Draws are so rare at the top flight of professional boxing that when they happen like recently fans are understandably upset.
Boxing fans enjoy knockouts, finishes or clear cut points decisions that there is no debate about after.
Recently the Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach draw was a majority one in New York, but there’s a few important things to note on draws.
Speaking to Fight Hype ahead of his latest fight former world champion Keith Thurman said on them:
“For a quick breakdown, analytically, just so people understand how draws work in boxing: there are three ways to get a draw. A majority draw, which happened here, is when two judges score it even, and one picks a winner. A unanimous draw is when all three judges see the fight as a draw. And then a split draw is when one judge says this guy won, one judge says that guy won, and the last judge says it’s a draw. So when you have good, close fights, fighting the champion, you know—come on, you’ve got to know the principles in boxing: protect yourself at all times, even after the bell, right? Don’t hit below the belt, don’t hit behind the head, right? Don’t leave it up to the judges. There are principles in boxing, and if you’re fighting a champion, you’ve got to beat the champion. You’ve got to know your principles in boxing. So he could beat him, and he could not beat him—you’re fighting the champion, the champion gets extra credit. You get no credit; the champion gets extra credit. No credit for the challenger—go to CreditKarma.com, get some credit, okay? The champion gets all the credit, an 8.0 credit score by default, leaving with the Maserati. “Just sign here, give me five dollars, you’ve got a Maserati—you get all the credit, okay?” The challenger gets no credit.”
Absolutely one-hundred-per cent spot on from Thurman who hits the nail on the head there.
Not only does he come at it from a fighter’s point of view, he correctly states and applies the rules of professional boxing.
But not withstanding that, he references another important thing there which both long-time and new boxing fans must realize.
You have to beat the champion conclusively.
To become champion you must first beat one and it has to be done without a shadow of a doubt if a fight goes the duration, if a bout goes the distance to the scorecards.
That’s always been the way and always will be in the sport.
Thurman returns this week himself after a long layoff to take on Brock Jarvis in Australia this week in Sydney on Wednesday March 12th this week.
Roll on.
