An AI-powered judge will be trialled during Saturday’s heavyweight title rematch between WBO, WBC and WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh.
The verdict of the AI judge will not contribute to the official outcome of the bout but is a first for a sport where the scoring often leads to controversy.
Should the fight go the distance at Kingdom Arena then the result will be determined by the usual three ringside judges. However, the presence of the technology adds a fascinating element to the event and provides a glimpse of what the future of scoring could look like.
The trial was announced on Tuesday night by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and the driving force behind the Riyadh Season boxing events.
He posted on X: “For the first time ever, an AI-powered judge will monitor the fight. Free from bias and human error brought to you by The Ring [magazine]. This ground-breaking experiment, which won’t impact the official results, debuts during the biggest fight of the century.”
While it is not clear who is providing the technology or exactly how it will work, several companies have been attempting to develop effective AI solutions for scoring in combat sports.
It is claimed the technology is capable of discerning between those punches that land, partially land, are blocked or parried, or miss entirely. Measuring the velocity and the force of the blows is also factored in.
World Boxing, a breakaway international federation hoping to secure recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to run amateur boxing, revealed in September they would embrace the latest technology in a bid clean up the sport’s reputation. Scoring in amateur boxing has been even more maligned than in the professional ranks.
“What we are now exploring is using modern technology like AI to make judging more transparent,” World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst told the Press Trust of India in September.
“There are very interesting projects that have already started to make judging more objective than subjective. We have to rebuild some trust. I agree there is trust deficiency but we are working on modern technology to build that.”
When the two rivals first met in May, it was Usyk who prevailed thanks to a split decision on the cards. One judge scored the fight 114-113 for Fury and the other two had it 115-112 and 114-113 for Usyk.
Boxing is typically scored by three ringside judges using what is known as the '10-point must system', where at least one fighter each round is awarded 10 points, unless a point deduction occurs.
The other fighter is usually awarded nine points, but the more dominant the winner of the round, the lower the score of their opponent. Rounds where a fighter is knocked down are usually scored 10-8 in favour of the aggressor.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
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Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Biography
Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine
Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Favourite drink: Water
Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work
Favourite music: Classical music
Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate
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Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
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Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
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Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
