Boxing to scrap computerised scoring after London

LONDON, (Reuters) – A computerised scoring  system designed for the boxing competition at the London 2012  Olympics will be scrapped after the Games as the sport’s  governing body seeks to encourage fighters to win with style.

Ching-Kuo Wu

International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) president  Ching-Kuo Wu is determined to bring the amateur ranks more in  line with professional boxing and he believes kicking out rigid  computer scoring is essential.

Headguards for male boxers are also set to disappear after  London while the governing body will launch AIBA Professional  Boxing (APB) in 2013 which will mean amateur boxers can earn  money from the sport without turning to the established  sanctioning bodies of the professional game.

The computerised scoring system developed to reduce the risk  of bouts being rigged at London 2012 was used for the first time  at last year’s men’s world championships.

Despite being described by Wu as “impossible to manipulate”  it will be replaced by the “10-points must” system used in  professional boxing.

“The current scoring system is based on the punches (landed)  so the judge has no other way to judge the boxer,” Wu said in an  interview in Thursday’s Boxing News.

“10-points must is comprehensive, with the style of the  boxer and their fighting spirit and also the score.

“At the moment there’s no way to judge these boxers as  performers, showing their style. Muhammad Ali, why is he  (great)? Because of his style.

“When you enter into professional competition it is who is  the best boxer, you have many areas to perform.”

Wu said referees and judges would be trained in the  10-points must system.
“We will not immediately jump,” he said.

“Our referees and judges will train for using the scoring  method. We have to have a process. In AIBA, everybody involved  on the technical side, technical officials, referees, judges,  they have to pass the examination. The most important job is to  establish the system.”

The AIBA launched World Series Boxing (WSB), which features  boxers being paid to compete for 12 city-based franchises three  years ago and Wu said APB was another step towards bridging the  gap between the amateur and professional ranks.

“In the APB boxers can compete until they’re 40 years old,  so this is an excellent opportunity for them. Also they will  have financial stability, they receive a regular salary. (At the  moment) very good boxers may be finished very early in their  career. With the APB, they’d still be within the AIBA family.

“They can return to amateur and if the Olympics come, they  can join the Olympics then return to APB or WSB.”