A split decision (SD) is a winning criterion in boxing, most commonly in full-contact combat sports, in which two of the three judges score one particular competitor as the winner, while the third judge scores for the other competitor.

A split decision is different from a majority decision. A majority decision occurs when two judges pick the same competitor as the winner, and the third judge scores the contest a draw (tie). The official result remains the same in both split and majority decisions, but the margin of victory is greater in a majority decision and less in a split decision.

Occasionally, the judges' final decision is a tie, because the first judge scores for one competitor, the second one scores for the other competitor, and the third judge scores the contest a draw (tie); so in this case the official result is a split draw.

Often, a split decision causes controversy due to its lack of unanimity. As a result, especially in high-profile or title fights, the victor may be encouraged or pressured to grant a rematch, in the hopes a return match-up will have a more decisive outcome.

Notable examples from boxing DateFightScorecardsSource(s)December 5, 1947Joe Louis vs. Jersey Joe Walcott9–6 Louis8–6–1 Louis7–6–2 WalcottMarch 31, 1973Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton7–4 Norton5–4 Norton6–5 AliSeptember 10, 1973Ken Norton vs. Muhammad Ali II7–5 Ali6–5 Ali6–5 NortonFebruary 15, 1978Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks145–140 Spinks144–141 Spinks143–142 AliApril 6, 1987Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard118–110 Leonard115–113 Leonard115–113 HaglerMay 5, 2007Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.116–112 Mayweather115–113 Mayweather115–113 De La HoyaMarch 15, 2008Juan Manuel Márquez vs. Manny Pacquiao II115–112 Pacquiao114–113 Pacquiao115–112 MarquezApril 19, 2008Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe116–111 Calzaghe115–112 Calzaghe114–113 HopkinsDecember 10, 2011Amir Khan vs. Lamont Peterson113–112 Peterson113–112 Peterson115–110 KhanJune 9, 2012Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley115–113 Bradley115–113 Bradley115–113 PacquiaoMarch 1, 2014Orlando Salido vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko116–112 Salido115–113 Salido115–113 LomachenkoJuly 12, 2014Canelo Álvarez vs. Erislandy Lara117–111 Álvarez115–113 Álvarez115–113 LaraDecember 10, 2016Dillian Whyte vs. Derek Chisora115–113 Whyte115–114 Whyte115–114 ChisoraJuly 20, 2019Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman115–112 Pacquiao115–112 Pacquiao114–113 ThurmanNovember 27, 2021Teófimo López vs. George Kambosos Jr.115–111 Kambosos115–112 Kambosos114–113 LópezFebruary 26, 2022Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall114–111 Taylor113–112 Taylor113–112 CatterallApril 30, 2022Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano97–93 Taylor96–93 Taylor96–94 SerranoAugust 20, 2022Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua II116–112 Usyk115–113 Usyk115–113 JoshuaMay 18, 2024Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk115–112 Usyk114–113 Usyk114–113 FuryApril 4, 2026Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder115–111 Wilder115–113 Wilder115–112 Chisora

Outside of boxing In the Philippines, the term "split decision" is also used on GMA Network's reality television show The Clash, when two of the three members of the clash panel (Ai-Ai delas Alas, Christian Bautista, and Lani Misalucha) chose a clasher (among two) to advance to the next round, while the other clasher is eliminated. An example of it is that Golden Cañedo won the clash against Fatima Espiritu via split decision. Cañedo was later the Clash grand winner of the show's first season.

See also

10 Point System

References