Turki Alalshikh, the influential chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, has issued a strong rebuttal to growing speculation within the boxing industry that the Gulf state is scaling back its considerable financial investment in the sport.
Dispelling the Rumours
In a statement to The Ring magazine on Friday 28th November 2025, Alalshikh declared reports of a "slowdown" in boxing spending are "100 per cent not true". A representative for the Saudi adviser confirmed to The Independent that he was personally "keen" to dispel these rumours, which have circulated in recent months.
Alalshikh, who purchased The Ring last year, has been the driving force behind much of the high-profile matchmaking in boxing since 2023. Under his guidance, Saudi investment has facilitated numerous fan-requested match-ups, including several undisputed title fights that had previously seemed impossible to arrange.
A Track Record of Blockbuster Fights
The most notable of these bouts were the two 2024 clashes between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk outpointed the British heavyweight on both occasions, with his first victory crowning him as the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years.
Just last week, Riyadh hosted a spectacular event featuring four world-title fights. The card was headlined by David Benavidez, who stopped Anthony Yarde to retain his WBC light-heavyweight title. In other bouts, Devin Haney became a three-weight world champion by outpointing Brian Norman Jr, Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez stopped Fernando Martinez in a super-flyweight unification fight, and Abdullah Mason edged past Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight belt.
Alalshikh's influence also extended to the staging of the recent rematch between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn in November. Benn won on points, avenging his decision loss to Eubank Jr from their first fight in April, which was also held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under the GEA's purview.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Countering any notion of a reduced appetite for the sport, Alalshikh teased exciting future plans, stating, "Many surprises will be announced in 2026". This suggests that Saudi Arabia's role as a major financial backer and host for elite boxing is set to continue and even expand.
While fight fans have largely welcomed the delivery of these long-awaited contests, the significant Saudi investment in boxing has not been without controversy. It has drawn accusations of sportswashing—a term used when nations with questionable human-rights records use high-profile sporting events to improve their international image. This context is particularly relevant as Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the Fifa World Cup for the first time in 2034.
