punches:

• On October 17, 2015, Prichard Colón, a well known boxer, was rabbit punched on the back of the head multiple times by his opponent, Terrel Williams, during a boxing match in the United States. During the match, Colón experienced dizziness as a result of the illegal punches. After the match ended, Colón began to tremble from his legs and started to vomit. He was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with brain bleeding and underwent surgery. He was in a coma for 221 days (7 months, 1 week) until he was transferred to his mother's house. As a result of the injuries he sustained, Colón fell into a persistent vegetative state where he no longer could move or talk. As of July 2021, 6 years after the fight, Colón is making more progress and is getting treatment for his condition, but is still expected to remain in a vegetative state.^[7]
• Francisco Leal died from severe brain and brain stem damage in 2013 after a match with Raul Hirales, where a rabbit punch was involved.^[8]

• On June 29, 2014, soccer referee John Bieniewicz was punched in the neck by Baseel Abdul Amir Saad, an upset player in an amateur match he was officiating in Livonia, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Bieniewicz died two days later of his injuries, and Saad was charged with second-degree murder.^[9] Bieniewicz's autopsy showed that the force of the impact on the left side of his neck just below the base of his skull had resulted in a rare injury with twisted and torn arteries around the base of his skull, knocking him out before he hit the ground. ^[10] In 2015, Saad pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a sentence of 8 to 15 years in prison.^[11]

• Lin Yu-Ting Incident (2024 Summer Olympics). On August 8, 2024, during the women's featherweight semifinal at the Paris Olympics, Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting was involved in a controversy for allegedly using a rabbit punch against Turkish opponent Esra Yildiz Kahraman. Lin reportedly struck Kahraman in the back of the head repeatedly while Kahraman was turned and on the ropes, an action viewed by some as a clear rabbit punch.^[12]

Penalties and enforcement

See also

• Donkey punch
• Whiplash injury

References

1. "Rabbit punch". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
2. Langer, Richard. "Extract from "Grow it!"". www.motherearthnews.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2004.
3. Brown, Clifton (15 November 2004). "Lots of Fighting, but Little Resolution for Boxing's Heavyweights". The New York Times.
4. "NJ State Athletic Control Board – Proposed Rules – Rules Governing Boxing, Extreme Wrestling and Sparring Exhibitions and Performance Bond Procedure". Nj.gov. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
5. "USMTA Briefing on Muay Thai Rules for Competitive Fighters, 2006 – 2010 Edition" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 May 2013.
6. "Sergio Batarelli's IVC to return – Mixed Martial Arts News". Mixedmartialarts.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
7. McManus, Leigh (August 2021). "Where is Prichard Colon in 2021? Will the former boxer recover?". The Focus. GRV Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
8. "Boxer Dies 3 Days After Knockout". HuffPost. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
9. "Man accused of fatally punching Mich. referee due in court". Associated Press. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
10. "Judge: Man should've known punch could kill soccer ref". Detroit Free Press. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
11. "Bassel Saad, Soccer Player, Sentenced in Killing of Referee". NBC Nightly News. NBC News. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
12. "Lin Yu-ting heavily booed and accused of 'illegal punch' as Olympic boxing row rages on". GB News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.