Latest news with #TurkiAlalshikh
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh names surprise opponent he wants to see Oleksandr Usyk fight next after watching the Ukrainian win Daniel Dubois rematch
Saudi Arabia's powerful boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has declared the fight he wants to see next – and it involves newly re-crowned undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk. Moments after Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of their Wembley rematch, Alalshikh took to social media to call for a showdown between the Ukrainian and rising British star Moses Itauma. 'I want to see Usyk against Itauma. This is the fight,' wrote Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, alongside a shrugging emoji and boxing glove. Alalshikh was ringside at Wembley Stadium for Saturday night's heavyweight blockbuster. He was seen sitting alongside veteran promoter Frank Warren and was also pictured in conversation with actor Jason Statham. Usyk, 38, turned in another masterful performance under the Wembley lights to end Dubois' hopes of becoming the first British fighter to unify the heavyweight division in the four-belt era. The Londoner was dropped twice in the fifth and counted out as the 90,000-strong crowd erupted. The win means Usyk regains the IBF belt – which he was stripped of last year – and reclaims his status as undisputed champion, having first held that honour in the cruiserweight ranks. The unbeaten southpaw now boasts a perfect 24-0 record, including 13 world title wins from 13 attempts. Alalshikh's suggestion of a Usyk vs Itauma clash would pit the seasoned legend against one of the sport's most promising young talents. Itauma, just 20 years old, has been tipped for the very top and is seen by many as a future world champion. Usyk, however, is not rushing into anything. After the fight, he told DAZN: 'Nothing is next. It's enough. Next, I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children – I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.'
Forbes
2 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Turki Alalshikh Cuts Ties With 2 Fighters For Being Disrespectful
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 22: He Turki Alalshikh speaks onstage at Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits ... More Center on June 22, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) Turki Alalshikh has a few deal breakers when it comes to doing business with him and Riyadh Season. If a fighter and their team disrespects him, his country, or religion, he will cease working with them. If you need any proof, look no further than Alalshikh's current stance against Floyd Schofield Jr. and Teofimo Lopez. Alalshikh was a guest on Tha Boxing Voice's podcast on Thursday, and the boxing powerbroker made it clear he doesn't want to work with Schofield or Lopez anymore after the negativity that spewed from the fighters—or in Schofield's case, his father. Alalshikh was asked what Schofield's status was with him. "Okay. But put yourself in my shoes," Alalshikh replied. "This guy [Schofield Jr.]Schofield's publicized stint in the hospital after falling ill was mentioned, but Alalshikh didn't budge. He further detailed the severed relationship. 'If I were someone who didn't care about boxing, I would have told Shakur, 'Thank you, goodbye,'" Alalshikh said. 'Here's $50,000 for your camp.' But I brought in another fighter for Shakur on just 36 hours' notice. If Schofield was really in the hospital, okay, I believe him. But why did his father go to the media and lie about us, about how we handled everything? None of what they said was true. We have the emails, the WhatsApp messages—he thanked us. Everything. Look, this is the problem: if you treat us like regular promoters—lying, using bad language—then you're making a mistake. We are different. We respect you. You respect us. We don't do this for money. I'm not losing money if he's not on my card. Maybe other promoters tolerate behavior like that to benefit from certain fighters. Not me. I don't care. Respect me—you'll get my full support. Disrespect me—and I'll move on, and you'll be the one chasing me." In February, Schofield was scheduled to face Stevenson. However, after falling ill, he was removed from the fight and replaced by Josh Padley. Stevenson won the fight by unanimous decision, and Schofield was blasted in the media. Schofield Sr. said his son was poisoned and that led to his illness. Alalshikh took exception, and the relationship has been damaged. Schofield isn't the only one. Alalshikh was also asked about his relationship with Lopez, who just fought on a Riyadh Season show in May. 'Let me tell you something,' Alalshikh said. 'I don't want to go into exact numbers or contract details. But here's what I'll say—if you don't respect my country or my religion, you will not do business with me.' Alalshikh was also asked if he'd have anything to do with Lopez's rumored bout against Richardson Hitchins. "I will not be involved in that fight." Alalshikh is likely referring to a short video Lopez posted, in which he insulted his country and religion. Lopez has made a habit of making racist remarks, and apparently, someone with power and influence is holding him accountable. Lopez has made a habit of making racist remarks and apparently, someone with power and influence is holding him accountable. Alalshikh has turned the sport of boxing on its ear with massive financial support that has produced dream fights. He recently announced all Riyadh Season fights would be available to any DAZN subscribers for no extra charge moving forward. Because of his matchmaking and fan-friendly moves, he's able to put fighters on a bit of an island away from the fights that will pay them top dollar. Lopez and Schofield appear to be two of the biggest examples.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
