There are 5 stages of grief.
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.
While, I do understand that this is not meant for boxing, it does has relevance to a boxing fan. Human error and mistake happen when individuals are making decisions and choices in a split second. Whether it be a football penalty, business decision or a boxing scorecard, decisions and choices are made in split seconds and sometimes from the outside looking in seems to be the incorrect calls at times. When we as fans view the complete incompetence of a ref or judge most of the time we get angry and frustrated by the sport we love.
While we as fans and spectators have the ability to watch it from the confines of our couch with the ability to see replays, compubox stats and at times biased agendas from commentators, judges do not have the same convenience or annoyance depending on ones outlook. Judges must sit ringside, follow the rules of whichever sanctioning body is regulating the bout and have little to no emotion during the fight. Sounds easy enough however while most fans are pulling for one fighter or another that also can sway fans opinion in to seeing more of what their fighter is doing and less of what the other fighter is doing; fans expect the judges to be unbiased. This to me is the denial of a boxing.
However, should the judges be faulted if they prefer a certain style over another? While judges are expected to follow the rules, can there be leeway in how one judge scores a round versus another judge? Yes. It’s obvious when fans watch any close and exciting fight that the judges are going to judge a different way and sometimes a round that was controlled by one fighter may be awarded for his ring generalship while the more aggressive fighter who may be following and perhaps landing the harder shots may be awarded the same round by another judge because of his aggressive style and landing of the harder punches.
Who is right and who is wrong?
Questions like these in many fights as of late are a hot topic once again. While bad calls are nothing new, bad calls and questionable referring are coming under more scrutiny and fans are taking the anger out in social media outlets, chat rooms and on boxing podcasts.
However even with the public outcry for more stringent judging and for more competent judges in general, it seems little changes will be made by any of the sanctioning bodies.
For myself, I am in the acceptance stage. While I know not all fights are called bad it does seem that there are some very questionable scorecards that have been recorded lately. On the other hand, I also gave Williams the Lara fight, almost.
While it is easier said than done, judging is far from being easy or simple. Human error is natural, one’s instincts and thought process is completely different than everyone else’s and because as obvious and it may seem to one person is the exact opposite for another. Judging is a part of the sport than can make a boxing fan go crazy sometimes fans can get angry or even depressed as to how bad calls are made in the sport we know and love.
In the end. Acceptance is the only thing left. I accept the fact that sometimes the better fighter doesn’t always win, sometimes scorecards are closer than they should be and sometimes fighters don’t let it go to the scorecards and finish the jobs themselves. That’s one I like the most.
And then…
My beloved Broncos traded Tim Tebow to the Jets… In return the Broncos got Payton Manning. Hate to see Tebow go but it was the right move. I hope.
There is something about spring that gets me excited for boxing.
Rest in Peace Mr. Burt Sugar.
All Photos by Stacey Verbeek