This 'Spit the shield' trick....

[lurkyshaka]

Started by the late Diego Corrales has to be banished from the sport in a hurry. I don't think Diego would have recovered in time to stop Castillo in their classic encounter if it wasn't for his patented 'Spit the shield' tactic, and i say that as a huge fan of Corrales heart and courage. Now we've seen the trick successfully used again by the Frenchman who defeated Jon Thaxton over the weekend. That fellas would have been a 1st round loser had he not pulled that stunt, of that i am certain. Hey can't blame him for doing what he did, it was smart. But its blatant cheating and its cheating being rewarded. The fighter wants extra time and duly gets it. Whats the point of a 10 count if fighters can just spit the shield and gain at least another 10 though normally its more than that by the time point deductions have been made?

Now i've heard people call for a rule change to cut this trick out....BUT....its not necessary. The rule already in place is fine, its the referee's who needs to show just a little bit of common sense(so no doubt the incompetant twonks will continue with the balls ups)

A dropped mouthguard is supposed to be replaced when there is 'a lull in the action' according to the rules laid down for the sport. Well maybe its just me but a KD is about as far from a lull in the action as we're likely to get. So why stop the fight to replace a mouthguard/shield in that instance??

Referees only need to use their brains, follow the rules correctly....and actually wait for a lull in the action before replacing the shield. This little stunt that's growing in popularity can be quickly and easily cut out of the sport. Someone in some kind of power within the game needs to address this issue and quickly, otherwise we'll continue to see fighters pull this stunt and fight outcomes sometimes being affected by it.

[winkveron]

Why not make them wait until the end of the round?

[dondada]

I agree with you shaka. I think that lad would have been a first round loser. Difficult call for a ref but I've seen plenty let it go until there is a genuine 'lull' with no disastrous outcome.

It certainly wasn't Corrales who started it...been around for a very long time. Ojay Abrahams used to do it often.

[Dioufy]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

[DG.]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

But that would mean forking out for gumshields and the fitting process would be a nightmare.

Back in my day you had to boil them to make them fit, does this still happen?

It should be an automatic 2 points off at the end of the round.

[banjo]

Glue it in.

Problem solved 8)

[Old bones Ian]

I think that the ref should have a water bottle attached to the outside of the neutral corner post, that way if a boxer spits out his gumshield then the ref doesn't have to take the boxer to his own trainer, who will always take a while to wash and replace the gumshield.
the ref could take him directly to the neutral corner , wash and replace the gumshield quickly. It may save a few seconds, which could change a fight.

any thoughts?

[lurkyshaka]

I agree with you shaka. I think that lad would have been a first round loser. Difficult call for a ref but I've seen plenty let it go until there is a genuine 'lull' with no disastrous outcome.

It certainly wasn't Corrales who started it...been around for a very long time. Ojay Abrahams used to do it often.

No not truly started it, but since Corrales had such high profile success using the stunt seems they're all at it now. I think the referee's just have to let the action continue to cut this out.

[lurkyshaka]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

No need for that though....if a fighter knows that spitting it out won't result in any extra time, then he just won't spit it out and problem solved.

[Dioufy]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

But that would mean forking out for gumshields and the fitting process would be a nightmare.

Then fighter's and their camps should be required to produce a replacement shield before the fight, and then the de facto gumsheild gets put in during rounds, when the point should be taken off too. I don't see a logistical problem at all.

[stujones]

It is a smart move, it would take a brave ref to go for the DQ based on it. It is unfair but Jon grabbed a 10-7 round, his defeat had less to do with that one round, and more to do with the many pedestrian rounds he had in the fight itself. With that said the guy may well have lost by KO, but we would have been denied some fine rounds of boxing.

If Bruno had done something like that we would be applauding him for his previously unseen tactical awareness!

I agree, personally I see nothing that wrong with a bit of gamesmanship provided it is not excessive.

[DG.]

I think that the ref should have a water bottle attached to the outside of the neutral corner post, that way if a boxer spits out his gumshield then the ref doesn't have to take the boxer to his own trainer, who will always take a while to wash and replace the gumshield.
the ref could take him directly to the neutral corner , wash and replace the gumshield quickly. It may save a few seconds, which could change a fight.

any thoughts?

Good idea, just make sure Terence Didd of Lee is not ringside for Froch Vs No Intentions or he might spike the water so Froch loses or NI takes some performance enhancing drug!

[demolitiondaley]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

But that would mean forking out for gumshields and the fitting process would be a nightmare.

Back in my day you had to boil them to make them fit, does this still happen?

It should be an automatic 2 points off at the end of the round.

Yeah most boxers still use boil and bite gum shields. Mine used to be rubbish and it would fall out. I've got a new one for a fiver from Sports World and its mint. Its only come out once since I got it and that was with Tom Dallas catching me right on the cheek and knocking it out. You can get one from the dentist but its about 50quid and no better than the one I've got now. I wouldn't be bothered if I dropped it and the ref shoved it straight back in my gob. We're boxers aren't we? A couple of germs and a bit of dust are the least of our worries.

[DG.]

The referee should carry replacement gumsheild in his pocket - problem solved.

But that would mean forking out for gumshields and the fitting process would be a nightmare.

Back in my day you had to boil them to make them fit, does this still happen?

It should be an automatic 2 points off at the end of the round.

Yeah most boxers still use boil and bite gum shields. Mine used to be rubbish and it would fall out. I've got a new one for a fiver from Sports World and its mint. Its only come out once since I got it and that was with Tom Dallas catching me right on the cheek and knocking it out.
You can get one from the dentist but its about 50quid and no better than the one I've got now.
I wouldn't be bothered if I dropped it and the ref shoved it straight back in my gob. We're boxers aren't we? A couple of germs and a bit of dust are the least of our worries.

Good point!