Boxing saw exciting fights in 2023, but Tyson Fury struggled. He hasn’t fought since December 2022 against Derek Chisora. All efforts to arrange a new fight for him had failed. At first, talks with Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua broke down. Then, Joshua chose to fight Deontay Wilder in early 2024 instead. Thus, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, told William Hill about the challenges in finding an opponent for Fury, the WBC Heavyweight champion.
He said that every potential opponent rejected a fight with Fury this year, avoiding a real challenge. Fury’s team also contacted Andy Ruiz Jr. and Zhilei Zhang but had no success. Despite making offers, Fury’s promoter said no one made offers for ‘The Gypsy King.’ Finally, Fury finalized a fight with former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou. Now, they are all set to adorn the stage this Saturday. Speaking about this, Frank Warren appreciated the excellency of Turki Abdul Alalshikh, a Saudi adviser at the Royal Court under the rank of Minister and the current Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment.
Frank Warren elaborates how Turki Alalshikh went above and beyond for Fury vs. Ngannou
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In a recent interview with IFL TV, Frank Warren emphasized that Turki is not just a casual fan of boxing; he is deeply committed to the sport. According to Warren, Turki’s involvement goes beyond merely hosting events for the sake of appearances. He said, “His Excellency Turki, I mean, he loves boxing. No doubt about that. He’s committed to it. He’s great a boxing fan. Because, you know, you are not just doing an event just for the sake of doing an event; you believe in it.”
“𝗜 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗫𝗜𝗡𝗚!” 👏@FrankWarren talks about the 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 from @Turki_alalshikh going into @Tyson_Fury’s next two fights with @francis_ngannou & @usykaa 🍿#FuryNgannou #BattleOfTheBaddest… pic.twitter.com/QyNbXtaJLt
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) October 23, 2023
In fact, he genuinely believes in the value and impact of the sport. What sets this apart, Warren notes, is the level of promotion that Turki invests in these events. It’s not just about ticking a box to say that a boxing event has been held. Instead, Turki promotes the sport with an enthusiasm and scale that Warren claims he has never seen before in his life. And that’s what’s so phenomenal about this. As Warren said, “This is not like, ‘Alright, we ticked a box; we’ve got boxing.’ They ticked the box for boxing and promoted it like you cannot believe, like nothing I have ever seen in my life.”
Read More: Frank Warren Shuts Down Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou Critics With Three Simple Words
In summary, the upcoming Fury vs. Ngannou fight is more than just another boxing event. It’s a testament to the relentless efforts of those behind the scenes, especially Turki Alalshikh, who has shown unparalleled commitment to elevating the sport. His passion and investment in boxing set a new standard for how the sport can be promoted and celebrated. This Saturday’s fight isn’t just a spectacle; it’s the result of true belief in the power and value of boxing.
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