In a stunning development for the upcoming heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, the fight will feature a unique addition: an AI-powered judge. This innovative “fourth judge” will provide scoring, although it won’t influence the official results. The announcement was made by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, via a post on X (formerly Twitter). This experiment, touted as free from human bias and error, promises to be a groundbreaking moment in the world of boxing.
A Historic Experiment
The AI judge will monitor the rematch, which is set for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The match, which is highly anticipated due to the intense rivalry between the two fighters, will see Fury defending his WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight titles. Fury has promised a more aggressive approach this time around, vowing to deliver a knockout instead of settling for a points decision, as he did in their previous fight in May.
The Controversial Role of Judges in Boxing
This decision is sure to spark debate, as boxing has long been plagued by controversial judges’ decisions. Some fans have expressed support for the AI judge, hoping it will eliminate human error, while others are skeptical about how it will impact the sport. The first encounter between Fury and Usyk was marked by a split decision, with Usyk winning 115-112 and 114-113 from two judges, while Fury earned a 114-113 scorecard. With the stakes higher than ever, all eyes will be on how the new AI judge performs in such a high-profile bout.
