England's Dimeji Shittu was left visibly distraught after a controversial defeat in the Commonwealth Games men's 80kg boxing final in Glasgow, losing gold to India's Ankush Panghal.
Shittu convincingly took the opening round, but received two-point deductions in each of the second and third rounds for holding and hitting. Judges scored the contest 4-1 in Panghal's favour, with four of the judges awarding the final round to the Indian boxer.
'Totally robbed' – reaction from ringside
The crowd jeered when the verdict was announced, and TNT Sports commentators were left baffled. Co-commentator Richie Woodhall said: "Shocking, terrible, totally robbed. He [Ankush] certainly had the referee on his side there and the referee has cost Dimeji Shittu the contest. He's been robbed there, I really feel for him."
AI judging suggested as a solution
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Delicious Orie echoed Woodhall's frustration. "In my opinion, it was a total robbery," he said on TNT Sports. "I think the referee has stripped that gold medal from Dimeji."
Orie suggested AI-based scoring could make boxing more objective, saying: "If I knew there was a specific set of scoring, then bring AI, because I would follow that scoresheet instead of someone else's opinion. That can be the difference, as we've seen here, between a gold and silver medal."
Shittu refuses to blame officials
Shittu himself declined to criticise the referee. "A lot of people might say this about the referee, the judging, but at the end of the day I can only blame myself. Those are the rules. We live and we learn," he said after the bout.
