How Saudi Arabia changed the boxing landscape in 2023 
This year marked a transformative period for boxing in Saudi Arabia, with its effects felt regionally and globally.
In February, the highly anticipated “The Truth” event was held, featuring a clash between YouTube sensation Jake Paul and reality TV star-turned-professional boxer Tommy Fury. Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz and Amer Abdallah of Skill Challenge Promotions were looking to tap into new markets, particularly the social media following of the two fighters.
The World Boxing Council endorsed the event with a Diriyah Champion commemorative belt, resulting in 800,000 pay-per-view buys.
In October, “The Battle of the Baddest” card took centerstage, featuring a crossover bout between heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and MMA sensation Francis Ngannou to kick off Riyadh Season.
Despite the perceived mismatch, Ngannou, with no prior professional boxing experience, stunned the world by knocking down Fury in the third round. The WBC acknowledged Ngannou’s remarkable performance by ranking him No. 10 and presented Fury with a Riyadh Champion belt for his victory.
The “The Battle of the Baddest” tournament, presented by the General Entertainment Authority led by chairman Turki Alalshikh, brought together numerous current and former champions from boxing and MMA in Riyadh. Images of all these legends in one place went viral.
An audience of nearly 22,000 people gathered for the preliminary fights at Boulevard Hall, prior to the main card at the Kingdom Arena next door.
To conclude the year, the GEA presented “Day of Reckoning,” featuring some of the world’s top heavyweights, including former champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder in separate bouts.
The promotional efforts for “Day of Reckoning” were highlighted by a short film featuring the boxers as zombies, which garnered a staggering 150 million views globally in just one week.
Criticism of promoters for not arranging fights between boxers in their prime took a backseat during “Day of Reckoning,” with 12 joining forces to organize the event.
Whether witnessed live at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh or enjoyed from home during the winter break, “Day of Reckoning” felt like a generous gift from Saudi Arabia to the world.
The initial five fights ended in knockouts, with Joseph Parker causing an upset by defeating favorite Wilder. In the main event, Joshua delivered a statement with a knockout win over Otto Wallin.
Saudi Arabia’s commitment to top-tier boxing events shows no signs of waning. Up next is the Unified Heavyweight bout between Fury and Oleksander Usyk scheduled for Feb. 17 as part of Riyadh Season. Dubbed “Ring of Fire,” this bout will crown the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis held all the belts in 1999.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a global powerhouse on the professional boxing landscape in 2023, with more to come in the new year.
• Cormac O’Donnell is an Irish educator living in the UAE since 2018. A longtime combat sports enthusiast, he is keen to bring Western eyes to developments in the Gulf region.
