CAIRO: Preparations for “Glory in Giza” continued on Thursday night in Cairo as the boxers gathered at the Grand Egyptian Museum for the press conference in the presence of Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Speaking at the event sponsored by Riyadh Season and organized by The Ring magazine and Matchroom, Alalshikh had a special message for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
“I thank and have a special thank to the president of Egypt, Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, God bless him and his support to give us this opportunity and to give us all the support, logistic support to do this event in this amazing place,” he said. “President Abdel Fattah, thank you from my heart and I hope on Saturday we deliver to Egypt one of the biggest events in the history of boxing.”
Alashikh emphasized that the achievements made in the world of boxing over recent years would not have been possible without the vision, support, and confidence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He noted that the development boxing has witnessed over the past three to four years represents a true revolution in the sport, whether through Riyadh Season, The Ring magazine, or the Saudi Boxing Federation.
He also stated that hosting this event at such an exceptional venue would not have been possible without the joint efforts of all the organizing parties, highlighting the contributions of Sela, The Ring magazine, DAZN, and the entities involved in delivering the event.
Alalshikh expressed his appreciation for the attendees and emphasized the significance of holding the conference at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which he described as one of the most beautiful in the world.
He emphasized that Egypt holds a special place in his heart, revealing that significant arrangements have been finalized between him, Hisham Talaat, and Sela Co., including a special surprise for Egypt next year through a number of major sporting events.
The GEA chairman also he explained that one of these events will be among the largest sporting events in Egypt’s history over the past 100 years, confirming that the announcement will be made soon and at the appropriate time, after obtaining the necessary approvals from El-Sisi and the Egyptian government.
Alalshikh pointed out that the choice of venue for “Glory in Giza” was far from ordinary, stemming instead from boxing’s deep historical roots that stretch back thousands of years. He stressed that staging the event in a place where history began more than 7,000 years ago gives the evening exceptional symbolic value and makes it far more than just a sporting event.
Heavyweight boxing titan Oleksandr Usyk also explained that combat sports require great courage and sacrifice, and that respecting opponents is essential to him. He stressed that stepping into the ring cannot be fully understood from the outside, but must be experienced firsthand to truly appreciate what fighters give inside it
Usyk’s opponent, Dutch kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven, said that his presence in Egypt to participate in this event represents a special moment in his career, noting that Egypt is a beautiful country with a great history.
