3 Challenges Facing Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia’s Arrival Into Boxing

In recent years, the Riyadh Season organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and spearheaded by its figurehead His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, has emerged as a major champion of boxing. With the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, making large investments in the sport, the Kingdom has witnessed some of the most high-profile fights in boxing. From heavyweight showdowns like Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou to undisputed world-title matchups like Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 1 & 2 and Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a new hub for boxing and is leading the way in making many more important fights in 2025. So all’s good, right? Well, sort of.

Even though His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has provided boxing with a well-needed shot in the arm through the Riyadh Season, it’s not without challenges. As boxing moves into 2025 with big matchups like Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney rematch, there are some challenges that need urgent solutions. Like?

1. Lack of Grassroots Development

While the country has successfully attracted established global stars, like Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder to headline high-profile bouts, there’s been less emphasis on building the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term success in the sport. What do we mean by that? A strong foundation from the bottom up guarantees the success of any endeavor, which in the case of boxing involves investment in local boxing gyms and clubs.

To be more specific, we are talking about the establishment of new local gyms and clubs, training facilities, and youth engagement programs. The decline of local boxing gyms and clubs is a major obstacle to boxing’s growth, particularly in the US and UK. And the reason? It’s simple. Economic pressures, changing fitness trends, and gentrification. As a result, only fewer opportunities are left for aspiring boxers to get into the sport. Without a large enough talent pool and an ability to sift through the countless who simply want to take up boxing, there is no way to mold tomorrow’s boxing stars.

While major boxing events and pay-per-view fights certainly attract significant media attention, they do little to foster grassroots participation in the sport. With boxing on the brink of disappearing from the upcoming Olympics, there is no incentive for boxers to start training at a very young age and no support systems for those who love the sport and want to be part of it. This creates a significant barrier, as the lack of foundational resources and training facilities means that young fans are unlikely to transition from spectators to active participants. So, until and unless the issue of local access is addressed, large-scale events are never going to significantly boost boxing’s long-term popularity or talent development.

According to a report from Ibisworld, “Boxing Gyms & Clubs industry in the US has grown 0.3% per year on average over the five years between 2019 – 2024.” Though it is growing thanks to efforts by individual trainers and boxing enthusiasts, it still needs some attention. And that is where His Excellency can come in, like the way Jake Paul did with his ‘Boxing Bullies’ program in Puerto Rico.

2. Low PPV Numbers for Major Events

Despite attracting some of the world’s biggest boxing names, the Pay-Per-View performance of these events has been lackluster, which raises serious questions about the long-term viability of Saudi Arabia as a boxing destination. For all the glitzy promotions and extravagant venues, the numbers tell a different story.

Remember the title fight of October 2024 in Kingdom Arena, Riyadh between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol? The fight where the 21-0 boxer emerged victorious via a majority decision and became the first undisputed light heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. The event’s undercard did fewer than 1,000 pay-per-view buys on DAZN in the US according to a report. Another example is the Joshua-Ngannou match held in March 2024. Though Fury vs. Usyk 1 did comparatively well, it only managed to cross the 1 million pay-per-view buys. Compare that to major pay-per-view bouts in the US like that of Floyd Mayweather, the fights routinely exceed 2 million pay-per-view buys.

Moreover, the Joshua-Dubois bout in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium scored lower than expected. 815,000  buys and only 15,00 was from the US. With PPV numbers often falling below 1 million buys, it seems that the spectacle has failed to convert into a sustainable business model for the Kingdom’s boxing ambitions. So the possible solution for this may lie in lowering pay-per-view costs down to below $20. This may incentivize people to opt out of pirated streams. Streams without lags and hangups will also go a long way in encouraging people to buy pay-per-views from reputed sources. Who knows, doing this may just fix the issue. Worth a try, is it not?

3. Scheduling Issues for Global Audiences

No one can deny the fact that the difference in time zone heavily affects global audiences when it comes to highly anticipated bouts. Proper scheduling of the events should be the priority. You see… many of the biggest boxing events hosted in Riyadh, took place in the evening local time in Saudi Arabia. However, for key markets like the U.S. and the UK, this meant that the events were broadcast in the middle of the day or in the mornings, which is far from ideal times for families to gather around the TV and enjoy fights.

Case in point—Fury vs. Usyk, which took place at night in Riyadh, was broadcast at 6 p.m. EST in the US. Similarly, Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol in October began streaming the main event around 6 pm ET and 3 pm PT—not really an opportune time for viewing a fight in the US. While this may work for hardcore boxing fans, it significantly limits the event’s ability to reach casual viewers. Then what happens is that the events that occur at awkward times have a higher risk of missing out on broader viewership.

Since the US is the major consumer here, some timelines will have to be worked around to make it more enticing for American pay-per-view buyers. By considering the time zone differences and scheduling events during peak hours, His Excellency can ensure broader accessibility for boxing fans worldwide. Moreover, this adjustment could attract more casual viewers, who may otherwise miss out due to inconvenient broadcast times.

With that being said, it is clear that HE Alalshikh’s efforts are visibly bold and ambitious. The Kingdom’s high-profile events have shown that it can attract world-class talent and deliver memorable bouts. However, for Saudi Arabia to achieve long-term success, addressing challenges like grassroots development, PPV performance, and global scheduling is essential. What do you think? Can Saudi Arabia overcome these challenges to become a dominant force in boxing? Share your thoughts below!