I just got back from the Golden Gloves fight in Staten Island, NY. It was a pretty good show, actually.


In one fight, towards the end of the second round both fighters managed to gas themselves out and stopped doing much of anything for a good 20 seconds. At this point, the ref stepped in and cautioned both fighters to keep their hands up. It would have made sense to me if he warned them for stalling, but dropping their guard?

I'm no expert, but I have never seen such a warning before. I was wondering if anyone knew if this was a new rule or something. And, if so, what is it supposed to accomplish?


Thanks.

Pasivity is generally against the rules.

www.usaboxing.org ????


No idea

He wanted them to box, not TKD

Encouraging fighters to press action is the most annoying **** ever, getting coached by the ref is probably even more annoying.

Well you shouldn't be fucking just laying around. It's a fight, not nap time. You can atleast muster out weak jabs when youre dead tired. Enough to possibly score or keep your opponent at bay and cautious.

Between rounds in a Sport JJ match, the ref told both of us to do something different, because neither of us was winning doing what we were doing.

It's not that odd. Protect yourself at all times right?



Well you shouldn't be fucking just laying around. It's a fight, not nap time. You can atleast muster out weak jabs when youre dead tired. Enough to possibly score or keep your opponent at bay and cautious.


Weak sloppy jabs are asking to be counter punched.

Guys, some of you are missing the question.

My understanding of the rules: if one fighter dances away for an extended time without countering, that's passivity. If that fighter is having punches landed on them while doing this, that's a standing 8 or a TKO. If both are gassed and their drop their guards or keep clinching, that's stalling by both fighters.

"Hands up" is what I'm asking about. To me, it is still an odd call I never heard before. Dropping guard, in and of itself, is not at all an unusual strategy meant to draw an opponent in.

I've only glanced at the 141 page tomb Samurai Steve posted. (Thanks for the link, BTW. I should have thought of that myself.) If I don't see anything of substance in the rule book, I'm inclined to conclude this was a just a quirky way this particular ref called the stalling.

It's not that odd. Protect yourself at all times right?





Weak sloppy jabs are asking to be counter punched.

Not by someone that can't even put their fucking hands up..... Is he going shoot the counter from the hips? LOL You'd see that a mile away.....

Having your hands down can be taken as a display of injury. When both fighters are gassed, if someones hands are down the ref is forced to make a decision whether or not the person is actually hurt, or just tired. If the fighter is actually hurt and the referee lets it go, then the fighter could get even MORE seriously hurt and it would be the referee's fault.

Keeping your guard up is the simplest way for you to let the referee know that you're still "ok" and in condition to continue the bout.

Having your hands down can be taken as a display of injury. When both fighters are gassed, if someones hands are down the ref is forced to make a decision whether or not the person is actually hurt, or just tired. If the fighter is actually hurt and the referee lets it go, then the fighter could get even MORE seriously hurt and it would be the referee's fault.

Keeping your guard up is the simplest way for you to let the referee know that you're still "ok" and in condition to continue the bout.

That's true. But if the ref suspects this, he would step in close, grab the fighters gloves, look into his eyes and ask a question to determine if anyone is home. Also, it's almost certain that he'll do this after giving a standing 8-count - even if it's to both fighters at the same time (I've seen it happen).


It's funny you mention this. Last night, I spotted a partial shoulder dislocation the ref missed on a standing 8 count. The fighter was allowed to continue and completely dislocated his arm on the very next swing. Fight over.

I can kinda follow the train of thought of the referee, but I also understand why you thought it was a strange call. I just went through a referee training seminar this last weekend, and even though it seems simple enough, its not really as easy as it looks. You have to do your best to stay in a position where you can see all the action. You also can't focus in on one fighter, you have to keep shifting your gaze between both fighters. This can lead to confusion regarding a fighters condition.

Its hard for me to explain, but when you're in the gym watching people spar, you can get away with focusing in on one fighter. So if a guy is leaving his guard down, you can start to focus in on him to watch him closely throughout the round. But when you are actually reffing in a real match, you can't take your eyes off the other guy. It makes it harder to determine if someone is really hurt or not.

But I do agree with you that it was a strange call. And I also agree with you that the ref has the authority to stop the action and prompt the fighter for a response to determine if he is injured, tired, or just baiting his opponent.

Knightmare you are an idiot, a TON of fighters with lots of speed throw punches from their hip. Have you ever watched in good fighters?

I mean jesus, for you to talk such a big game you are an idiot.

You do not need to press the action, if the fighter is just standing there doing jack of ****, it is the other fighters responsibility not the ref's to capitalize on it and make the other guy fight.

Knightmare you are an idiot, a TON of fighters with lots of speed throw punches from their hip. Have you ever watched in good fighters?

I mean jesus, for you to talk such a big game you are an idiot.

You do not need to press the action, if the fighter is just standing there doing jack of ****, it is the other fighters responsibility not the ref's to capitalize on it and make the other guy fight.

He said they were gassed you stupid mother fucker, how can you throw a speed punch from your fucking hips if you cant even hold your damn hands up?

SHUT THE **** UP.

It's the "Protect yourself at all times" mentality.
I've seen some sandbaggers pull this ****. They're in way better condition then their opponent, so once they see they're opponent getting gassed, they'll act like they're gassed too. Then they may clinch up briefly, step back and "POW", start wailing on them. Or just act like they're gassed and lunge in with a left hook.