NSAC director: judge Adalaide Byrd to get “small break” after controversial Canelo-GGG scoring

Over the weekend, combat sports headlines were dominated by a blockbuster boxing match between stars Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, which resulted in a thrilling – if debatable – split draw. Unfortunately, many of the headlines that emerged post-fight were negative. Many of those negative headlines surrounded a truly baffling score from ring-side judge Adalaide Byrd, who scored the fight 118-110 for Canelo. 

In the wake of this logic defying score, NSAC executive director Bob Bennett, who oversaw the Canelo-GGG fight, admitted that Byrd might need a “small break” from judging big fights.

“I’m not going to put her right back in,” the Nevada Athletic Commission executive director said via the Los Angeles Times. “She’ll still be in the business … but she needs to catch her breath.”

“Like in any profession, you have a bad night,” he added. 

“Unfortunately, she didn’t do well. I can tell you she conducts training for us, takes judges under her wing … but her score was too wide.”

Bennett also explained that he plans to have a meeting with Byrd in hopes of getting a better sense of the logic behind her undeniably baffling scoring.

What did you think of Adalaide Byrd’s controversial Canelo-GGG scoring? Should she be allowed to judge again?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/18/2017.