Boxing
Four Brits flourish in Saudi Arabia (but now must return home)
NINE days ago Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall met for the second time in a fight presented by Forged Irish Stout, Riyadh Season and Drip.
This phrase, much like the theme song of the now-defunct CBeebies show, was a phrase repeated throughout the event by the evening’s excited announcer David Diamante, and every time it was uttered you couldn’t support but feel disorientated at the thought of the star, the endless a holiday in the Middle East and the favorite water of a man whose name I discovered a few seconds ago thanks to Google, all supporting British boxing on this special night.
They were just sponsors, of course, so there’s no problem there, but it was still strange to discover that there was a person called Substantial Zuu and that Riyad’s season had somehow extended to Leeds. The latter proved just how pervasive the influence of the Middle East has become on British boxing in recent times. It also suggested that there would be some form of attachment in the future, regardless of where the fighting was; regardless of the long-term consequences.
All we know for now is that fights like Taylor vs. Catterall II are being overshadowed by the many bigger and better fights taking place in Saudi Arabia. For example, there were two shows on either side of this fight: one headlined by a heavyweight fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, and the other was the much talked about “5 on 5” concept, which featured boxers from Matchroom and Queensberry. they faced each other. Being between these shows, there was always a danger that Taylor vs Catterall II would sink without a trace and certainly if you talked to anyone outside the boxing bubble you would get no indication that you knew the fight was going to take place this weekend, much less the high interest in it .
This becomes all the more galling when you consider the significance of the controversy that followed the pair’s first fight, televised on Sky Sports in 2022. At the time, it appeared that both super lightweights were on track to become major rivals with a chance to at least cash in on what many viewed as flawed scorecards. Not only did an immediate rematch seem like it would be the natural next fight for both sides, but like the rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves in 2014, there was also a sense that it would be much bigger and more significant than the first fight. .
Froch and Groves before their rematch in 2014 (CARL COURT/AFP via Getty Images)
As it happened, this never happened. Instead, Taylor lost the belts to Teofimo Lopez, and Jack Catterall continued to wait (and won several fights in the process). Then, finally, almost by default, they were reassembled, of all places in Leeds, and found themselves sandwiched – like rubber cheese or dinosaur ham – between two slices of freshly baked sourdough. This did not in any way affect the appetite of those who were already hungry for a fight, it must be noted, but it was tough not to imagine how much greater the rematch could have been if (a) it had happened immediately and (b) it had not been an afterthought until all the time. fun that is currently happening in Saudi Arabia.
In fact, when you look at a fight like Taylor vs. Catterall II and when you consider the speed at which huge fights are being outsourced to the Middle East, you start to question whether a fight like Taylor vs. Catterall II will be profitable. for now it will be as good as it gets in British boxing. Importance: Are we now at a stage where any fight bigger than Taylor vs. Catterall II will inevitably end in the Middle East, regardless of the nationalities of both boxers involved?
Jack Catterall celebrates beating Josh Taylor in Leeds
This is less of a problem for the boxers themselves than for the fans. After all, they just want to make money, and in the Middle East, that’s exactly what happens: you get . To them, a ring is a ring and they don’t care if making money involves fighting in front of thousands of British fans at home or a group of sheikhs in a foreign stadium. They will just go where the money is and that is their right.
However, for fans and indeed the health of British boxing, you wonder about the long-term effects of this latest development. If, for example, huge fights start to fade away in the UK, the visibility of the sport in the UK will invariably wane, as will the collective need to attend events that take place on British soil. It will be seen more as a TV product rather than something you travel and pay for a ticket for. After all, we now have apps. We have illegal streams. We have wall-to-wall coverage at your fingertips. Why bother leaving the house?
Similarly, by paying fighters exorbitant sums to ensure that huge fights take place in Saudi Arabia, you only widen the gap between those at the top and those at the bottom. After a while, this will begin to mimic society in ways you’d rather not; by eliminating the middle class in boxing, leaving us only the super-rich and those struggling to keep hot.
On Saturday (June 1) in Riyad, we had a selection of British middle-level boxers, each of whom emerged victorious. We had Willy Hutchinson, Nick Ball, Hamzah Sheeraz and Daniel Dubois. Just a few years ago these would have been the players you would have seen headline events in the UK, only now, due to a radical change, are they having the opportunity to secure their career best victories in Saudi Arabia and possibly earn career-best paydays to start with. This again is completely fine. Understandable. The finished thing. However, when looking at the British talent taking part in this 5v5 event, it is nevertheless significant to emphasize the need for these boxers to start/continue building their careers in the UK – which is the main event here – and resist the temptation to become either key players or additions to future developments in Saudi Arabia. In other words, bring them all home. Bring them home to support us find stability and sustainability in the UK scene. Take them home to ensure that the Riyad season remains merely a fruitful season for British boxers, not their entire identity, lifestyle and champion.
Nick Ball with his WBA belt
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