Section 6: Scoring
10-Point Must System
All WBC championship bouts are scored using the 10-point must system. The following principles apply:
- The winner of each round receives ten (10) points and the loser receives nine (9) points or less.
- If the round is even, both contestants receive ten (10) points.
- A round with a knockdown is scored 10-8 for the contestant who scored the knockdown.
- A round with two knockdowns is scored 10-7 for the contestant who scored the knockdowns.
- A round dominated by one contestant with a clear margin of superiority may be scored 10-8 even without a knockdown.
- Point deductions for fouls are subtracted from the offending contestant's score for that round.
Scoring Criteria
Judges shall evaluate each round based on the following criteria, in order of priority:
- Clean Punching: The number and quality of clean, legal punches landed on the target area. Power punches (hooks, uppercuts, crosses) that land cleanly carry more weight than jabs.
- Effective Aggressiveness: Pressing the action and making the opponent miss while landing effective punches. Aggressiveness alone without landing clean punches does not score.
- Ring Generalship: Controlling the pace and location of the fight, using footwork, angles, and strategy to dictate the action.
- Defense: The ability to avoid and block punches through slipping, blocking, parrying, and footwork. Superior defense is a tiebreaker when offensive output is equal.
Decisions
If the bout goes the full scheduled distance, the decision is determined by the judges' scorecards:
- Unanimous Decision: All three judges score the bout in favor of the same contestant.
- Split Decision: Two of three judges score the bout in favor of one contestant, while one judge scores it for the other.
- Majority Decision: Two judges score the bout in favor of one contestant, while one judge scores it a draw.
- Draw (Unanimous): All three judges score the bout as a draw.
- Draw (Majority): Two judges score the bout as a draw, while one judge scores it for one contestant.
- Draw (Split): One judge scores for contestant A, one judge scores for contestant B, and one judge scores a draw.
Injuries and Technical Decisions
- Fair Blows: When an injury is produced by a fair blow and the contest cannot continue due to the severity of the injury, the injured boxer shall be declared the loser by technical knockout (TKO).
- Intentional Fouls: If a contestant intentionally fouls their opponent, producing an injury that prevents the opponent from continuing, the offender shall be disqualified. If the bout is stopped in subsequent rounds due to the same injury, the decision is awarded based on the scorecards: technical draw if the injured boxer is behind or even on points, or technical decision if the injured boxer is ahead.
- Accidental Fouls: If a bout is stopped due to an accidental foul before four (4) completed rounds, the result is a technical draw. If four (4) or more rounds have been completed, the bout goes to the scorecards and a technical decision is awarded.