The question of whether artificial intelligence could improve judging in boxing has gained traction following a controversial Commonwealth Games final where England's Dimeji Shittu was controversially defeated. Commentators and fellow athletes have suggested that AI could offer a more objective system.
Delicious Orie, a superheavyweight champion from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, expressed his view that the result was unfair, stating that "The referee has stripped the medal from Dimeji." Orie proposed that introducing AI into boxing judging could be a solution to such perceived injustices.
This discussion has become more prominent in recent years, with technology reportedly used behind the scenes during Tyson Fury's 2024 bout with Oleksandr Usyk. Gennadiy Golovkin, president of World Boxing—the international governing body for amateur boxing, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games competitions—has indicated a willingness to explore the implementation of AI.
While no immediate changes are expected, World Boxing is investigating how AI could potentially enhance transparency and integrity in the sport. However, some traditionalists may argue that subjectivity is an inherent part of boxing.
Artificial intelligence is already employed in other sports, though typically for more definitive calls, such as determining offside positions in soccer or whether a ball is in or out of bounds in tennis. The application of AI in boxing presents unique challenges, such as assessing the power and significance of punches, and whether all punches should be weighted equally.
Orie acknowledged the potential benefits, stating, "I wouldn't necessarily be against it. 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."