How is the result decided when a bout goes the distance?
Rule- South Africa
- Boxing South Africa
- Professional boxing
- 18 and over
- Boxing Regulations 2004 (amended)
- Referees and judges
- 2026
- Ring officials
Under regulation 35 of the Boxing Regulations:
- The winner is decided by a majority of the three judges, each using the total points they awarded across all rounds, not the number of rounds won.
- At the end, judges hand their scorecards to the referee, who hands them to the supervisory official. Only the referee authorises the announcer to announce the result.
- Draw: if all three judges score a draw; if two score a draw and one picks a winner; or if one scores a draw and the other two pick different winners.
- Vacant title fight: each judge must nominate a winner, and the majority decides.
- Title defence ending in a draw: the champion keeps the title.
- If the bout does not go the full distance, only the referee decides, and the decision is final. The referee may consult the judges before deciding.
- A decision can only be changed later if Boxing SA finds collusion between officials, or a calculation error on the scorecards.
Added 22 Oct 2026