Update On Wilder-Fury Rematch Officials

In hopes of avoiding another controversial decision on February 22nd, the Nevada State Athletic Commission look to ensure both Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have no objections to the officials judging and refereeing their fight.

Wilder and Fury face off in a rematch for the WBC world heavyweight championship inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena on February 22nd, and the commission is willing to work with both champion and challenger by drawing up a list of potential referees and judges for approval.

The first fight between the two in December of 2018 took place in the state of California, and saw Wilder and Fury go to a draw, which Fury’s team disputed greatly. The issue ran so deep with the Fury camp that they refused to return to California for a rematch, opening the door for the fight to take place in Las Vegas, where Wilder and Fury both have fought within the last year.

“Bob Bennett [the NSAC executive director] promised me everybody will be satisfied,” Fury’s promoter Bob Arum said in an article published by Boxing Scene. “The truth is, unlike what happened last time, the judges here are not going to matter. If it goes to a decision, Fury wins the fight. If it goes to a knockout, the judges don’t matter.”

“We don’t necessarily want a British judge,” Frank Warren, Fury’s co-promoter, said. “It was the British judge that scored the last one a draw.”

The judge in question, Phil Edwards, scored the fight a 113-113 draw, while Canadian judge Robert Tapper gave Fury the fight in a 114-112 decision, while Calfornia based judge Alejandro Rochin gave the fight to Wilder by a score of 115-111.