Even Rounds Would Help Clear Some Of The Confusion

By Frank Lotierzo

15.09 - Due to a family emergency I did not see the De La Hoya-Mosley rematch last night. I would love to be able to give an opinion on the fight, but I can't. I know that I picked De La Hoya to win, and that makes me 0-2 picking both fights between De La Hoya and Molsey. However, from what I've been told and have read, I feel certain of one thing, boxing judges must be allowed to score even rounds. It seems that the outcome of a close fight has become quite controversial. Scoring even rounds would help rid the possibility of one fighter getting the edge in all the questionable rounds.

Even rounds have been a part of boxing since the adoption of the Marquis of Queenesberry rules. And in my opinion, it makes all the sense in the world. Today boxing judges are forced to pick a winner in every round regardless of how close it is. I think this is utterly ridiculous.

When two world-class championship caliber fighters are facing each other and are in top shape, it is almost impossible not to have one or two rounds in which neither fighter clearly had the advantage over the other. Why must judges be forced to pick a winner? All this does is tilt the fight in favor of one of the fighters who really might not have deserved the benefit of the doubt.

If judges scored even rounds, it would make the rounds that were clear stand out more. When a judge awards a round to a fighter that he had to split hairs over, he's committing a grave injustice to the loser. How do we know that he's not shading it towards the fighter he likes better? That's how you get lopsided decisions! If a judge gives all the questionable rounds to the same fighter, then it's easy to see how these decisions turn into such a farce.

From all reports, it appears that there were many rounds in the De La Hoya-Mosley rematch that were very close and could have been scored for either fighter. If they were really that close, then it makes sense to me that they should be scored even. This way, neither of the fighters gets hurt or gains an undeserved advantage.

When I score fights, I score even rounds and usually have one or two of them in my final score. I don't want to hear the crap that I have to make a decision, or I must revert to ring-generalship, or defense. The fact is, if there is no clean punching or effective aggression being exhibited, then it's splitting hairs deciding who gets the round. I don't think fights should be awarded for split hairs!

I have a rule that I force myself to follow when scoring a fight. If I haven't decided who should be awarded the round by the start of the next round, I score it even. I think even rounds are self-evident. I look at it this way, if I'm not decisive on whose round it is after watching it for three minutes, and thinking it over during the minute in-between rounds, then to me that's a definite even round!

With all that being said, not being allowed to score even rounds is just part of the problem in scoring fights. However, I really believe that even rounds exist and are a legitimate part of the boxing scoring system. Giving the judges another tool to render a fair and just decision can only help boxing.

Some may say that the controversy over the scoring of De La Hoya-Mosley II is good because boxing is being discussed. Personally, I don't see it that way. All the talk is negative, and I've heard some hard core fight fans saying that they are fed up with boxing and are comparing it to wrestling's WWE. This cannot be considered a good thing.

Since we rarely see the top fighters in each division facing each other, De La Hoya-Mosley II gave boxing fans something to look forward to and get excited about. Now in the aftermath of the fight, we're discussing biased scoring and the stench of what has the perception of being an unjust decision?

Since I didn't see the fight I can only go by what I've been told by friends and colleagues. I have spoke with six people whose opinion I value and respect. Five of them scored the fight 7-5 De La Hoya, and the other scored it 6-4-2 for Mosley. Two of them were at the fight, the other four watched the PPV telecast.