The vast majority of professional boxing matches are scored using "the ten-point must system." Under this system, three judges independently score each round. Typically, the winner of a round is awarded ten points, and the loser receives nine or less, depending on his or her performance (10-9). If a judge determines the round to be a tie, both of the boxers get ten points (10-10). Each judge records his scores on a scorecard. All the scorecards are totaled at the end of the match, and the boxer with the most points wins.
The Ten Point Must System
Each judge scores each round using the following criteria:
- Clean Punching (25%)
- Effective Aggression (25%)
- Ring Generalship (25%)
- Defense (25%)
Clean punches are above the waist, on the front or sides of the body or head, and with the knuckle of the glove. The judge must determine if one boxer is landing more clean punches than the other.
Effective Aggression means landing punches while moving forward. If a fighter is aggressive but not landing punches, that does not count as effective aggression.
Ring Generalship means who is controlling the action in the ring, using strategy and skills beyond straight punching power. Is one fighter using agility and feinting to throw his opponent off guard? Or setting up his opponent for effective combinations? When one fighter moves the other around the ring at will, that fighter is displaying ring generalship.
Defense refers to a fighter's success at avoiding blows. This can be accomplished by blocking, bobbing, weaving, good footwork, and/or good movement.
Each of these criteria is supposed to be given equal weight (25%), although there's some dispute as to whether that actually happens.
Additional Ten-Point Calculations
Apart from the four judging criteria mentioned above, there are several ways a boxer can lose points.
- The referee can deduct points from a boxer for a foul. In that case each judge must subtract the points from that boxer's score for that round. This means, for example, that if the leading fighter is penalized for a 1 point foul, the resulting score (which would have been 10-9) becomes 9-9. Only the referee determines point deductions for a foul.
- If a boxer is knocked down, a point is deducted from the boxer's score. For example, if the leading fighter (who is rewarded with ten points) knocks down the other fighter, the resulting score would be 10-8.
- A standing eight count is scored the same as a knockdown, deducting one point from the score of the fighter who took the standing eight count.
Final Match Results
At the end of the fight, points are totaled on each judge's card. If one fighter is ahead on all three judge's cards, he wins by unanimous decision. If the fighter is only ahead on two judge's cards, he wins by split decision. If the fighter is ahead on one judge's scorecard, but the two other scorecards reflect a draw, the fight is called a draw. If the fighter is ahead on two scorecards, but the third scorecard calls it even, then the fighter wins by majority decision. If this sounds a little confusing, the figure below should help sort it out.
| Unanimous Decision |
| Judge 1 |
115-113 |
| Judge 2 |
114-113 |
| Judge 3 |
116-113 | |
| Split Decision |
| Judge 1 |
115-113 |
| Judge 2 |
115-113 |
| Judge 3 |
115-116 | |
| Draw |
| Judge 1 |
115-113 |
| Judge 2 |
113-113 |
| Judge 3 |
113-113 | |
| Majority Decision |
| Judge 1 |
115-113 |
| Judge 2 |
115-113 |
| Judge 3 |
113-113 | |