La Liga, Thmanyah sign partnership to boost quality of Saudi football broadcasts
LONDON: Riyadh Season announced on Thursday its sponsorship of a strategic partnership between La Liga and Thmanyah, the exclusive broadcaster of Saudi football competitions, in an initiative aimed at enhancing the audiovisual production standards of the Saudi Pro League. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The agreement was signed in London by Faisal Bafarat, CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, on behalf of Riyadh Season; Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga; and Abdulrahman Abumalih, founder and CEO of Thmanyah, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group. The signing ceremony was attended by SRMG's CEO Jomana Al-Rashed. Under the agreement La Liga will provide technical consultancy to elevate production quality across SPL broadcasts. Areas of focus include improved camera positioning, signal configuration, and audio systems, along with enhanced lighting distribution in stadiums. The collaboration will also develop a technical production manual and introduce modern broadcast workflows. Another key element of the partnership involves training programs designed to upskill local production teams and ensure the sustainable transfer of knowledge. La Liga will also work closely with Saudi stakeholders to formulate a robust anti-piracy strategy to protect premium sports and entertainment content across the Kingdom. Turki Alalshikh, the head of the GEA and Riyadh Season, described the move as a continuation of Riyadh Season's commitment to extending its global footprint. He noted that last year's sponsorship of La Liga marked a key milestone in that journey, with the latest partnership further reinforcing the season's impact across sports and entertainment sectors. Tebas said: 'We are pleased to join forces with Riyadh Season and Thmanyah to enhance the audiovisual production standards of the Saudi Pro League. 'We already have a strong working relationship, and we look forward to building on that to deliver world-class broadcast experiences. At La Liga we are committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise to support football's global growth, and this initiative is an important step forward for Saudi football's international visibility.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Saudi boxing chief CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul showdown as fans predict ‘biggest fight of our lives'
A FIGHT between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul has been confirmed by Saudi boxing chiefs. Fans are predicting "the biggest fight of our lives" after it was revealed that former heavyweight champ Joshua and YouTuber-turned-brawler Paul will step into the ring. 2 2 Joshua, 35, has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois in September last year. As for Paul, 28, he is fresh off a win against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last month. A fight between the two would certainly be a money-spinner, with AJ still one of the top names around and Paul proving he can attract huge audiences. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh lifted the lid on talks and revealed that Paul had accepted his proposal to fight Joshua. But the fight guru admitted that he would personally benefit from an AJ win on the night.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Conor Benn blames rival Chris Eubank Jr for proposed rematch ‘falling apart'
Conor Benn has laid the blame for his proposed rematch against Chris Eubank Jr 'falling apart' at his bitter rival's door. The British pair engaged in a ferocious battle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April, with Eubank Jr prevailing by a close but clear unanimous decision to hand Benn his first defeat as a professional. Much of the focus centred on Eubank Jr's cut to the 160lb middleweight limit and subsequent rehydration clause, and the 35-year-old was hospitalised for two days after the fight owing to severe dehydration. A return bout had been in the offing for September 20 but it now appears on the verge of collapse, with Saudi kingpin Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season reportedly withdrawing from the negotiations. Benn said in a statement to Ring Magazine: 'This rematch falling apart had nothing to do with me. I was ready to go on the scheduled Sept 20 date. I'm not sure what happened to Chris Eubank.' The first fight rekindled memories of their fathers' fierce dust-ups, with Chris Eubank Sr defeating Nigel Benn in November 1990 before a hard-fought draw three years later. Eubank Sr was an outspoken critic of their children renewing the rivalry 32 years on, with Eubank Jr campaigning at middleweight or super-middleweight during his career and Benn primarily a welterweight. Eubank Jr incurred a £375,000 fine after missing the middleweight limit by half an ounce but came in under the stipulated rehydration weight of 170lbs on the day of the fight. The rematch was expected to be on the same weight terms but Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn cast doubt on Eubank Jr fighting again. Hearn told IFL TV: 'We've said to Eubank that is the date. And if you don't take the fight on that date, the fight doesn't work. 'There are no stadiums available. Commercially you guys are on a fortune. So if Eubank is not prepared to take the fight on September 20, I don't think there will be a fight. 'That's not my decision, that's a decision of (Alalshikh). Eubank probably can't be bothered to go back into camp. I'm not sure if he'll ever fight again. I've just got the feeling he doesn't want it.'
