This is a very serious question for you boxing fans.

if he is not out cold then no, i dont understand why you would count if the guy is motionless anyway, also im not a doctor so im just basing my answer on a logical conclusion.

 

Okay, I'll tell you - I favor your idea of mandatory ten counts. That makes the KO official and gives a downed fighter every chance of getting up.

 

how does it not make sense?

the ref should make a judgement call based on his training...not be forced to count to 10 if he is certain a guy can't continue.

 

There should be a mandatory count.

 

Take mercer v morrison. Should the ref really have waited till morrison drops for the ten count?

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFzug64yGU4[/ame]

This is a clear example of why a 10 count should be in effect. While Big Lou most likely woulda been KOd, he definitely should've been allowed to continue, even if on slightly shaky legs. A ref should give a conscious, but hurt fighter, the chance to continue if he aint out cold.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJLA_e8gOds[/ame]

If your Grimsley here, do you really need the ref to count you out? If the guy is out, he's out. Had Grimsley been trying to get to his knees, or had he even showed signs of consciouness, perhaps a count would've been prudent, but c'mon.

 

its a moot point...until refs quit stopping fights with guys on their feet who dont seem to be hurt only to be taking shots off their gloves while covering up...someone atctually laying on this canvas is an afterthought

 

If a guy looks like he just got sparked, a la Pirog/Jacobs then the ref is fully justified in waving the fight off before a count of 10, we're not here to see these guys get hurt. They already put enough on the line.

 

Fighters have years of life left to live not only after the fight but after their careers are over. Referees should definitely be given the power to stop a fight due to safety reasons at their discretion.

As a boxing fan I understand the desire to see fights conclude naturally... I ****ing HATE bad early stoppages, but that fight isn't the end-all be-all for either fighter. They most likely have families, wives, kids, people who love them and don't want to see them get hurt or even killed.

The fact is that people DIE in the boxing ring every year and safety has to be a main priority, even over our barbarian desire for more brutality. Because of referee's discretion, many many lives have been saved. And because of bad officiating, many fighters are brain damaged or no longer with us at all.

 

this is why I hate when guys say

"it was a tko not a ko"

there is no difference as far as the record goes and both are part and parcel of each other!

Lots of fighters have been so badly unconscious that a 10 count is not right or necessary, similarily guys have got a 10 count while on a knee and conscious. We all knwo when somebody has been cleanly knocked out and it has nothing to do with the official result being announced as "10 count, knocked out or TKO"

Guys have died from a TKO!