Boxing Takes Jab At Instant Replay
Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight will be historic in at least one sense: it will be the first pay-per-view boxing event that will feature the use of instant replay to settle a potentially controversial fight conclusion.
While the sports world over the past few weeks has been debating about instant replay playing a greater role in Major League Baseball games, the Nevada Athletic Commission last month very quietly approved the use of instant replay for disputes surrounding the end of commission-sanctioned boxing matches, according to a recent ESPN.com article.
The article reported that instant replay can be used to review circumstances revolving around fight-ending injuries. Only the referee has the ability to call for a video review to determine if a head-butt or a punch caused a cut severe enough to end the fight, for example. Also, the referee can check the replay to determine if a fight-ending punch landed before or after the bell.
The applications of instant replay are very limited: it cannot be used to determine whether a fighter was knocked down by a punch or slipped on the canvass, nor can it be used to change a judge’s scorecard.
While no one anticipates that replay will be needed for the Nov. 14 Pacquiao-Cotto fight, its nice to know that it can be use to eliminate at least a few potentially controversial, fight-ending scenarios for a bout that will effectively shape next year’s PPV boxing schedule.
yagbolsco commented:
Kojie,pls read again.
zealot commented:
it's a good development for the sport. wish that ref won't rely mostly their decisions on replays.
Kojie commented:
To kirk3451, Manny Pacquiao has never been and will never be a dirty fighter as you are suggesting. It's just not in his nature. He fought Agapito Sanchez, one of the dirtiest, and Pacman never went down to Sanchez's level. Enough said.
Larry Lachica, Jeddah commented:
Indeed its a Welcome Development as what Ottog Hahn said....
During the fight between Pacquiao and Barrera the first knockdown was counted against Pacquiao when it should be considered a slip or their feet got entangled..in one round the knockdown of Barrerra was considered a slip when in fact after the slowmo replay it was a clear knockdown....intentional headbuts and low blows will me minimized as the boxer will think twice doing such bad tactics..
Good move....
BAD commented:
Catch those low blows of Cotto's!! It will keep him honest and not so dirty!!! Just please dont bite pac's ear cotto dont want to see someones ear fall off!!
kirk3451 commented:
I do hope instant replays be allowed especially in Pacquiao fights coz everytime Pacquiao throws his jabs or hooks or straights in succession, we onlookers sometimes get lost by the speed as to whether something legal happened or was it like an accidental slip or head butt that caused the downfall of a Pac's opponent.. Pac's speed is hard to catch even by the most watchful eyes of the ref.. that ref's mistakes were prominent during Pac's fight with Barrera where Pac was a the receiving end of a bad call and hope it wouldnt happen again...
Gayweathers commented:
Useful indeed for a history making for the 7th world title for the P4P King! No room for error!
Ottog Hahn Matalam commented:
A most welcomed development.