In the world of professional boxing, they have a set of rules to abide in a boxing match, especially if a bout does not end a knockout or a TKO but rather the fight goes full the distance.
When that happened professional boxing match usually scored them using the ten point must system where vast majority of the same are using.
Judges scored their cards based in these criteria and that account 25% of their scoring which are as follows:
*** Clean punches are punches landed by a boxer above the waist or the front or sides of the body or head and with the knuckle of the gloves. The judge must determine if one boxer is landing more clean punches than the other.
*** Effective aggression when a boxer is in the offensive mode landing punches effectively by either going forward or at every different angle and by bringing the fight at his opponent’s doorstep. However, if a fighter is aggressive but not loading effective punches that does not come as an effective aggression, so one can imagine of how subjective judgment can come into play.
*** Ring generalship, when a boxer control the action while in the ring, using strategy and skill aside from his punching power, using his agility and throwing his opponent off guard, setting up his opponents for an effective combination and move around the ring at will effectively and controlling it, the fighter is showing ring generalship.
*** Defense is when the fighter can effectively counter an offensive or an aggressive attack by blocking, bobbing, weaving, shoulder rolling, excellent footwork, quick lateral movement and avoid of getting hit especially his chin, that fighter is employing good defense.
Apart from the aforementioned judging criteria outlined, judges also consider in their scoring the input from the referee officiating the fight regarding fouls committed by either boxer in the ring.
The referee can deduct a point from a boxer for a foul. In that case, each judge must subtract the point from that boxer for that round and it will be applied to three judges’ scorecards.
Usually, the referee give a warning to a boxer if he committed a foul, but when repeated, it will be assessed and most likely penalty is a point deduction to be charged to the boxer who committed the foul.
These include hitting below the belt; hitting a fighter while he’s down; hitting while the referee is breaking a clinch; incessant clinching or holding; holding the opponent at the back of the head while punching with the other hand and others.
Moreover, if a boxer gets knockdown a point is deducted from the boxer’s scorecard. Standing eight count is scored the same as a knockdown, deducting one point.
Usually, the boxer who wins the round is awarded 10 points. If the boxer are tied, both boxers get 10 points each. Each judge records his scores independently if how either of the two other judges see it.
Each scorecard is subtotaled at the end of the round and the boxer with the most points in judges’ scorecards win that round.
At the end of the fight, points are totaled on each judges’ scorecard. If the fighter is ahead of all three judges’ scorecards he wins the fight by unanimous decision. If the fighter is only ahead on two judges’ scorecards, he wins by split decision. If the fighter in three scorecards reflect a draw, then the result is a draw. Lastly, if the fighter is ahead on the two scorecards and the third even, the fighter wins by majority decision.
Herewith, is a sample of card scoring:
| Unanimous Decision | Split Decision | Draw | Majority Decision | |
| Judge no. 1 | 115 – 113 | 115 – 113 | 113 – 113 | 115 – 113 |
| Judge no. 2 | 114 – 113 | 115 – 113 | 113 – 113 | 115 – 113 |
| Judge no. 3 | 116 – 113 | 115 – 116 | 113 – 113 | 113 – 113 |
