what is sparring?

In "sparring" the boxer or fighter is not attempting to defeat his opponent, he is in fact working on perfecting a certain type(s) of technique(s) that is part of his overall repertoire. This is one of the reasons that prize fighters work with a variety of "sparring partners" because each presents a difficulty that the fighter must learn to overcome by working a specific technique over and over again. In "sparring sessions both of the participants are not working at all out speed or power but on refined execution and honing of skills. These sessions are not "bouts".