Agitated drapers exchanged blows (7)

I believe the answer is:

sparred

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'exchanged blows' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are past participle verbs, I can't understand how one could define the other.

'agitated drapers' is the wordplay.
'agitated' indicates anagramming the letters.
'drapers' anagrammed gives 'SPARRED'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sparred that I've seen before include "Boxed; argued" , "Fought" , "Did train at boxing" .)

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