Boxing, like most sports, has its own terminology and jargon. This simultaneously helps those in the know feel like part of an in-group, while often confusing newcomers to the sport. A technical decision (TD) can be especially confusing because it rarely happens during the course of a boxer's career.
Definition
If one boxer is accidentally injured so severely that he can't continue boxing, the referee is responsible to stop the match before further injury can occur. When this happens, the judges consult scorecards to decide the winner of the match just as if the match had ended by running out of time. Scores are tabulated, and the boxer with the highest overall score wins the match.
Accidental Injury
A key consideration in technical decisions is the concept of accidental injury. If a boxer renders his opponent unable to continue by punching him in the body and head, that boxer wins the match by technical knockout. However, if an unforeseeable circumstance causes the injury, it qualifies the match for technical decision. Examples include if a fighter slips and hits his head on a turnbuckle or breaks an ankle tripping over the referee. Technical decisions are rare in boxing competition because it usually requires a freak combination of circumstances to happen.
Fouls
If a fighter is accidentally hurt through no fault of his opponent, it can lead to a technical decision. However, if the fighter is injured due to a foul committed by his opponent, his opponent will be disqualified from the bout. Some fouls that can cause serious injury include headbutting, gouging, biting and punches to the groin or spine.
Results
If a fighter wins a match by technical decision, it goes on his fighting record as a win. For example, if he went into the match with a record of 10-2 -- that's 10 wins and two losses -- his new record would be 11-2. A technical decision does not count toward a fighter's knockout total, even though the match ended before the final bell of the last round.
Posted in: Boxing