Under the 10-point-must scoring framework, one 10–8 round can offset two 10–9 rounds the other way, producing 28–28. Add the actual round scores and account for any official deductions.
Write both scores for every round
The Association of Boxing Commissions’ 2025 clarification explains individual-round judging and the 10-point-must system, including 10–9 and 10–8 scores. The example assumes three completed rounds, no deductions and the stated scores already awarded.
Let Fighter A win the first round 10–8. Fighter B wins the next two 10–9 each. A has won one round and B two, but the numerical margin of the first round differs from the margins of the next two. A list of the round winners, A, B, B, leaves that difference out.
Add the card from the awarded scores
| Round | Fighter A | Fighter B | Round winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 8 | A |
| 2 | 9 | 10 | B |
| 3 | 9 | 10 | B |
| Total | 28 | 28 | Tied card |
Changing one round changes this card
If the first round had instead been 10–9 for A, its total would remain 28 while B’s would rise to 29. That is a different card, even though the sequence of round winners is still A, B, B. The comparison isolates the effect of the score awarded in round one.
An official point deduction must be reflected in the relevant score. First establish whether the published figures already include it, so it is not subtracted twice. A deduction changes the numerical total even when the description of the round’s action reads the same.
Use the official cards to check the result
The ABC clarification prioritises effective fighting and gives guidance about the degree of effectiveness involved in different round scores. Strike counts and time in a position are separate statistics. This worked calculation takes the awarded scores as its inputs.
A judge’s card is one piece of the bout’s official result. Read all the published cards and the announced outcome. Keep fighter identities consistent across columns when comparing them. Switching the order midway can create an apparent contradiction.
For a spectator’s check, copy the scores round by round, note official deductions, add each fighter’s column and compare the totals. Keep the commentary’s list of round winners beside the numerical result if you want both. That preserves the margin of each round and lets a reader reproduce the total. A quick check is to add the round margins from Fighter A’s side. Plus two in round one, minus one in round two and minus one in round three sum to zero. That matches the tied card. A deduction of one point from A would move this hypothetical card to 27–28.
Sources and review
- MMA Bout Scoring — Judging Criteria Clarification — Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports