In boxing, a low blow is a punch that lands below the legal belt line, usually around the waistband/hip line and into the groin area. It’s a foul because those areas are off-limits and can cause serious pain or injury.

What counts

  • Any punch landing below the referee’s set belt/hip line can be called low.
  • The groin is always considered illegal target area.
  • In practice, referees often use the top of the trunks or the hip line as the visual marker during the bout.

What happens next

  • A referee may give a warning for a first offense.
  • Repeated or intentional low blows can lead to point deductions or disqualification.
  • If a fight ends because of a severe accidental low blow, the result can depend on how far the bout has gone and the rules being used.

Simple rule of thumb

If the punch lands on or below the waistband/hip line , it’s usually treated as a low blow; if it’s clearly on the body above that line, it’s generally legal.

TL;DR: In boxing, a low blow is any punch below the legal belt line, especially anything hitting the groin or below the waistband.