Two cases where the BSI would prevent a boxer from fighting

Friday, Nov. 4, 2005 | 8:49 a.m.

The Boxing Severity Index is designed to protect fighters such as Reggie Strickland -- from themselves as much as from their opponents.

Strickland, a light heavyweight who fights out of Indianapolis, is one of the nation's busiest fighters, having compiled a career won-loss record of 66-276.The formula assigns Strickland two points because he has lost at least his last five fights -- he actually has lost his last nine and 22 of his last 26, according to the Web site Boxrec.com. He's 37 years old, which earns him another point, and he has fought 2,039 rounds as a professional, good for another point. His four-point total puts him in the high-risk category.

The only thing that prevents Strickland from scoring even worse is that he almost never loses by knockout or technical knockout, which would result in more points.

Then there is Bruce Seldon, a Westville, N.J., heavyweight who got knocked out by Tye Fields in the second round of an Oct. 28 fight at the Orleans.

Based on the BSI, Seldon entered the fight at high risk of brain injury with a three-point rating, having earned two points for losing via a technical knockout once in his prior three fights and another point for his age, 38. If he fights again, he will enter the ring with a four-point rating because of the latest knockout.

In explaining why Seldon was allowed to compete last month, Ratner said:

"You have to look at who he's fighting and the history of the fighter. He was a champion at one time. Then he got in trouble and was incarcerated for many years. Medically, he was fine. We had all his physicals. Tye Fields had a good record but hadn't fought anybody of note so on paper this looked like a good fight."

But after being knocked out, it would be tough for Seldon to get approval to fight in Nevada again, Ratner said.

"I was surprised Seldon did not fight a good fight," Ratner said. "He didn't look good here."