2 minutes Arum, who manages Fury's promotions in the United States, has dismissed the six-judge idea for this pivotal bout.
This headline event is slated for a few weeks from now in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where an undisputed heavyweight champion will be declared. The stakes are high with Fury's WBC title and Usyk's WBA (super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring Magazine world heavyweight championships all on the line during their May 18 battle.
In the realm of boxing betting, this match is a hot topic.
In preparation for this epic face-off, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman had proposed a radical change—using SIX judges for Fury vs. Usyk—after an 'emergency petition' was circulated among the sanctioning bodies, the fighters, and the promoters.
However, Arum, who manages Fury's promotions in the United States, has dismissed the six-judge idea for this pivotal bout.
"You don't introduce something like this in a major fight for the first time given its high profile and significance," said the 92-year-old.
He further speculated:
"Maybe six judges are better than three. I doubt that, but maybe. No one knows since it's not been tried. But at least you should test that in less prominent fights."
The Top Rank chief further commented:
"With all due respect to my friend Mauricio—who is a great guy, loves boxing, and has done wonders for the WBC—I wouldn't opt for it in this fight. I'm not saying don't try it in another fight, but I don't think judging improves just because you have six judges instead of three."
Therefore, unless there's an unexpected change, the scoring for Fury vs. Usyk will be conducted by three judges.
The 'Gypsy King' Fury last went to a decision when he controversially defeated former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Meanwhile, Usyk hasn't been in the ring since his knockout win over Daniel Dubois last summer.
Fury V Usyk Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tyson Fury | 1/1 |
| Draw | 18/1 |
| Oleksandr Usyk | 1/1 |
