Shittu 'robbed' in boxing match; AI judging debated
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Boxer Shittu was controversially defeated in his final match, with judges awarding rounds against the apparent flow of the fight.
- Point deductions for repeated head-dipping further impacted Shittu's scorecards.
- The outcome has reignited debate about using AI in boxing judging to improve transparency and objectivity.
A controversial judging decision has cast a shadow over a recent boxing match, with many observers believing that boxer Shittu was unfairly defeated. Despite appearing to land the majority of punches and winning the first round on all five judges' scorecards, the contest swung dramatically in the second round.
Do me a favour, referee. That is dreadful, absolutely dreadful
In the second round, three judges awarded the round to Shittu's opponent, Ankush, even though Shittu seemed to be landing more blows. The situation worsened when Shittu received a point deduction for dipping his head low, a penalty repeated later in the final round. These deductions put Shittu significantly behind on points.
How did [Ankush] win that last round on the scores 4-1? Absolutely terrible. Shocking. That is not sour grapes.
Commentators expressed disbelief at the scoring. "How did [Ankush] win that last round on the scores 4-1?" questioned commentator Woodhall, describing the judging as "absolutely terrible. Shocking."
The referee has stripped the medal from Dimeji.
Fellow boxer Delicious Orie echoed the sentiment, stating, "The referee has stripped the medal from Dimeji." Orie suggested that the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into boxing judging could be a solution to enhance transparency and fairness in the sport. The idea of using AI for judging has gained traction, with discussions around its potential implementation in amateur boxing, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
Then it becomes an objective sport. If I knew there was a specific set of scoring then yeah, bring AI. I would follow that rule book rather than someone's opinion.
Originally published by BBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.