As a fan, reporter, observer, and accomplished blow by blow announcer of boxing for a couple of decades, allow me to answer this question.
What is wrong with Olympic boxing? Answer: it ain’t boxing.
Olympic boxing is a pugilistic version of “tag.” You know, “tag” as in tag football? The ridiculous computerized scoring system only counts “touches”. And touching doesn't win real fights. Apparently, and I haven’t figured this out, only the white part of the glove needs to make a contact with the opponent, and voila’, there’s a “point”.
Well, here’s a point. If you take away inside fighting, emphasis on power shots, punches that actually “turn” over when the blow is delivered, and effective body shots, well, what you have is “pitty pat.”
And that’s the real pity. There are programs around the world who teach this Olympic style of hunt and peck and run away. They win medals, but they’re not boxing.
I have researched and I believe this style was fomented by the great Charlie Chaplin in the 1931 movie “City Lights.” Google and check out the boxing scene. Yes, that’s Olympic boxing! Of course I am kidding. Then again, maybe Charlie was, once again, way ahead of his time.
For the last two years, I was the blow by blow television announcer boxing for the A.I.B.A. in their World Series of Boxing. We had the best amateurs in the world, paid them, took off the headgear and shirts, and fought five three minute rounds with professional three man judges scoring. The action was incredible.
Hopefully, the A.I.B.A., under the direction of Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, can make inroads with the I.O.C. to knock out the current scoring system.
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