Boxing
Turki Alalshikh takes Golden Boy and Top Rank, PBC goes
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaTurki Alalshikh has signed partnerships with Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, leaving only Premier Boxing Champions left of the gigantic five.
Globally, Golden Boy, Top Rank, Matchroom Boxing and Queensberry Promotions are the top promotional quintet alongside Al Haymon’s PBC. Alalshikh already has ongoing deals with Eddie Hearn [Matchroom] and Frank Warren [Queensberry]. This partnership resulted in several cross-promotional fights, much to the delight of boxing fans.
Alalshikh and his Riyadh Season movement took over Golden Boy and Top Rank to add even more solidarity to the sport. These deals mean fans can expect fighters from all stables to compete without any formalities, which Alalshikh has now halved.
Announcing his unusual move to the market, Alalshikh issued a statement regarding both partnerships via Riyadh Season.
“His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of the General Entertainment Authority, today announced the official partnership between Riyadh Season and Top Rank to further promote world-class boxing events around the world.
“The partnership will leverage the strength and reach of both organizations to elevate the sport. Riyadh Season will be on many top bills in the build-up and fight night phases.
Riyadh Season will sponsor 12 Top Rank events selected by the promoter until the end of this year and in 2025.
“Top Rank is one of the most iconic promoters in the boxing industry, with over 50 years of staging prestigious events at historic venues around the world, featuring some of the greatest boxing champions of all time, including Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.
“Over the past 12 months, Riyadh Season has established itself as a key player in boxing, staging a string of world-class and creative events, including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st century between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. It will now look to expand its reach into the US market by staging its first overseas event on August 3rd when Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov go head-to-head for the WBA and WBO Interim World Super Welterweight titles at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.”
Today we announced an official partnership between Riyadh Season and Top Rank to further promote world-class boxing events around the world 🥊 pic.twitter.com/KbPyXQyPWT
— Türkiye ALALSHIKH (@turk_alalshikh) July 22, 2024
Regarding the Golden Boy deal, World Boxing News received a similar announcement despite CEO Oscar De La Hoya previously opposing any future arrangement.
“His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of the General Entertainment Authority, announced a partnership between Riyadh Season and Golden Boy Promotions aimed at strengthening the promotion of major boxing events around the world.
“The cooperation of both organizations will begin with a fight for the interim WBC super welterweight title between the current interim champion Serhiy Bohachuk [24-1, 23 KOs] and undefeated Vergil Ortiz Jr. [21-0, 21 KOs] on Saturday, August 10 at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
“This agreement reaffirms the commitment of Golden Boy and Riyadh Season to elevate the sport of boxing by leveraging the strengths of both entities.
“The Riyadh season last year saw a series of world-class and creative events, including the first undisputed heavyweight title fight of the 21st century between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury,
“Now he will look to expand his reach into the U.S. market by hosting his first event abroad on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, headlined by a blockbuster world title fight between Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov for the WBA and WBO Interim World Super Welterweight titles. The main event will also feature a performance by legendary hip-hop singer Eminem. The official link to purchase tickets can be found on Ticketmaster by clicking here.
“Golden Boy, led by legendary boxer Oscar De La Hoya, is the first Latino-owned boxing promotion and continues to execute on its expansion plans through 2024 and beyond, already establishing itself as an industry leader in the sport with a long list of world champions.”
The Crawford vs. Madrimov fight becomes even more significant for Alalshikh with less than two weeks left until the first gong to open the season in Riyadh for the American Dream.
As previously reported by WBN, ticket sales were not super brisk, but considering that Alalshikh has intensified promotion of the show, as well as the performance of rap star Eminem, a sell-out can be expected.
Saudi Arabia currently dominates the boxing landscape and has a significant amount of power over what fights will be held in the future. The only question is whether Al Haymon will sign a deal with his company PBC and become a part of it, which would give Alalshikh and his movement a full house.
Second-tier promotions such as Mayweather Promotions, BOXXER and Salita Promotions could become targets for future takeovers by Middle Eastern investors.
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
2 days agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
4 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
1 week agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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