The simmering speculation around a potential super-fight between Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez has ignited a fresh firestorm, not about the bout itself, but about the official judging.
A recent WBC convention segment, intended as a light-hearted exercise, took a serious turn when the scorecards from a simulated fight were revealed. Three veteran judges were asked to score a hypothetical match-up, with all three ruling overwhelmingly in favour of Terence 'Bud' Crawford.
The results were staggering. Judge Steve Weisfeld scored it 116-112, while Waleska Roldan saw it 115-113. Most controversially, judge Max De Luca turned in a card reading 117-111—a mere three rounds to Canelo—sending shockwaves through the boxing community.
A Divided Reaction
The revealed scores have cleaved the boxing world in two. One camp sees the wide margins as a justified reflection of Crawford's elite skill set, technical brilliance, and ability to overcome a significant size disadvantage. His supporters argue his precision and fight IQ would clearly outpoint the Mexican superstar over twelve rounds.
The other camp views the scoring as borderline farcical, a profound disrespect to Canelo's own legendary status, power, and accomplishments. Many fans and pundits took to social media to express disbelief, arguing that even in a fantasy fight, such a wide score against a fighter of Canelo's calibre damages the credibility of the sport's officiating.
Beyond the Hypothetical
This exercise, while theoretical, taps into a very real and persistent concern within boxing: judge consistency and competency. Wide discrepancies on scorecards have marred numerous high-profile fights, leaving fans questioning the fairness of outcomes.
The WBC's simulation has inadvertently highlighted this ongoing issue, proving that even without a punch being thrown, the judges can become the main event. It raises the pressure on sanctioning bodies to ensure the highest standards of officiating for the sport's biggest nights.
Whether this fantasy scoring has any impact on the chances of a real fight being made remains to be seen. For now, the debate rages on, proving that in boxing, sometimes the most compelling battles are fought outside the ring.
