The highly anticipated rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been hit with a last-minute change, but it’s not the fighters who are being shuffled. Instead, the alterations concern the officials set to oversee this monumental bout. Originally, Puerto Rican Gerardo Martinez, Chicago’s Patrick Morley, and Miami’s Fernando Barbosa were scheduled to judge the historic clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, reports have revealed that Barbosa has fallen ill and was unable to travel to the fight, prompting a swift replacement.

Stepping in to fill the gap is Steve Weisfeld, a seasoned judge from New Jersey, known for his vast experience and meticulous scoring. Weisfeld, who has been part of the boxing world since 1991 and has officiated over 2000 bouts, will now be one of the key figures in determining the outcome of this clash of titans. Weisfeld is no stranger to high-profile matches, having scored Usyk’s first fight against Anthony Joshua in 2021 with a 116-112 victory for the Ukrainian. He was also a judge in the heavyweight trilogy between Fury and Deontay Wilder, where his scoring was rendered moot due to Fury’s knockout victories in the second and third fights.

Though Weisfeld’s inclusion is a late change, his impeccable record makes him a fitting replacement for Barbosa. Boxing fans will be hoping his involvement maintains the integrity of this historic matchup, especially after the controversy surrounding Usyk and Fury’s first encounter in May. That fight, which was also closely contested, featured wildly divergent scorecards, with Usyk winning 115-112 on one card, Fury ahead 114-113 on another, and Usyk declared the victor 114-113 on the final card.

Adding another layer of intrigue to the fight is a groundbreaking experiment: an AI-powered fourth judge will submit a scorecard for the fight. This marks the first time in boxing history that artificial intelligence will be used to monitor a bout, offering a fresh perspective free from human bias or error. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh confirmed the experiment on social media, stating, “For the first time ever, an AI-powered judge will monitor the fight. This groundbreaking experiment, which won’t impact the official results, debuts during the biggest fight of the century.”

With these last-minute changes to the judging panel and the introduction of AI technology, the rematch between Usyk and Fury promises to be a historic and highly scrutinized event, even before the first bell rings on December 21.

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