Judging Boxing

A note to ESPN

Gentlemen,
Much ink is spilled and many SoundBits launched whenever there is a controversial decision in boxing, like in the recent Hopkins-Taylor bout (you can add your own favorites). The most obvious solution is never mentioned: increase the number of judges to eliminate conscious or unconscious bias. For a multi-million dollar bout I am sure the organizers can afford more than three. Even amateur boxing matches have five judges, and amateur diving competitions and gymnastic events even more. In diving, for instance, the highest and lowest score is automatically discarded. A similar method could be fashioned for boxing, especially if the judges entered their scores to a computer. Present judging is primordial. Often two of the judges come from different camps, assuming that they will be partial, so the remaining one judge is selected from a neutral area. Often two will split the score and the single neutral judge's score decides the outcome.

Ridiculous!

Employing a competent sports statistician to eliminate those judges whose standard deviation from the mean is over a certain value at least would ensure some competence. Hiring presumably objective European judges in US events would contribute greatly to the perceived fairness of scoring.
My suggestions are not necessarily the best; to obtain more professional opinion you should employ a good statistician or consult experts devising scoring methods in other sports. (Watch some International gymnastic event to see how competent scoring is ensured).
Cheating can never be totally eliminated, but even the above minimal suggestions would ensure far more accurate judging.