January 10th, 2025 / IBA

International Boxing Association (IBA) Coaches Committee Chairman Dr. Gabriele Martelli has called for cooperation between coaches and officials to improve the quality of boxing worldwide and create agreeable criteria between members.

In an interview with IBA, Dr. Martelli said that from a coaching perspective there has to be more focus on educating the athlete on what the referees and judges are looking for, stating the standard is getting “higher and higher” in the sport which is “evolving constantly”.

‘Sometimes we are focusing on certain aspects that can make the vision of certain coaches a bit complicated, because what I try to explain to everybody that when a boxer is entering in the ring he is facing seven opponents, not one,’ he said.

‘Now, five judges, one referee and one opponent in the ring, now, the target of each fight is to win for everybody. The point that is missing is that we need to understand how the scoring criteria are working. Everyone is doing their best to improve the judging system, but all people have different views and a different mentality about boxing.’

Dr. Martelli addressed the variety of views on boxing that judges have when making decisions and they can be based on cultural differences in how they see what successful boxing is in various regions. Some countries at a local level would reward active boxing, while others are more lenient with passive fighters, providing they deliver quality throughout the bout. He sees this as an area where there has to be a consensus.

‘If we sit down in a room and we watch a fight, we will have many opinions,’ he said. ‘Not all the people will say the same thing, because everyone is looking from their perspectives. What is missing is we need to be on the same page, understanding what referees and judges are looking for according to the scoring criteria.’

‘I analysed it many times because I want my boxer to win. Not just to do the boxing that I want, because maybe that’s the only way that I can teach boxing. I need to be capable to shift and teach ways of fighting in order to win fights.’

He focuses on three principles to ensure, from a coaches’ perspective, that should be universally taught: behavior, procedures and rules.

Dr. Martelli sees behavior as the priority for coaches, asking them to lead by example in how they conduct themselves, saying that they are capable of “influencing” close verdicts if they negatively interact with officials. He also made the point that instilling politeness in athletes can only be a positive to improve their chances of winning.

‘The way we react even during losses is the way we teach to our boxers how to take a loss,’ he added. ‘It just teaches the kids that it’s right to react emotionally in a negative way, leaving a very bad remark in the mind of all the people. If the fight is close on criteria, what way do the judges go?’

He proposes that during coaches’ courses there be a combined training segment at national level in each country together with boxers, judges and referees where competition sparring is used to provide feedback to all involved to ensure the athletes are best educated for their bouts. He added that it will also teach officials what methods in boxing are trending in the gyms.

With procedures and rules, he calls on all coaches to remain adaptable to changes that are made – rather than being reactive, to instead be proactive. Instead of complaining, coaches would rather study the rules closely and take all responsibility to implement necessary changes for their boxers to comply with the rules.

‘There is not much understanding between coaches and referees and judges and their decisions because there is a wall. We need to break the wall, work together, understand what language we are speaking, and then we move forward as one sport.’

Martelli stressed that coaches were the “keepers of boxing”, and a workshop with officials will ensure – particularly with new rules regarding the removal of headguards for women – the correct training is applied for boxers affected by the change, and that there is a clear consensus on what officials are seeking in bouts.

‘If we make this workshop all together, we can truly, worldwide, improve,’ Dr. Martelli said. ‘So, we need to work to make sure that we try to have a sort of foundation of using the criteria.’

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Media contacts:

Elena Sobol, Head of Communications and PR, International Boxing Association: elena.sobol@iba.sport