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Featured Image Credit: David Haye/Getty
Topics: Boxing, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua
Nasir Jabbar
Boxing fans have angrily hit out at David Haye for his bold claim on the emergence of boxing in Saudi Arabia.
The likes of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have had their fights take in the Middle East, with Saudi officials tabling huge deals to lure them over.
Turki Alalshikh has become a big player in the world of boxing, having negotiated deals with promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren for their star fighters.
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Fury and Joshua's last fights both took place in Saudi Arabia.
And the self-proclaimed 'Gypsy King' is set to meet Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed clash on May 18 in Saudi Arabia following the postponement of their February 17 showdown, while 'AJ' will also fight there when he takes on Francis Ngannou on March 8.
Big fights in boxing are now being made under the influence Alalshikh, with Haye insisting there is no chance big fights can take place anywhere other than Saudi Arabia. Check it out below:
On social media, Haye posted a video explaining how Saudi Arabia has become the 'saviour' of boxing, accompanied with the caption: "Understandably, many British fight enthusiasts are disappointed at not being able to attend the bouts in Saudi Arabia. However, the stark reality is that it’s either in Saudi or not at all. The landscape of boxing, much like the world, is ever-evolving. There was a time when Pay-Per-View events were met with resistance by fans accustomed to free-to-air broadcasts. Yet, times have changed. The economic realities of modern boxing mean that traditional revenue streams no longer suffice to meet the financial needs of top-tier fighters.
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"So, to the devoted fans of the sport, let’s embrace this new era with open arms. The best are competing against the best, realising the dream matches we’ve longed for. Exciting mega bouts are on the horizon, and there’s so much to look forward to!"
Haye's claim about boxing in Saudi Arabia angered fight fans online as they made their feelings known.
One X user wrote: "Talking absolute bollocks tbh. They’re there purely for the pay day and Saudi sportswashing. Once the bubble bursts they’ll be begging back for Wembley. Sport is nothing without the fans David."
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A second tweeted: "So if Saudi didn't exist the boxers would just do bricklaying or something?"
A third slammed: "Boxing in Saudi is awful. The crowd are non-existent. The fights are on dead late for local time. The only reason it’s there and not say Wembley is one reason. Greed."
Saudi Arabia not only has the big heavyweight fights but also the undisputed light-heavyweight clash between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
They have helped facilitate some of the biggest fights in the sport as Alalshikh and his people don't seem to be slowing down heading into 2024.