Why do some boxers tap their foreheads during a fight?

Question

an example would be Jermain Taylor. i remember seeing other boxers do it too but can't recall their name right now.

Answer 1

Its a form of intimidation, like after sucssesfully bobbing of weaving, saying "come on, this is where you should hit me"

Answer 2

It's an acupunture method and stops pain.

Answer 3

usually it is a sign from the fighter to the ref that he's getting headbutted by his opponent........he's trying to put the thought into the refs head and hopefully draw a warning and then later on a point deduction.

or right after someone gets cut they are sometimes so bothered by it that they paw at the cut over and over.

Answer 4

because the other guy isnt hitting him hard enough

Answer 5

They may be checking for blood.  Muhammad Ali did this tapping of the forehead alot.  I think for him it was a reflexive action.  He always seemed to do it in every fight.

P4Lb. seems to have a pretty good answer.

Answer 6

In the case of Ali, after taking a blow to the front of his headgear in training he'd tap the headgear with his right glove to actually push it up............it was a reflex action that carried through to his bouts. Even if the punch had no real affect, it remained an unconscience reflex action.

Answer 7

Boxers tap their foreheads out of habit.  This instinct is drilled in to them.  It encourages a boxer to keep their hands up.  Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson are great examples.  Joe always brought that hand up and Tyson would always start back with "earmuffs".

Answer 8

ALL these anwsers are wrong, No offense

Heres the real anwser, The reason why you see boxers tapping there heads, cheeks even chins is because

they are Measuring there hands,

What i mean is after like 6 rounds you start to loose the sensation or feeling in your arms because your keeping them  up for so long. Also throwing many punches

By tapping there forehead, cheek or chin they can find out if there hands are to low or to high.

Jermain taylor is a Perfect example, as you said

Answer 9

to see if they hear a rattle?