Upcoming Fight: Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk 2 Introduces an Artificial Intelligence Arbiter
Upcoming Fight: Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk 2 Introduces an Artificial Intelligence Arbiter
The upcoming clash between WBC, WBO, and WBA heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury serves as a testing ground. Thanks to a Saudi power broker, this event marks the debut of an AI judge scoring a professional fight for the first time. While the AI judge's scores won't impact the official verdict, as per Alalshikh, who manages the AI judge under the Ring Magazine label acquired recently from Oscar De La Hoya, the system promises to be free of prejudice and human error.
This is Alalshikh's maiden venture employing the Ring Magazine brand since the purchase, and it's intriguing to observe how the experiment unfolds and whether it becomes a regular fixture in the sport. Human judges have faced significant criticism for shady scorecards, and for over a century, they've often been viewed as a gateway to corruption in the sport.
If fights are assessed by an impartial AI judge, we could witness a level of finality unparalleled in boxing and combat sports as a whole. I've long favored transparent scoring, and while an AI judge is not a direct substitute, it could pave the way for greater transparency.
Once boxers, trainers, and promoters grasp the AI judging criteria, they can fine-tune their strategies to decisively win rounds, reducing the uncertainty. Including transparent scoring would eliminate all speculation.
Could major boxing matches eventually be judged entirely by AI judges, with scores revealed after each round? That development seems plausible, especially given the technology's availability.
Alashekh has not disclosed the AI firm responsible for developing and operating the judge for Fury-Usyk 2, but it wouldn't be surprising if it were Jabbr. The company offers AI-driven combat sports statistics for over a year, and their technology aligns with what's shown in Alashekh's trailer.
However, the Ring-branded AI might originate from a different company or be independently developed by a member of Alashekh's team. We should anticipate significant announcements in relation to Ring soon, considering the site's relaunch scheduled for midnight CT on December 18.
In any case, all eyes will be on the scores delivered by the fourth judge during the event in Riyadh.
I'd prefer to keep the AI judge's scores under wraps until the conclusion of the main event, and then allow fans to compare the AI judge's scorecards with Chris Mannix's unofficial count.
In conclusion, if you required yet another reason to be engaged in this rematch for three-quarters of the heavyweight championship, perhaps the AI judge will prove compelling.
This innovative AI judge, debuting in the Fury-Usyk clash, could revolutionize the scoring system in gaming-like fashion for combat sports. With its promise of impartiality and elimination of human error, it could potentially become a regular feature in boxing.