2011: A Year Of Crazy Cards!

By James Slater: Crazy cards, as in crazy score-cards turned in by the three judges at ringside. This year, we have unfortunately witnessed way too many bad decisions; some as blatantly bad as any in boxing’s rich history. Where to begin? With the worst, the craziest first, I guess.

Back in July, we saw Paul Williams “win” a 12-round majority verdict over Erislandy Lara. Not one expert at ringside agreed with the two judges who gave the fight to “The Punisher” – by scores of 116-114 and 115-114 respectively. The third judge, who had it all even at 114-114, wasn’t much better.

Lara totally dominated the action, he landed the significant punches all night long and he busted up Williams. This one was bad. Very bad. At least the judges were suspended afterwards as a result of the controversy their work inspired.

What about the majority verdict superstar Manny Pacquiao was awarded at the conclusion of his third fight with archrival Juan Manual Marquez? Almost as bad as the Williams-Lara fiasco, Pac-Man was seen as the loser in the opinion of just about every boxing expert. Marquez stormed out of the ring upon hearing the decision in November, and after the way he’d outboxed, out-skilled and outclassed Pacquiao for the lion’s share of the 12 rounds, who could blame him?

British boxing saw two of its best come home from abroad having been treated unfairly after putting on win-worthy showings. Back in June, Matthew Macklin took it to WBA middleweight champ Felix Sturm all night long. Fast out of the blocks and landing heavy work right to the final bell, Macklin was given the nod on just one of the three judges’ cards. “Loser” by way of split decision, Macklin found out all about the bad decisions that can occur in Germany.

Heavyweight Dereck Chisora, meanwhile, was the victim of an even worse decision back on December 3rd, “Del Boy” took the risky-looking assignment that was a fight with red-hot, unbeaten hope Robert Helenius. Fans on this website wrote how “The Nordic Nightmare” was a cinch to KO the Londoner in Finland. Instead, Chisora got inside and totally dominated the Finn. One expert, Dan Rafael, called the split decision Helenius was awarded “a screamer.” Rafael had it ten rounds to 2 for “Del Boy!” Now that shows you how bad the given verdict really was!

Have I missed out any of 2011’s blatant robberies? If I have I apologise. Which is just what certain boxing judges should be doing right now!