Do People's Expectations & False Perceptions Of Reality, Affect Their Judgement While Scoring?

I'm going to go with zero?

 

I feel like for me, having watched boxing long enough I do not feel swayed by the announcers usually (I'm often lambasting them in the RBRs). I think they do influence people though especially people just casually watching boxing. I think by now it's clear that some announcers and/or announcing teams have agendas, are poor at announcing, are biased, are trying to multitask too much (reading notes, talking back to the production team) or a combo of these things.

When it comes to scoring, people have favorites and/or fighters they are emotionally invested in and this definitely can skew the scoring. If anybody has watched other sports with people who are die hard fans of a team, they will scream at the TV watching a game every time a close call doesn't go their way and how everyone under the sun is trying to rob their team. I think this definitely helps to skew some scorecards. Same goes for having disdain for a fighter the opposite way.

Also watching a fight as it is unfolding live (on TV, in person) there is excitement and someone scoring can miss certain things that on a rewatch when tensions are less high will pick up.

Haney - Kambosos I think I had the first 4 rounds to Kambosos though I noted that two rounds could of gone either way. Haney was establishing his jab and Kambosos was getting through landing some body shots and punches in the inside. As the rounds progressed it became apparent that Kambosos was becoming more and more demoralized and Haney more and more comfortable. I had it 115-113 Haney but with my close rounds I could of had it anywhere near 117-111 too.

Nice post, its definitely a challenge to try to score fights without bias especially as they are unfolding live.

I do wish the networks would explain before a main event or card how boxing is supposed to be scored for the audience.

 

Compubox #s are unreliable. You're stating Bivol outlanded him in every round as if that's a fact because Compubox said so. That's not actually a fact. Bivol threw a lot more shots, therefore through Compubox guesswork he got credit for more every round. In reality Canelo was landing more clean shots, more heavier shots, and was the effective aggressor in the early rounds. If your basis for scoring it 12-0 is because Compubox had Bivol outlanding him every round, that's a horrible way to score a match. That's doing no work yourself. So firstly, don't just state Compubox #s as fact, second even if Bivol did outland him every round, that doesn't mean he won every round. The criteria in pro boxing has nothing to do with perceived guesswork "hits" it has to do with clean effective punching, effective aggression, ring generalship and defense.

 

In fairness, you referenced Canelo Bivol several times in the OP.

 

Spot on—In order to restrain myself I oftentimes watch the guy I’m not invested in more closely during the fight.
Still I also fall into the trap of , well he did way better this round, even if he lost the round and still score it for him

 

He has a ginger pillow case for bedtime

 

I will attempt to mute the TV but can’t stand missing the sound of punches landed.
Guilty

 

That's why I wish there was a non-commentary feed with sound. But short of that, the fan cams that pop up on youtube for some fights are really helpful to be able to watch a match from a different angle with sound, without commentary. I really wish fans organized the crowd filming of fights to a greater extent. It would be really beneficial if we had more fans indepenently filming matches from the crowd, with 60FPS cameras and stuff, it would really help us to review the scoring of matches to a greater extent.

 

I scored it 11-1 on the basis of effective punching. Canelo's head was a basketball and Bivol was a master dribbler. Credit to Canelo for arguably having the GOAT chin though, his head is an actual helmet.

 

WOW
Good stuff Shadow as I actually agree with you

 

OK but I think you get my point. Stating Compubox #s as fact like they mean something is complete nonsense. Canelo did better than you are acting like. He was doing his thing in round 1-4 and had a great round 9. 1-4 were close and I get that a lot of people gave those rounds to Bivol, but it's not unreasonable to give Canelo all or some of those rounds and have it far closer than you did.

 

Watching a fight without sound really affects the enjoyment level. I wish there was an option to hear the ambient sound but mute the announcers.

 

A while ago, I saw this from a Canelo fan during the GGG rematch.

"I gave that round to Canelo because of his courage."

Not effective aggression, ring generalship or clean punching. Courage is all Canelo need to win rounds against GGG in the eyes of his fans.

 

I have nothing to say except that @CST80 is just SUCK at scoring when he hates one fighter or pick the other guy in Kirk’s league..

Other than that he is usually spot on.

 

Generalised to : "are people bias?"

Yes, we are all subjective. Some people much worse than others.