Comments Thread For: Should boxing judges have experience as boxers?

[BoxingUpdates]

It?s a fair question: Should someone who judges a professional boxing match have ever stepped into the ring themselves?
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[SouthpawRight]

Yes because clean punching is king per the rules

pros have first hand experience in what kind of punches landed cleanly

no he does not win the round because he came forward and threw punches that are defended

not if his opponent out clean punched him

Most pros I’ve heard had Bivol beating Artur twice because he out clean punched him both times

I miss the hbo days where they’d review the rules of scoring boxing round by round before each major match

nowadays many fans teenie boppers and old farts too dunno how to score

to make matters worse they misinform people who don’t know any better

[Grandma Lover]

No! They just need to be held accountable for the blatantly terrible scores. Refs too for obvious side money they take.

[Boxing 112]

No. How many times have you disagreed with a ex boxers opinion of how a fight goes? Just cause they boxed doesn't make they're an expert in judging

[SteveM]

Yes because clean punching is king per the rules

pros have first hand experience in what kind of punches landed cleanly

no he does not win the round because he came forward and threw punches that are defended

not if his opponent out clean punched him

Most pros I’ve heard had Bivol beating Artur twice because he out clean punched him both times

I miss the hbo days where they’d review the rules of scoring boxing round by round before each major match

nowadays many fans teenie boppers and old farts too dunno how to score

to make matters worse they misinform people who don’t know any better

clean punching isn't the be all and end all - they have to be effective too or it's not effective aggression. Bivol's punches aren't pitter-patter punches but they had very little effect on Beterbiev much less deter him - they didn't deter him. Artur threw and landed less but visibly effected Bivol especially the 2nd half of the first fight.

[SteveM]

No. How many times have you disagreed with a ex boxers opinion of how a fight goes? Just cause they boxed doesn't make they're an expert in judging

ex boxers are some of the worst in picking who will win a fight - they are too invested in styles, attitudes - if they carry that into a fight that they're judging then they'd mess up.
Recently Andy Lee, excellent trainer though he is, was commentating and doing the score card for Ball vs Goddman - he had Goodman far ahead - I think he saw a boxer-puncher in Goodman and related to that. Ball being a stalker-slugger, he couldn't recognise the quality of his work.

[El_Mero]

It would help but I don't think they need it. What refs/judges need it bi-annual trainings

[SUBZER0ED]

Don't judges go to judge school or something, where the nuances of boxing and what to look for is taught? That, and having an experienced judge take student judges to various fights for OJT?

[SouthpawRight]

ex boxers are some of the worst in picking who will win a fight - they are too invested in styles, attitudes - if they carry that into a fight that they're judging then they'd mess up.
Recently Andy Lee, excellent trainer though he is, was commentating and doing the score card for Ball vs Goddman - he had Goodman far ahead - I think he saw a boxer-puncher in Goodman and related to that. Ball being a stalker-slugger, he couldn't recognise the quality of his work.

depends on the individual ex boxer

I’ve seen Robert Garcia score for the mover despite his personal specialty of training come forward close quarters fighters

then you have Shawn P who was a swarmer and too biased for coming forward

Don't judges go to judge school or something, where the nuances of boxing and what to look for is taught? That, and having an experienced judge take student judges to various fights for OJT?

learn as you go

some start by judging amateur bouts and work there way up from there

[SouthpawRight]

In conclusion requiring judges be boxers would make for better judging. They know what a clean punch is

This new system would be improved over time as the ultra biased boxers turned judges get replaced

Floyd has incredible eye contact with what’s going on in the ring. I’d nominate Floyd for boxing judge if it wasn’t one of his fighters