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.
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