Goodman vs Ball: Close Fight, Same Old Story
Another weekend, another judging storm. Sam Goodman’s defeat to Nick Ball was billed as a potential fight-of-the-year candidate, but instead of talking about the skill and bravery of both men, we’re arguing about the scorecards.
Having watched it back, I can see why people are split. Goodman boxed well in patches, picking his shots and landing the cleaner work. Ball, meanwhile, brought his trademark pressure and hustle, forcing the action. The result? A fight that could be scored either way.
But here’s the problem: even when a decision isn’t a daylight robbery, the lack of consistency in judging means fans still feel short-changed. Goodman’s loss wasn’t the worst decision we’ve seen, but it adds fuel to the wider fire.
Boxing’s Judging Reputation Is Shot
Let’s be honest—boxing judging controversy has become the sport’s permanent headline. Every big night now ends with more noise about the officials than the fighters.
We’ve just lived through the uproar of Fury vs Usyk II, where the rematch was every bit as tight as the first fight, and yet fans were left bickering about the numbers. That came hot on the heels of scorecard debates from other high-profile fights this year.
This isn’t about one bad night—it’s about a system that fails to convince anyone it’s fair. Three judges, three scorecards, and half the time it looks like they were watching three different fights.
Why the Criteria Don’t Add Up
The rules of scoring aren’t complicated on paper: clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defence. But in practice, they’re wide open to interpretation.
One judge gives the nod to pressure, another to precision, another to movement. That’s how you end up with cards that look like they were scored in different sports altogether. We’ve broken this down before, but the truth is simple: fans don’t just want the right result, they want to understand it. Right now, they rarely do.
The Search for Solutions
Plenty of fixes have been floated. A fourth judge to reduce split decisions. AI scoring to provide a safety net. Better training and oversight for existing officials.
None of them are perfect. A fourth judge is still just another opinion. AI risks stripping out the nuance that makes boxing more than just a numbers game. But doing nothing isn’t an option. The sport can’t keep shrugging its shoulders after every controversial fight and expecting fans to stay loyal.
Where Goodman Goes From Here
So, was Sam Goodman robbed against Nick Ball? No. But was the decision clear? Also no. And that’s the problem—these results leave everyone unsatisfied.
The fairest solution? Run it back. A Goodman vs Ball rematch wouldn’t just settle the score between two ambitious fighters, it would show that boxing is willing to give fans closure when judging falls short.
Final Bell
The Goodman–Ball fallout is just the latest reminder that boxing is losing credibility by the week. When even competitive fights turn toxic because of the scorecards, the sport has a problem bigger than any one decision.
Until boxing fixes its judging system, every result—good, bad, or debatable—will come under fire. And fans, quite simply, deserve better.
What’s your take on the Goodman–Ball result? Share your thoughts below, spread the word, and check out more analysis at CMBoxing.
I watched the whole fight and thought they were evenly matched. Ball is a brawler whereas Goodman showed himself to be the better boxer although Ball is a tough nut to crack for anyone although
I though he lost a lost of steam later in the fight and Goodman landed some good hits but they seemed to lack power.
Before the decision was announced, I felt it should have been a draw which would have allowed Ball to keep his title while giving Goodman the credibility he deserved and a chance of a rematch at some later stage.
Likes:
Ball is soft spoken and polite. He carries himself well and is the epitome of the British bulldog. He comes across as a gentleman outside the ring and that brings a lot of respect.
Goodman is an extremely talented boxer, with both guts and technique. His ability to keep out range of Ball’s bustling demeanour intended to intimidate his opponents was very ring-wise. He’ moves within the ring well and can get out of seemly difficult situations with relative ease. I felt his punches seemed to lack power but he had Ball breathing very heavy from his body shots later in the fight. He deserves more credit to have gone the distance with Ball.
Dislikes:
Ball’s shoving and bustling of opponents is overly aggressive and hence my comment of him as a brawler and a lot of his power was wasted in chasing Goodman around the ring.
Goodman comes across as cocky rather than confident in pre fight interviews, which causes humiliation after a loss
I agree with your comments re the judging
Great points — especially about Goodman’s movement and Ball’s stamina late on. I also felt the scoring didn’t reflect how finely balanced it was. A draw would’ve set up a natural rematch and given both men what they deserved on the night. That said, I still think the rematch will happen — the demand is there, and it would settle the debate properly. Thanks for sharing such a detailed view, really appreciate your input.