Can you name a sport in which the winner is usually, but not always, decided by score, and neither the players nor the fans know what the score is until they are finished playing it?

In the world of professional prizefighting, a bout can end in a sudden, dramatic flash with a knockout. However, if both competitors are still standing after the final bell, the outcome is placed in the hands of ringside judges. Throughout the entire contest, these officials have been scoring the fight round by round, but their tallies are kept completely secret from the fighters, their corners, and the audience.

This is where the unique scoring system comes into play. Most professional bouts use the "10-Point Must System," where the winner of a round receives 10 points and the loser gets 9. A judge can deduct additional points for infractions or knockdowns, making a round a 10-8 or even 10-7 score. Since each of the three judges scores independently, no one truly knows who is ahead on the cards at any given moment.

The suspense culminates in the final moments when the ring announcer reads the judges' scorecards aloud. The result can be a unanimous, majority, or split decision, often leading to controversy and debate that lasts for years. This element of unknown judgment adds a layer of psychological drama, as fighters who believe they are winning might unknowingly be giving away the victory on points.