HOW TO WATCH BOXING: RING GENERALSHIP By Adam Abramowitz
Ah, the dreaded “ring generalship.” What does it actually mean? How important is ring generalship compared to the other scoring criteria? And how should it be applied in close rounds? Well, let’s dig in! On the ABC website, it defines ring generalship as: “This is the thinking boxer. The boxer who, while punching or using clever footwork or moves, can keep their opponent off-balance. This is the boxer that has controlled the action, the boxer who, by using feints or slips, makes their opponent not only miss but then is able to put themselves in an offensive position. This is a fighter that puts themselves in position to score and not be scored upon. Running and simply avoiding action should not be rewarded.” Now, there’s a lot to digest in this definition, especially when considering which boxer should receive credit during a contested round. And what components are most important? To help provide more context for ring generalship, I spoke with boxing judge and former referee Jack Reiss, who is an ABC official trainer. Reiss often leads ABC and sanctioning body seminars to help train officials in how to interpret
T he Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) is a national association that provides standardized judging criteria for professional boxing. For those who used to watch HBO Boxing broadcasts, the network would list the ABC’s four criteria used for scoring each round before every major fight. The criteria are:
1. Clean and effective punching 2. Effective aggressiveness 3. Ring generalship 4. Defense
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) turned his fight against Robert Guerrero into a clinic.
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