Okay, so I’ve been trying to get a really good handle on how judges score boxing matches, especially after that killer David Benavidez fight. I decided to do a deep dive and create my own “David Benavidez scorecard” system, just to see if I could keep up with the pros.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a bunch of blank scorecards online. Just plain, simple ones. Nothing fancy. I printed out a few, thinking I’d probably mess up a couple of times. I also pulled up some old Benavidez fights on my laptop. You know, just to have something to actually score.
The Scoring System (My Version)
- Round-by-Round: I knew I had to focus on each round individually. No getting ahead of myself.
- 10-Point Must: This is the standard, right? The winner of the round gets 10 points, the other guy gets 9 or less.
- Knockdowns: Automatic point deductions. Usually one point, but I figured if someone got totally destroyed, I might take off two.
- Fouls: Another point deduction. Headbutts, low blows… you know the drill.
- Clean Punching: I tried to focus on who was landing the cleaner, more effective shots. Not just throwing a million punches, but actually connecting.
- Aggression: Who was pushing the pace? Who was controlling the ring?
- Defense: Was someone slipping punches like a ninja, or were they just eating leather?
Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect
I started with a relatively easy fight. I paused the video a lot, rewound it, watched punches in slow motion… It was tough! Sometimes it was super obvious who won the round, other times I was really struggling. I kept asking myself “who did more damage?”
My first few attempts were messy. Numbers all over the place, crossed-out scores… But I kept at it. I watched more fights, scored more rounds, and slowly, I started to feel like I was getting a better feel for it. I noticed I was paying more attention to footwork, head movement… things I hadn’t really focused on before.
The “Aha!” Moment
The big thing I realized was that it’s not just about counting punches. It’s about the overall impression of the round. Who was in control? Who looked like they were winning, even if the punch stats were close? It’s subjective, for sure, but that’s part of what makes it so interesting.
It is so fun to do that!
