You see a fighter bleeding from a cut over the eye and think: “He’s losing.” The other guy is fresh-faced and composed. Easy round to score, right?

Not so fast.

In professional boxing, judges aren’t scoring how hurt a fighter looks. They’re scoring what caused the visible effects, and – more importantly – how effective those punches were in terms of impact and ring control. And here’s the tricky part: not all damage is created equal, and not all fighters react to punches the same way.

Some guys swell up like balloons after a jab. Others take flush right hands all night and don’t blink. The ability to “take a punch” – or not – is often baked into a fighter’s biology. Call it “chin,” “durability,” or “punch resistance.” Whatever the label, it complicates how judges evaluate fights.

Cuts, Bruises, and Bleeders

Fighters like Arturo Gatti and Henry Cooper were notorious for cuts. It didn’t mean they were losing – just that their facial tissue scarred and split more easily. Some guys bruise from glancing shots. Others get headbutted and look like they went through a windshield. Good corners know to talk to the referees and doctors before fights to make sure those professionals know of a fighter’s tendencies when it comes to cuts.

As a judge, you learn to ignore the blood and look at how it got there. Was it one clean uppercut or a series of jabs? Was the cut from a punch or an accidental clash of heads? A cut can end a fight on a TKO, but until that moment, it doesn’t necessarily win you rounds.

The Glass Jaw vs. The Granite Chin (and Tex Cobb)

Then there’s the chin – the legendary but mysterious factor in boxing lore.

Some fighters get touched and their legs betray them. Others absorb bombs and walk through fire. Fans call the first group “glass-jawed” and the second “iron-chinned,” but there’s real science behind it.

No one embodied the “granite chin” quite like Randall “Tex” Cobb, especially in his 1982 heavyweight title fight against Larry Holmes. Holmes landed over 300 clean power punches, yet Cobb never went down. He took a sustained, almost inhuman beating for 15 rounds and was still smiling through the blood. It was such a display of durability that Howard Cosell reportedly walked away from calling boxing after it aired.

Cobb’s performance wasn’t about scoring rounds – he lost every one. But it showed that having a good chin isn’t about being unhittable; it’s about not folding when hit. Judges had to score that fight not based on Cobb’s toughness, but on Holmes’s dominance, even if Cobb looked like he could go another 15.

Neurologically, a punch causes rotational acceleration of the brain. The force can disrupt the vestibular system – your body’s internal balance mechanism. If that disruption reaches a certain threshold, the fighter staggers, drops, or shuts down momentarily. It’s not just pain but a disconnection of signals.

Some fighters have stronger neck muscles, which help stabilize the head and reduce that whip-like motion. Others may have more fluid in the brain to cushion movement, better recovery times, or just genetic luck. Unfortunately, repeated concussive blows can change that over time. A great chin in your twenties doesn’t always stick around.

Judging the Impact of Impact

Let’s say Fighter A lands a clean counter that visibly wobbles his opponent. Fighter B lands more total punches, but they don’t have much effect. If that moment of visible damage outweighs the rest of the round, judges may score it for Fighter A. That one punch mattered more – not just because it looked good, but because it altered the round’s dynamic.

But what if Fighter B was hurt but has a great poker face? What if Fighter A bleeds from the nose and looks worse off, even though he controlled the action?

Judges don’t have medical scans. They have human eyes, experience, and the mandate to score effective aggression, not cosmetic damage. The guy who looks fresh might actually be losing. And the guy bleeding from a cut might be in total control.

Final Thoughts

Fans love visible drama – blood, knockdowns, legs buckling. But judging a fight is about what landed clean, what had an effect, and who imposed their will. Some fighters show damage more. Some take punches better. And some can be stunned by a jab.

There’s no simple formula for scoring a round. But when you understand that a bruised face isn’t the whole story, and that chin strength is as much science as folklore, you start to see the sweet science in a whole new light.

The Science of the Chin

Why some fighters crumble from a jab and others eat right hands for breakfast

  • Neck Strength Matters:
    Strong neck and trapezius muscles help reduce the rotational “whiplash” effect from punches. Less head movement = less brain rattle.
  • Vestibular System Shock:
    Getting “buzzed” isn’t about pain—it’s about a disruption to your inner ear and balance system. That’s why wobbly legs can follow even a glancing blow.
  • Cerebrospinal Cushioning:
    Some people have more fluid around the brain, acting like natural suspension. More cushion = less trauma from impact.
  • Genetics and Bone Structure:
    Thicker jaws, broader skulls, and deeper-set chins can all help absorb force better. Think Tex Cobb or George Chuvalo.
  • Recovery Rate is Key:
    Getting rocked isn’t always what loses the round—it’s how fast you recover. Some fighters "reset" in seconds. Others never shake it off.
  • Cumulative Damage:
    Even the best chins fade. Every shot taken in sparring or under the lights chips away. Today’s iron chin can be tomorrow’s glass.