Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk rule change proposal rejected ahead of Saudi Arabia showdown

The proposal to change the rules for the mega-fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been turned down, meaning the fight won't be scored by six judges as initially suggested.

Fury and Usyk are set to face off on May 18 in a bid to crown the first undisputed world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. The fight was originally scheduled for February, but Fury had to withdraw after sustaining a cut above his eye during sparring.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman proposed having six judges score the fight instead of the usual three due to concerns about a potentially poor scorecard affecting the result. Sulaiman thought that having six judges would prevent any judging controversies. However, Bob Arum, Fury's American promoter, has dismissed this idea.

Speaking to Boxing Scene, Arum said: "You don't put in something like that for the first time dealing with a major fight from the standpoint of visibility and importance.

"Maybe six judges are better than three. I doubt that, but maybe. Nobody knows because it hasn't been done, but at least you experiment with that with fights that are not as prominent.

"With all due respect to my friend Mauricio - who's a really good guy, loves the sport of boxing and has done a great job with the WBC - I wouldn't do it for this fight.

"I wouldn't say that you don't experiment with it for another fight. I don't believe the judging becomes better because you have six judges rather than three."

Fury had to pick himself up off the canvas to controversially win on points in his last fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Usyk has been out of the ring for even longer, as he stopped Daniel Dubois last August in a fight that was overshadowed by a controversial low blow.

Former world champion Johnny Nelson thinks the undisputed fight won't have a definitive ending, as he told Sky Sports: "I had a dream and Tyson Fury was in this dream. I'm trying to understand what I saw. It was controversial and Fury was not happy.

"I don't know if that meant Tyson Fury won controversially or Tyson lost controversially, but I know there is a controversial decision with this fight.

"Mark that down! Tyson was p***ed off, I don't know if he lost or won controversially, but there is going to be controversy!"