The **BOXING** thread (Vol 4)
Discussion
epom said:
Wash Wash Wash…. In a much more public place, get treated like Royalty by citizens of another Country while washing, it’s working.
The actual story about what's happening in KSA is a bit more nuanced and quite interesting (well I think so anyway). KSA society has undergone more radical changes in the last 6 years than it has for decades. In 2018 the moderates gained the balance of power. Since that time, the religious police have been abolished, women were permitted to drive (a bigger percentage of Saudi women u/50 now drive than in the UK), women's sports were freed up (85% of Saudi girls, play football, in actual shorts) plus a host of other reforms, Now I know this all seems normal to us but in KSA it's pretty much a cultural revolution.
One of the arguments the moderates put forward for these changes is to encourage greater interaction with the West, to grow, sports, tourism etc. They have been granted the 2034 WC (although to be fair, no one else bothered bidding when KSA announced they would bid).
There remains much criticism of the KSA regime and rightly too, they still behead 20 people a month who are basically opponents of the ruling family, on a catch all charge of "sourcery".
But many people are opposed to dealing with the Saudis, especially boxing which is the sport they've decided they want to dominate. But if the Saudis fail in their bid to stage and dominate boxing, because the west reject them, it'll be great ammunition for the hardliners to say that the approach of the moderates hasn't worked, the world doesn't understand us and never will, so we may as well return to how we were. And rather than things improving in KSA, if the hardliners gain control, they will get worse.
fridaypassion said:
They are in danger of burning out of fights to put on
I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. Fury - Ngannou was a huge event even though it wasn't a sanctioned boxing match (watch Battle of the Baddest on Netflix). AJ-Ngannou was also popular. In May, we hopefully have Fury - Usyk. Who isn't going to watch that? There's still the prospect of AJ-Fury, even if Usyk beats Fury. AJ-Wilder is still talked about. Then there's Hercovic, BBZ, Parker, and that's just the heavyweight division. There's always big fights to put on. We've been very fortunate over the last decade or so that British fighters have been at the heart of it. Heavyweight boxing used to be dominated by the Americans.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
...
But many people are opposed to dealing with the Saudis, especially boxing ...
On what basis can you say people in boxing are especially opposed to dealing with Saudi? I'm not sure that is true at all. Boxing has almost no morals and so it always follows the money. But many people are opposed to dealing with the Saudis, especially boxing ...
In fact, there were several big fights hosted in Saudi long before their 'Vision 2030' became a thing. It's true that boxing was previously on the fringes of Saudi's interests, when it was left to Skills Challenge and people like Prince Khalid. Now it has moved mainstream, so it gets the funding from the General Entertainment Authority via 'His Excellency'.
Fundamentally it is a sports-washing exercise, designed to overwrite activities like when MBS ordered the journalist Jamal Khashoggi to be killed and chopped up into small pieces. The idea is they host Joshua vs Ngannou, and we forget about the murders, and instead we all think about booking our summer hols there
.Just to add, they don't just want people to go there for a holiday, they also want corporates to move there. They recently announced a 30 year "tax holiday" with 0% corporation tax for 30 years...
https://globaltaxnews.ey.com/news/2023-2071-saudi-...
https://globaltaxnews.ey.com/news/2023-2071-saudi-...
EddieSteadyGo said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
...
But many people are opposed to dealing with the Saudis, especially boxing ...
On what basis can you say people in boxing are especially opposed to dealing with Saudi? I'm not sure that is true at all. Boxing has almost no morals and so it always follows the money. But many people are opposed to dealing with the Saudis, especially boxing ...
In fact, there were several big fights hosted in Saudi long before their 'Vision 2030' became a thing. It's true that boxing was previously on the fringes of Saudi's interests, when it was left to Skills Challenge and people like Prince Khalid. Now it has moved mainstream, so it gets the funding from the General Entertainment Authority via 'His Excellency'.
Fundamentally it is a sports-washing exercise, designed to overwrite activities like when MBS ordered the journalist Jamal Khashoggi to be killed and chopped up into small pieces. The idea is they host Joshua vs Ngannou, and we forget about the murders, and instead we all think about booking our summer hols there
.As regard sports washing, I may be wrong, but I'm convinced too many of the moderates, people like Turki Alalshikh, actually approve of murdering journalists or beheading dissidents. But although they hold the balance of power, they certainly don't hold all the power. If they make a success of their sporting ventures, they might increase their share of power and get more changes to the way things are done.
Changing culture is not easy.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
...
As regard sports washing, I may be wrong, but I'm convinced too many of the moderates, people like Turki Alalshikh, actually approve of murdering journalists or beheading dissidents....
I'm not an expert on Saudi politics, but I think you are wrong. From what I've read, Turki is MBS's stooge. He does what MBS tells him too. MBS was directly influential in getting Turki appointed to the head of the General Entertainment Authority, as part of MBS tightening his grip on power. And it was MBS who ordered Khashoggi to be murdered, because he said things MBS didn't like, so I think the authoritarian instincts of the regime probably run fairly deep.As regard sports washing, I may be wrong, but I'm convinced too many of the moderates, people like Turki Alalshikh, actually approve of murdering journalists or beheading dissidents....
Having said that, it's clear they need some kind of a plan 'post oil', so I can see some of the logic in what they are trying to achieve. And that might also involve some liberalisations in order to start the process of more integration with the western world.
EddieSteadyGo said:
Just to add, they don't just want people to go there for a holiday, they also want corporates to move there. They recently announced a 30 year "tax holiday" with 0% corporation tax for 30 years...
https://globaltaxnews.ey.com/news/2023-2071-saudi-...
That would be the only reason I would ever go there! https://globaltaxnews.ey.com/news/2023-2071-saudi-...
fridaypassion said:
Anyway Clarke v Wardley coming up this weekend I've been looking forward to this one since the first time it didn't happen.
I do fancy Wardley doing the business here.
Babic and Marku on the undercard should be entertaining
Yes, looking forward to watching that too. Wardley is the strong favourite going into it. And it's a crossroads fight too. I think Clarke has looked lacklustre as a professional, but, he has had a lot of time to prepare for Wardley, as he knew that fight was going to happen so I wonder if he might have a few tricks which might expose Wardley. I think it is a pretty even fight, but if I was betting, I'd pick the underdog to win, even though I think Wardley is the more entertaining fighter.I do fancy Wardley doing the business here.
Babic and Marku on the undercard should be entertaining
lord trumpton said:
A fight I'm REALLY looking forward to is the Loma/Kambosis Jr match up.
I think it'll be a great watch with two very different styles
I think it will be great beating, i just cant see Kambo getting close unless Loma has an massive off day and a load of ring rust. Maxi beat* Kambo as a southpaw counterpuncher, Loma is another level.I think it'll be a great watch with two very different styles
- yes yes i know.....
andburg said:
lord trumpton said:
A fight I'm REALLY looking forward to is the Loma/Kambosis Jr match up.
I think it'll be a great watch with two very different styles
I think it will be great beating, i just cant see Kambo getting close unless Loma has an massive off day and a load of ring rust. Maxi beat* Kambo as a southpaw counterpuncher, Loma is another level.I think it'll be a great watch with two very different styles
- yes yes i know.....
I think the ferocious kambosis might prove to be a bit of a handful for his ageing reactions.
It'll be a fascinating watch whatever the outcome
hole.Thought it was disgraceful the Tsyzu Fundora fight was allowed to continue last night. Tim could barely see and losing a lot of blood. Did valiantly to get to the end, but shouldn't have that L on his record. Fundora is a far inferior fighter to him otherwise and he looked well on his way to stopping him before the cut
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