The practice, art, or sport of boxing and fighting with fists; pugilism in general.
From fisticuff with the suffix -ery meaning 'the practice or art of.' This abstract noun became common in English during the 19th century to describe boxing culture as a whole.
The term 'fisticuffery' made boxing sound like it was a refined art form worthy of universities and academies—when really it was just two people trying to knock each other out!
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