Why is it called a boxing ring when the shape is a square?

Can someone please provide some history towards the usage of 'boxing ring'? As we know, the boxing ring is in fact a square. Just wondering does the ring date back to traditional battles in Ancient Roman times and the sport of boxing simply utilized?

Solution 1:

ring OED

A space, originally defined by a circle of spectators, now within a roped square on a raised platform, for a boxing match, wrestling match, etc. Also more fully boxing ring (see boxing n.2)

as in:

1654 M. Stevenson Occasions Off-spring 'To a drunken Porter reeling into the Ring to wrastle with a Taylor.'

Although boxing matches are now conducted in square-shaped areas, such spaces are still called ‘rings’. The Pugilistic Society introduced the first square ring in the year 1838, which was basically a 7.3-meter (24 feet) square. This is another reason why the ring where two boxers fight is also sometines referred to as the ‘square circle’.