Punches After Bell: Boxing Must Address

[caldo2025]

Boxing struggles to appeal to the masses or maintain the steam that it occasionally builds up because the rules and decisions made in this sport are befuddling and without any uniformity at all.

For instance, within one month, we have two high profile bouts where a punch is landed well after the bell and we have two very different decisions and results in those bouts. In one bout, a fight is awarded to Dirrell after faking being knocked out with a punch after the bell (Dirrell was behind on the cards). In the other bout, Flores also fakes being knocked out by a late punch and that fight is declared a no contest. In both instances, the more popular fighter received the most favorable decision by officials. The varying finalities to these fights do not make sense and unfortunately, not making sense seems to be the norm with many of boxings rules and regulations.

Boxing needs to clean up the rules when it comes to the end of rounds or we are going to continue to see boxers taking dives in an effort to get a win. Fans missed out on two fights that were or could have been very entertaining if boxing had cleaned up the rules as it comes to late punches. IMO, boxers should always be protecting themselves. Also, if a ref is too old, small or slow to get in between 2 boxers at the end of the round then they shouldn't be in the ring. I don't know if we need another round ending sound or bell to help the boxers prepare for the end of the round or if the ref should step in the middle of boxers earlier than the bell sounding but something needs to be done and what is decided should be uniformly instituted and enforced.

[Ricky_]

I agree. A simple rule change could end the problem.

Here's an idea: instead of the bell marking the end of the round, what if the bell was instead an instruction to the referee to end the round? That gives the referee discretion as to wether a guy is throwing during the bell. Ref hears bell, shouts TIME. If he thinks a guy threw after he said time, it's a clear foul.

[caldo2025]

I agree. A simple rule change could end the problem.

Here's an idea: instead of the bell marking the end of the round, what if the bell was instead an instruction to the referee to end the round? That gives the referee discretion as to wether a guy is throwing during the bell. Ref hears bell, shouts TIME. If he thinks a guy threw after he said time, it's a clear foul.

I like where you're going here. So once the boxers have slowed down the ref then steps in and he physically signifies the end of the round by stepping in? I like the idea but these ref's are pathetic these days and I can't stomach giving them one more job to do in there.

[Ricky_]

I agree. A simple rule change could end the problem.

Here's an idea: instead of the bell marking the end of the round, what if the bell was instead an instruction to the referee to end the round? That gives the referee discretion as to wether a guy is throwing during the bell. Ref hears bell, shouts TIME. If he thinks a guy threw after he said time, it's a clear foul.

I like where you're going here. So once the boxers have slowed down the ref then steps in and he physically signifies the end of the round by stepping in? I like the idea but these ref's are pathetic these days and I can't stomach giving them one more job to do in there.

It would be exactly the same as a ref instructing STOP or BREAK. If he shouts that and a boxer throws a punch then he can call a foul for punching in the break.

Ultimately it gives the referee a margin of a second or so to work with, if there are fighters mid-swing on the bell.

[caldo2025]

I agree. A simple rule change could end the problem.

Here's an idea: instead of the bell marking the end of the round, what if the bell was instead an instruction to the referee to end the round? That gives the referee discretion as to wether a guy is throwing during the bell. Ref hears bell, shouts TIME. If he thinks a guy threw after he said time, it's a clear foul.

I like where you're going here. So once the boxers have slowed down the ref then steps in and he physically signifies the end of the round by stepping in? I like the idea but these ref's are pathetic these days and I can't stomach giving them one more job to do in there.

It would be exactly the same as a ref instructing STOP or BREAK. If he shouts that and a boxer throws a punch then he can call a foul for punching in the break.

Ultimately it gives the referee a margin of a second or so to work with, if there are fighters mid-swing on the bell.

And boxers would have to be prepared to fight through and not assume the other boxer heard the bell and dropped his hands. Not bad dude.