Many people enjoy boxing, and some of the biggest heavyweight fights get a lot of attention on pay-per-view. They grow into massive public spectacles, and seeing the pros duke it out in the ring is nothing short of thrilling.
The problem is that the sport may be perplexing, and it can be difficult to understand what is going on within the ring. We understand that if one person gets knocked down for an extended period of time, the other person wins, but who knows exactly How Boxing Is Scored?
It’s a little more complicated than you might imagine, but let’s try to simplify it. Here’s an explanation from the Legendary Boxing club of how the boxing point system works.
Was there always a scoring system in boxing?
The sport we know and love today is nothing like it was when it first began. Boxing has been documented since the ancient Egyptian and Mayan civilizations.
Originally, the sport was played on wide areas of land, with spectators forming a sort of “living arena.” They usually lasted until a fighter was gravely hurt, or until they were the last one left standing.
Although modern boxing contests can be brutal, competitors are rarely seriously wounded in the ring. This is due to technological advances in equipment and clothing, such as padded gloves that protect hands from damage.
As a result, boxers can usually remain a little longer in the ring, and knockouts aren’t as common as they once were. Boxing leagues have established a scoring system to choose a winner at the end of each fight in order to adapt.
How Do the Points Function?
You’ve probably heard a boxing referee announce the final score of a boxing contest. A recent battle between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, for example, resulted in a score of 170 to 111. But what does that actually mean?
Every professional boxing contest has three ringside judges who administer the scoring. These scores are based on a system known as the “Ten must system.” This means that the fighter deemed the round’s winner wins ten points. Normally, the loser receives nine points. In some cases, when a round is deemed equal, both athletes may score a 10. At the end of each round, these scores are provided to a ringside official.
After 12 complete rounds, all of these scores are added together to determine the ultimate champion. So, if one judge determines that Fighter A won nine rounds in total, they will receive 90 points. This would imply that they lost three rounds, for a total of 27 points. Added together, Fighter A would receive 117 points.
How Is a Winner Selected?
If all three judges agreed that Fighter A had a point advantage over Fighter B, they would be crowned champions. However, if only two judges rule in favor of A, it is termed a split decision victory.
In rare cases, the judges may disagree with the outcome of the match. As with Fury and Wilder in 2018, one judge found in Fury’s favor, one in Wilder’s favor, and one in a tie. As a result, there was a Split Decision Draw.
Scores can and do differ from the average 10-9 result. If Fighter A is able to knock out Fighter B, the score may be 10-8. If you do it again, it becomes 10-7. This can be repeated if a certain amount of knockdowns occur in any given round.
Some sports commissions use a three-knockdown rule, which means that if a combatant is knocked down three times in a round, it is an automatic knockout. The four major boxing commissions, however, do not follow this guideline.
Points may also be docked if a combatant repeatedly violates regulations that the referee deems unjust.
What Are the Judges Trying to Find?
When it comes to determining who will win the boxing round, there is generally little doubt. You can usually tell just by watching, and clearly, if your favorite athlete is knocked to the ground, it usually implies things aren’t going well.
However, it can be difficult to explain why certain fighters win those close rounds. Throughout the tournament, the judges have noticed the following:
Aggression That Works
When you look at a fighter, you could observe that they are throwing a lot of punches, pushing their opponent into a corner, and taking an aggressive approach. However, if their blows aren’t landing and their opponent is able to counter their attacks, they won’t win the round.
The watchword here is “effective,” and judges are seeking to determine if a fighter can approach with accuracy and precision. It is demonstrated by landing blows while going forward.
Defense
This is frequently forgotten in boxing, but it is equally crucial while playing offensive. One of the most crucial skills to learn is proper defense.
It is distinguished by the ability to duck, dodge, bob and weave, parry, and block. If a boxer can effectively avoid getting hit by punches, they can not only maintain their endurance for the rest of the bout, but they can also reduce their opponent’s effective aggression score.
Generalship in the Ring
In every boxing bout, one opponent appears to have complete control over the action, play style, and tone of the spar. This person is known as the ring general, and it can earn them extra points from the judges. Essentially, the fighter is the one who forces the other person to fight.
This can be difficult to notice if you are unfamiliar with the intricacies of boxing. After just a few boxing fitness lessons, you should be able to identify the ring general in any contest.
Punches that are hard and clean
When most people watch a boxing match, they believe they can readily discern when a boxer is properly landing blows or nailing their opponent. However, this is a bit more complicated than you may assume.
A “clean” blow is one that does not get blocked and landed on an opponent. When a punch makes a loud noise and appears to make an impact, it may have only hit their glove or hardly made any contact at all. A punch is not considered clean if it does not land flush on an opponent.
The number of punches fired, like effective aggression, is less important than the number of blows that land.
Are the results ever contested?
You may have noticed one thing about all of the score criteria: they are all subjective. Basketball, for example, is much easier to predict the outcome of a game because it is based on quantitative data such as a ball entering the net. However, in boxing, everything is entirely contingent on the judges’ judgments.
It can make it difficult for some ringside officials to decide who wins during a given match. This is why the judges sometimes disagree on their scores, resulting in mixed results.
What Is the Process for Becoming a Boxing Judge?
If judging a boxing match seems as thrilling to you as it does to us, you should think about applying to be one! The criteria to become a judge or referee vary by state, although there are no official educational requirements to fill the job in general.
However, if you are authorized, you must go through training to verify that you can do the job safely and correctly. It would be beneficial to have some background, so consider taking a free boxing fitness class to get your foot in the door!
Recap
Boxing did not previously have such a complicated scoring system, which is a good thing! Boxers are graded on a point scale ranging from 0 to 10, with most fighters receiving a ten or a nine depending on whether they win or lose.
These points are awarded based on how many times a boxer is knocked down. At the end of each game, three judges assign point values to each participant, and at the completion of twelve rounds, these points are totaled up to select a winner. These points are determined by four factors: successful attack, defense, ring generalship, and clean punches.
Because the assessments are subjective, the outcomes may be contested by the judges. When this occurs, the game may conclude in a draw, a disputed win, or a variety of other outcomes, depending on the conclusion.
So, when it comes down to it, it’s not all that perplexing! Keep these guidelines in mind the next time you watch your favorite fighters on TV, because they may change your perspective on the game.
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