Was Chocolatito Gonzalez Victim of Boxing's Unwritten Code?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 20 Mar 2021
It could have been a draw.
But two of the judges sored it in favor of Juan Francisco Estrada, one even seeing him win nine of the twelve rounds!
It is not just questionable biased scoring that we are talking here.
I am old enough to have seen numerous similar controversial endings as we have witnessed over the recent weekend, in non title and especially in title fights.
The culprit I believe is that unwritten boxing code which protects certain favored fighters.
To be fair, fighters as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, even Manny Pacquiao at one time or the other were seen to have benefited from such unwritten code.
The unwritten code states that the boxer who is perceived to possess or represent the better potentials to carry on with the business side of boxing ought to enjoy all the benefit of the doubt in any close fight. This is particularly true in Las Vegas, the boxing and gambling capital of the world.
Ali enjoyed such privilege in all his close fights against Ken Norton, even their third and last meeting which many saw as a clear Norton win. Leonard got every benefit in his fight versus Marvelous Marvin Hagler, even as his voluminous but pitty pat punching showed no sign of damaging nor slowing down the bald pated marvelous one. The same is also the perception in all of Pacquiao's first three bouts with Juan Manuel Marquez.
All judges are aware of and oriented to this unwritten code, some more than the others. That is why we have blatantly or patently outrageous scoring that at times result to suspensions. Remember that 118-110 a lady judge gave to Canelo in his drawn first fight versus Golovkin?
The key I believe is not merely meting suspensions or fines or both to erring judges.
We should vanish this unwritten code in our system by reorienting our judges and officials about discharging their responsibilities with utmost objectivity, without bias, fear or favor.
We should also return the possibility of even scoring especially in cases where a fighter really has no distinct advantage over the other. Discouraging drawn scoring gives judges wider latitude to include factors not really present in the combat or action, such as considerations as contained in the unwritten code.
The Gonzalez-Estrada fight should and could have been a draw. And no one would have raised a howl of protest or raised an eyebrow.
But one judge who let the unwritten code prevail in his call of the fight would want us to believe that he saw some things during the battle that the two other judges and host of others either live or on television did not see or even perceive.
The conventional wisdom as the unwritten code would tell us is that an Estrada-Rungvisai would be a better matchup with the two even at one win each than a Gonzalez-Rungvusai pairing knowing that the Thai had prevailed in their own two previous meetings, the last one even by early round knockout.
But boxing has never operate that way since the very beginning. One to one correspondence does not apply as can be seen in numerous celebrated cases. Frazier and Norton were putty in the hands of Foreman but both gave hell to Ali who on the other hand proved superior to Foreman. Hagler had fits fighting Roberto Duran who was knocked out face first by Tommy Hearns who was kayoed in early rounds by Marv.
Style makes the fight. That's an absolute boxing truism.
Gonzalez was able to sustain his aggressive, attack style of fighting against Estrada for almost all twelve rounds. People are wondering how could Estrada who fought on back foot for most of the bout won nine of twelve rounds.
Statistics likewise favored Gonzalez in the number of jabs and power punches thrown and landed. So how to explain that judge's six point margin in favor of Estrada?
Estrada himself was not convinced that he won fair and square. That is why he is thinking of a rubber match ahead of or after the Rungvisai match.
We will continue to have controversies in boxing unless we vanish that unwritten code that binds judges with boxing promoting.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Fireworks Ahead: Magsayo vs Mata in Prelims of Pacquiao vs Barrios
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Japan's Boxing Golden Age Remains Limited to the Lower Weights
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 03 Jul 2025No issues with fight ref
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Grand Muay Thai event in Verona
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Thu, 03 Jul 2025Morelle McCane and Rene Camacho Advance to Quarterfinals of World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
Thu, 03 Jul 20253 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Marco Antonio Barrera Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
Thu, 03 Jul 2025ESPN Original Series The Fight Life Returns for Season Two on July 7
Wed, 02 Jul 2025TOP-RATED LIGHTWEIGHT KO ARTIST ARMANDO MARTINEZ RABI RETURNS
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Amazing Muay Thai WBC Festival 2025
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Borromeo Leads Winners of the Philippine Speedcubing Championships
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 02 Jul 2025What If Pacquiao Defeats Barrios?
By Ralph Rimpell, Wed, 02 Jul 2025Team USA Earns Three Wins on Day Two of World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Women's Boxing Champion Signs with Combate Global, Still Aims For WBC Absolute Gold
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Sanman Boxing Presents Hard-Hitting Prospect Abubakar Yanon Set to Challenge for Philippine Boxing Federation Flyweight Title in Malungon, Sarangani Province
Wed, 02 Jul 2025Boxing Returns to Tropicana Atlantic City, July 25
Wed, 02 Jul 2025