Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
The creation of chessboxing
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November 18, 2023
9 minutes
Available for over a year
In 2003, Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh, came up with the idea of combining two of his passions – chess and boxing. Using the cerebral strategy of chess along with the physicality of boxing, the winner is decided by either a checkmate or knockout.
Ashley Byrne speaks to Jean-Louis Veenstra, who fought Rubingh at the inaugural World Chessboxing Championship in Amsterdam.
This is a Made in Manchester production for the BBC World Service.
(Photo: Ricky Rock and Jack Page in the ring during the Chessboxing 2012 Season Finale in London. Credit: Getty Images)