The World Boxing Council (WBC) is pushing for a major change that could directly affect the outcome of the rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. This fight is scheduled to take place on December 21 this year, and WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has said he wants to use instant replays to help handle potentially controversial situations during the fights. He wants to bring VAR technology, similar to that in football, to boxing.
Sulaiman emphasized that boxing “must implement video replay technology”. Although the WBC has adopted instant replay since 2008, many other bodies and organizations such as the IBF, WBO, and WBA have not yet chosen to adopt this technology.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Sulaiman expanded on this proposed change: “Video replay is a rule that the WBC has had for the past few years, but it’s a complicated situation with the Boxing Board of Control England because they did not approve of its use. However, during the rules meetings of the last fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, we requested that video replay be used for the benefit of the team. WBC. We will push this in the Usyk vs. Fury rematch and in every fight we have.”
The introduction of video replay would act like VAR in football, trying to keep matches as fair as possible by reviewing punches that might violate the rules a second time. A prime example in Usyk’s favor occurred in his fight with Daniel Dubois, when he was given a valuable five-minute break after referee Luis Pabon determined Dubois had thrown a low punch. This break was a key factor in changing the outcome of the match in which the British boxer previously seemed to be dominating.
The World Boxing Council plans to bring VAR into the fight between Fury and Usyk. Boxing fans may not be entirely on board with the idea, but Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom praised the technology in an interview with talkSPORT, saying: “I think for the big fights , which makes sense. There are a lot of decisions that are questioned all the time, which is also frustrating for the organizer, because you’re often the one being blamed.”
While video replays will eliminate obvious errors from referees, VAR in soccer has shown that repeated replays do not eliminate controversy, and in most cases, only increase scrutiny. review for the referee. The decision to include video replays could also complicate support from various unions. Although the WBC is pushing for this change, the IBF, WBA and WBO may not recognize it as a title fight if video replay is applied. This could lead to a problematic situation where a match that was originally recognized by all is now recognized by only one body.
Some say that introducing technology into boxing is a big step forward to help resolve controversies and create transparency. But there are also those who worry that technological intervention may lose the surprise and appeal of this sport. They believe that boxing is a sport of direct confrontation and deciding the result based on the judgment of the referee and jury is an indispensable part.
However, WBC remains steadfast in its stance. They believe that, with the development of technology, the application of video replay will help matches become fairer and more accurate. This not only benefits the boxers but also helps the audience have quality matches, no longer arguing about the results. WBC President Sulaiman also affirmed that they will work closely with other federations to convince them to apply this technology in international matches.
With these changes, the rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk promises to be a dramatic and exciting match. Boxing fans around the world are eagerly awaiting this event, hoping that video replay technology will help deliver a fair and accurate result. In the future, if this technology is widely accepted, boxing may enter a new era where technology and sports combine to bring the most amazing matches.
