Usyk vs Fury 2: Ignacio Robles named as replacement judge after coin toss determined outcome
21 December 2024, 09:16 | Updated: 21 December 2024, 13:12
Ignacio Robles will be the third judge in Tyson Fury's world heavyweight championship clash with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night following a coin toss.
Fernando Barbosa had been due to be one of the three judges on fight night but he was unable to travel to Riyadh due to illness, leaving the respective fighter teams split between officials Steve Weisfeld and Robles.
Usyk's rematch with Britain's Fury takes place on Saturday night on a Riyadh Season bill, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
- Usyk vs Fury 2: Start time, ring walks, undercard
- Usyk vs Fury 2: Book to watch on your TV
- Usyk vs Fury rematch: Watch the fight online
- Usyk vs Fury 2: All the ways to book
Robles has been a judge at ringside for British fighters previously when Dmitry Bivol beat Lyndon Arthur in Saudi Arabia last year.
"It may [upset one of the camps] but they don't really have a leg to stand on," said Sky Sports' Andy Scott.
"After Barboza was taken ill, they flew in two replacements, and the teams could not decide between them who they wanted.
"It would eventually come down to the Middle East Boxing Commission to make that call. Frank Warren was calling for the toss of a coin, and in a world of AI [Artificial Intelligence] and all these other things, common sense has prevailed and we have flipped a coin."
Robles joins Puerto Rico's Gerardo Martinez and Chicago's Patrick Morley on ringside for the Usyk-Fury showdown.
The WBO, WBA, and WBC championships, which Usyk won from Fury in their first fight, will be on the line.
The other key point of contention ahead of the fight is the length of Fury's beard, with Usyk's team querying whether it could actually cushion a blow.
Fury is not obligated to shave it off for the fight but Usyk's camp are adamant that it should be cut.
Promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports: "Beard rule is grossly violated. WBC rules clearly say: 'A boxer may spouse a trimmed beard and/or moustache as long as, in the discretion of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: (1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or (2) cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.'
"So," Krassyuk continued, "Tyson's beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further."
However, the WBC has "no issue" with the length of Fury's beard.
"I don't think they were ever going to get that overruled, it was just one last attempt to unsettle Fury," added Scott.
An 'epic battle' awaits
Despite the outside noise, Sky Sports' Matthew Macklin still believes Usyk and Fury will have tunnel vision and not let these discussions distract them.
"These two are very experienced operators. They've been at the highest level all their lives and they're always destined for these great nights," Macklin told Sky Sports News.
"They will have just put all that aside and there's nothing now except tunnel vision.
"I just predict it's going to be an epic battle. I think Fury is going to come with a 'seek-and-destroy' mentality, whether or not he can technically make it that fight because Usyk has got really fast feet, he's a southpaw, so it's more difficult to close that distance.
"But Fury is definitely going to approach it with that aggressive, tactical game plan. He's going to look to bring that type of energy and intensity to the fight.
"He is either going to get to Usyk or he's going to run out of steam trying to and stop himself later on."
Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's huge heavyweight rematch will be live on Saturday December 21 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book Usyk v Fury 2 now!
(c) Sky Sports 2024: Usyk vs Fury 2: Ignacio Robles named as replacement judge after coin toss determined outcome
