Yes, boxing is a spectacle people from across the globe tune in to enjoy. However, do these events need a halftime break with performances from musicians akin to the Super bowl? Not at all, at least, that’s what fans think! As it turns out, the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov fight headlining the Riyadh Season Card in Los Angeles on August 3 has something similar in store.
The card features some of the greatest clashes fans have been waiting for, including Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller, Isaac Cruz vs. Jose Valenzuela, and David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic, among others. However, according to a tweet from talkSport editor Michael Benson, Eminem will also feature on the card in between the fights!
Eminem: Not a noob at boxing events!
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Hours earlier, Benson hopped on X to write, “Eminem will be performing as a special guest during the Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov Riyadh Season Card on Aug 3rd in LA”. Interestingly, this wouldn’t even be the first time the American rapper would feature in one of Crawford’s fights.
In his previous match against Errol Spence Jr., Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford received a high-profile escort to the ring from the iconic rapper, who boasts an impressive 15 Grammy awards to his name. The electrifying entrance set the stage for Crawford’s victory, culminating in a spectacular 9th round knockout.
‼️ Terence Crawford making his ring walk with Eminem to Lose Yourself for the Errol Spence fight… pic.twitter.com/TF6NCRdQps
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) July 30, 2023
Despite the promise of an electrifying performance from the American rapper, many in the boxing community seemed hesitant about the idea. This sentiment was evident as fans took to the comment section of the post to express their frustration and reservations.
Fans don’t care!
Since His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has taken it upon himself to save boxing, most of his events have featured performances from beloved musicians. However, none of them seems to have landed with the fans as much as he might have wanted. And the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov fight doesn’t seem to be any different! One user outright labeled Eminem’s performance a waste of time. Fans in boxing don’t have the patience to sit through such performances to get to the main event—they just want to watch the fights.
Waste half an hour before main event 🤬🤬🤬
— Muhammad Zain (@_muhammadzain1) June 5, 2024
Someone else suggested boxing turns into a Super Bowl event when HE Turki Alalshikh gets involved in it. The Super Bowl halftime show traditionally serves various purposes—from allowing fans to grab refreshments to keeping viewers glued to their screens. But boxing enthusiasts have different priorities altogether!
Boxing be having a Super Bowl halftime show when turki got sum to do with it
— unbiasedbox (@unbiasedbox) June 5, 2024
Another user suggested Eminem’s involvement turns the entire event into a full-blown disaster. However, that might not be entirely true! Yes, most fans just want to watch the fight, but some casuals may get some more entertainment value from the performance.
Yikes… this event will be a disaster. Turki Alalshikh 🖕🏽
— The Noble Savage (@ThatBlackPope) June 5, 2024
Meanwhile, this user seemed relieved by Eminem’s involvement, suggesting it would be an upgrade from the performance during the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight last month. Notably, rapper JID, aka Destin Choice Route, performed during the event, but failed to get praise from the fans.
Bit of an upgrade from that nonsense we got at Fury Usyk
— Sam- SW FIGHT HUB (@swfighthub) June 5, 2024
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The next user didn’t really seem to care about Eminem’s performance, and he expressed in the comments similarly. But the rapper has a fan base that consists of millions across the globe, so many may care!
We don’t care 🙄
— Siado Multiverse (@SiadoSirius) June 6, 2024
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HE Turki Alalshikh’s first boxing event seems to have gotten a disappointing start, but with a lineup of thrilling fights on the horizon, the atmosphere is poised to shift dramatically, drawing massive crowds to the arena in LA. How about you? Are you excited about Eminem’s performance?