A boxing punch delivered upward with a bent arm, typically aimed at an opponent's chin or body.
Compound word formed from 'upper' and 'cut' in the mid-19th century. 'Cut' was boxing slang for a punch, and 'upper' referred to the upward direction, distinguishing it from straight punches or hooks.
The uppercut is considered one of the most devastating punches in boxing because it travels along the opponent's blind spot and can lift them off their feet. The punch mimics the natural motion of chopping wood upward, which is why early boxers called punches 'cuts.'
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