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A fight appears better on TV but ringside is best place to score it

In my opinion, I think in some ways a fight can be better viewed on TV than it can be by the judges who sit below the ring, the writer says.
In my opinion, I think in some ways a fight can be better viewed on TV than it can be by the judges who sit below the ring, the writer says.
Image: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images

Do fight judges really have the best view of the fight?

I have often thought about what was better, watching a fight from ringside or watching it on TV.

Most times when I saw a fight at ringside, and then went and watched it on TV, I saw the fight the same.

Most boxing fans have heard many judges say that the fight is very different at ringside than it appears on TV.

This is often said after a fight in which a controversial decision has been rendered.

I usually didn't give it much credence. I've always felt that if you knew what you were watching, and weren't influenced or swayed by the crowd or commentators, it didn't matter where you saw the fight.

But the point is, maybe judges don't have the best seat in the house to view the fight.

I have found that sitting beneath the ring on one side distorts the perception of what's happening when the action is on the other side.

I think to have the best view of the fight, you need to be above the ring looking down on the action instead of looking up at it.

If you have ever attended fights live, you can see that sitting halfway up in the stands provides a full view of the fighters and what's happening, regardless of where the action is taking place.

In my opinion, I think in some ways a fight can be better viewed on TV than it can be by the judges who sit below the ring, only because the television broadcast pans above the ring from every possible angle.

Television provides a better view on accuracy, but the impact of the punches can't be realised as well as seeing the fight in person.

Maybe it would be better to have the three judges sit elevated above the ring like the umpires at tennis matches.

When you are looking down at the ring, you can see everything that's going on in it. Maybe this is a good alternative, instead of revamping everything and accusing the judges of being stupid and corrupt.

Perhaps the judges don't have the best view from where they sit.

No doubt being ringside gives you a better feel for the action in regards to the impact and sound of the fighters' punches, as opposed to watching it on television.

I'm just not sure a fight can be seen better sitting ringside while looking up at the action.

When you are watching the fight from below the ring, there are just too many blind spots when one fighter has his back to you and you cannot see the hands of the other fighter.

This also makes it almost impossible to see who's getting the better of the infighting. How can the judges see this clearly if they're staring at a fighter's back?

This is where being at an elevated level above the ring can provide a much better overall view of the fight than the fight judges sitting ringside beneath the ring.

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