Comments Thread For: Scoring from the judges chair vs. scoring from the sofa

[BoxingUpdates]

Tom Schrek, a renowned referee and judge, delivers a fascinating insight into the differences between scoring a fight from ringside and scoring a fight from the comfort of one's living room
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[Corelone]

As if being surrounded by a crowd of blood thirsty fans isnt a consideration. The hometown hero gets all close rounds and some not so close. No sense jepordizing your health.

[Boxfan83]

They should add 2 judges to championship fights, lock them in a closed sound proof room to watch the fight with no commentary. It'd be interesting to see how they score vs. Ringside. Also, I've never understood why judges aren't polygraphed annually, a lot of time millions of dollars in bets are riding on their decision.

[JeBron Lamez]

As someone who has been to a great many fights & sat in every row from ringside to the nosebleeds, it is my firm opinion that judging fights is the same from any angle that has a clear view.

The countless fights I've watched from the sofa reinforce this opinion.

Close fights are close fights, it's the blatant robberies we hate.

Professional boxing is corrupt.

Professional boxing judges are paid for their supposed ability to discern what is landing, and their fearlessness/bravery in remaining unswayed by crowd/corner noise so cry me a facking river with this whole let's-make-excuses-for-people-who-take-bribes mess.

[Bob]

Great insight into the differences between ringside & tv.

I've thought for a while boxing needs to test like the recent AI, 2 TV judges, possibly studio judges. A professional set up where ex boxers/professional judges can watch an uninfluenced feed of the fight. Can't be any worse that what we have.

[SteveM]

Definitely it's harder to score from ringside. Has judging even moved on from a century ago? Weren't judges sat ringside a hundred years ago? Meanwhile boxers are for the most part more athletic and things happen quicker. Meanwhile we have tv and monitors. Did we always have ring card girls .... we do now. Judging doesn't seem to have moved with the times at all.

The obvious solution is to have judges, at least in important fights, judge using monitors - but that is too obvious so it will never catch on.

So failing the implementation of the obvious lets just keep it as it is now but make it easier for the ringside judges.

1. I can quite sympathize with the ropes getting in the way. So lets just get rid of them. Immediately a better view for judges and crowd and an overall better entertainment experience.
2. Fighters turning their backs on a judge is just down-right inconsiderate. Deduct a point after more than three infringements.
3. No sitting on stools. If you can't stand for an hour then you're too old to be a judge.
4. Ring card girls are a distraction for everyone but you should already have scored the round before they climb up. How about scoring them as well to liven things up.
5. Those pesky trainers trying to influence you (even though you should have marked the round before they start yapping) All corner communication to be done in sign language going forward.

[DeeMoney]

If he thinks watching a fight from your sofa gives you better angles then he clearly hasnt watched fights on espn.

Their producers vacillate from directly overhead of the ring, to zoomed in on one of the fighters backs.

Thanks art school student, just stick with the same angle weve been using for the past century and you'll be fine

[Joseph]

The key difference is I never want to strangle myself when scoring a fight from my sofa.

Ringside judges, however...

[RGONZALES69]

These are all good points but I'm not too sure... or maybe I'm a terrible judge. Because I tend to score the fights when I'm watching on TV and most times my scorecard is close to at least two of the judges score cards. That being said I totally ignore the punch stats especially the percentages which I always thought was ******.