The highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury this Saturday is set to make boxing history—not just in the ring, but at the judges’ table.
For the first time in a major bout, an AI-powered judging system will score the fight alongside the three official judges.
While its decision won’t influence the official result, this groundbreaking experiment aims to showcase the potential of artificial intelligence in combat sports.
What is AI Judging in Boxing?
Artificial intelligence, programmed to analyse and evaluate boxing matches in real-time, will score each of the 12 rounds during Usyk vs. Fury 2.
The technology will consider a variety of metrics, including punch accuracy, volume, and other fight dynamics.
Turki Alalshikh, who announced the experiment on Tuesday, emphasised that the AI’s verdict will serve as a trial to assess its accuracy and reliability compared to traditional human judges.
The inclusion of AI comes as boxing continues to grapple with controversies surrounding scoring and judging.
Questionable scorecards and disputed decisions are all too common, leading to calls for greater transparency and reform in how fights are evaluated.
For the first time ever, an AI powered judge will be tested for a boxing match when it makes its debut this Saturday for #Usyk2Fury, @Turki_alalshikh confirmed on social media Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/yi9oZBmRaD
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) December 17, 2024
Why is AI Judging Being Introduced?
AI-powered judging is being touted as a potential solution to the long-standing biases and inconsistencies that plague boxing’s scoring system.
Unlike human judges, who may be influenced by subjective opinions or external pressures, AI is designed to remain impartial.
It operates purely based on data, offering a perspective that could reduce the margin of error in scoring fights.
The idea is not without challenges. Critics have raised concerns that AI judging may struggle to account for subjective elements such as the power and impact of punches, overall damage, and the psychological control a fighter exerts over their opponent.
Boxing is as much an art as it is a science, and some worry that relying too heavily on technology could reduce it to a simple point-counting exercise.
Usyk keeping an eye on Fury 😭
via @boxingontnt pic.twitter.com/SreJjamLIG
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) December 17, 2024
Context: Scoring Controversies and Innovations in Boxing
Scoring disputes in boxing are nothing new. The first bout between Usyk and Fury ended in a split decision, with Usyk emerging as the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Fury has since maintained that he was the rightful winner, fuelling tensions ahead of Saturday’s rematch.
This isn’t the first attempt to address judging controversies. The WBC has experimented with open scoring, where fighters are informed of their scores during the fight.
For instance, during O’Shaquie Foster’s title defence against Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez in 2023, open scoring revealed Foster was behind on two scorecards after 10 rounds.
This transparency prompted him to take risks in the final rounds, ultimately securing a dramatic stoppage victory.
Despite these efforts, calls for systemic change have persisted, making AI a promising—if experimental—alternative.
