Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, is a known sports enthusiast and has long been a patron of the sports industry in the country. His love for sports is evident in the recent announcement of the rescheduled boxing match between British boxer Tommy Fury and YouTube star Jake Paul, set to take place in Riyadh on February 26th. The highly-anticipated fight, which was previously scheduled to take place in New York in August but was called off due to Fury’s denied access to the US, is expected to draw a large audience from around the world.
This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has hosted a big boxing match, with previous events including Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Anthony Joshua in August. The country has invested heavily in hosting such events as part of its efforts to improve its international image through sporting events. The fight between Fury and Paul promises to be an exciting addition to the list of high-profile sporting events held in the country.
Fury, the 23-year-old light-heavyweight boxer, is currently unbeaten in his eight-fight career and last fought in April, where he defeated Daniel Bocianski. On the other hand, American Paul, 26, has also been successful in his transition from YouTube to professional boxing, winning six professional bouts, including his last victory in November, where he earned a unanimous decision win against former MMA star Anderson Silva.
The fight has generated a lot of buzz, with Paul even tweeting that Fury’s brother, WBC heavyweight champion Tyson, and his father John, will make him retire if he fails to win in Saudi Arabia. With the stage set for an exciting match, all eyes will be on Riyadh as Fury and Paul step into the ring in February for the highly-anticipated Saudi Arabia Boxing Match.
