The drama surrounding the third judge for Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk has been settled following late withdrawal on Thursday.
Why was there a change of judge for Fury vs Usyk?
Earlier this week, Miami native Fernando Barbosa threw a spanner in the works when he withdrew from judging the bout due to illness before he was due to fly out to Saudi Arabia.
He was originally set to score the historic clash between Fury and Usyk alongside Puerto Rico’s Gerardo Martinez and Chicago’s Patrick Morley.
BoxingScene reported that Barbosa is an employee of Disney Latin America and ESPN, the broadcaster which Fury’s US promoter Top Rank currently works with.
His involvement in the fight was likely deemed a conflict of interests and that was what ultimately led to his withdrawal, but those details probably won’t be confirmed.
According to the best boxing betting sites, Usyk remains the odds-on favourite at 10/11 but Fury continues to shorten in the market and is now available at a general 5/4.
How was the final judge chosen for Fury vs Usyk?
On Saturday morning, a coin toss decided who the final judge would be. It was overseen by the Middle Eastern Professional Boxing Commission (MEPBC), but the fighters were not present. It is believed Frank Warren suggested the coin toss.
The MEPBC is in control of proceedings at the request of Team Usyk, who didn’t want the British Boxing Board of Control anywhere near the main event.
Who is the final judge for Fury vs Usyk?
It has now been confirmed that the third and final judge for Fury vs Usyk on Saturday is Ignacio Robles of Panama.
Robles has judged British fighters in the past, such as Lyndon Arthur when he was beaten by Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia last year.
It was reported that Steve Weisfeld was the other judge in the running to replace Barbosa. Team Fury reportedly favoured Weisfeld but Team Usyk wanted Robles, so it was decided on the flip of a coin.
