Saudi’s Proven to Be Amazing for Boxing, and It Just Might Get Better
By Eddie Sanchez
Saudi Arabia Concept Could Cure Many Boxing Ills
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has reportedly started preliminary discussions with boxing promoters about consolidating fights under a single banner or “league.” This move could be the next step in the nation’s recent efforts to host some of the biggest boxing matches over the past year.
According to a report by Reuters, a boxing official briefed on the talks informed BoxingScene on Tuesday that the project aims to launch in 2025, focusing primarily on bouts in the “heavier weights.”
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has previously expressed his intentions to revitalize a sport he considers “broken.” He has successfully garnered support from major fight promoters, including Queensberry’s Frank Warren, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, and Top Rank’s Bob Arum. This collaboration has already resulted in significant heavyweight bouts, such as the May 18 undisputed championship where Oleksandr Usyk triumphed over Tyson Fury.
Alalshikh plans to incorporate fighters from Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions in his August 3 card in Los Angeles. He also reached an agreement with Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya to feature the unbeaten junior-middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jr., although his planned opponent, Tim Tszyu, withdrew due to injury.
The Reuters report indicated that the Saudi Arabian firm would take “a minor stake” in uniting the newly allied promoters. The fragmentation within boxing has long contributed to the sport’s decline from its heyday in the 1970s, as numerous promising fights have been delayed or canceled due to the differing agendas of promoters and broadcasters.
The presence of four sanctioning bodies creating multiple champions in one weight class has also diminished the significance of many bouts. By staging and financially backing high-profile fights, such as the October 12 undisputed light-heavyweight bout between unbeaten Russian world champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol, and the December 21 Usyk-Fury rematch, Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia are transforming the sport.
Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, traditionally fierce rivals in the U.K., collaborated on June 1 to stage their “5 versus 5” tournament card in Saudi Arabia, which Warren’s team swept. This team concept proved successful and may be revisited in the league plan, though specific details of the alliance remain unclear.
Previous formats like the World Boxing Super Series, which crowned Usyk the undisputed cruiserweight champion, and Showtime’s “Super Six” tournament, won by Hall of Famer Andre Ward, have also been explored.
Representatives from promotions such as Matchroom, Golden Boy, and Top Rank declined to comment on the Reuters report to BoxingScene. However, the potential to stage the best possible bouts is seen as a significant benefit to a sport that has consistently drawn massive interest for its marquee events.
World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman stated that he hasn’t heard any details about the concept or its proximity to reality but supports the idea. “Since the first day (of Saudi influence), it has been speculated that it could be something (bigger),” Sulaiman said. “What I have experienced so far is a series of sensational promotions with high-profile fighters and fights, great innovation in promoting the cards in many ways, and everyone in the industry hoping to be part of this new promotional venture.”
