Compubox

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Compubox is the name of a computerized punches scoring system run by two operators. Compubox is used in boxing matches across the world.

Despite claims to the contrary, the system was NOT developed by Logan Hobson and Robert Canobbio. It was based on a computer program, originally named FightStat, developed by Jon Gibbs in 1984-85 when Gibbs, Hobson, and Cannobio all worked for Sports Information Data Base (SIDB), of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey.

Gibbs was the developer of TenniSTAT, the first computer-generated statistics program for tennis, which was used by the US Open, Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and other major tournaments.

At Hobson's request, Gibbs wrote the code for FightStat (also called PunchStat in some venues) and was used at Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum and in Reno for the 1985 HBO Boxing telecast of the Livingstone Bramble-Ray Mancini rematch for the WBA's world Lightweight title.

After SIDB went bankrupt in 1985, Hobson and Cannobio absconded with the program, which they renamed Compubox.

Compubox's aim is to settle controversies surrounding fights by counting each punch thrown by each of the fighters, and also each punch landed, to provide fight viewers with a final punchstat count and a perception of who should ideally be given the judges' decision, in the cases where a fight lasts the full distance. Conversely, Compubox has also created controversy; such was the case of the Fight of the Millennium, where Compubox showed Oscar de la Hoya landing around 300 more punches than Félix Trinidad, despite the fact Trinidad won the fight by a split decision. Compubox also showed Lennox Lewis outlanding Evander Holyfield by a large margin during their first fight, declared a draw or tie.

Apart from HBO, the system is also used by NBC and ESPN, among others. Former world champion Genaro Hernandez, a computer expert, is one of the men in charge of operating the system.

This system also helped prove that Welshman Joe 'Italian Dragon' Calzaghe out punched Bernard Hopkins, despite Hopkins' claim that punches were not landed.