Attending a big boxing card in Saudi Arabia: The new home of boxing is missing a key ingredient

Joseph Parker walks out ahead of his bout with Martin Bakole. Photo / Photosport

Saudi Arabia is considered the new de facto home of boxing.

That may be true for the foreseeable future but the reality of attending an event there, even one billed as the card of the century, is more akin to popcorn without the butter and salt. Something genuine is missing – and it may never be found.

Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi Government official and billionaire, estimated to be worth $2.8 billion, has changed the face of modern boxing.

Sport is big business and as with business, money turns heads.

Backed by Al-Sheikh’s seemingly bottomless investments, the elite boxers are again fighting the best opponents on a regular basis.

Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment Turki Al-Sheikh shouts ringside during the The Last Crescendo undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo / Getty Images

With Saudi’s millions flowing and purses elevated to eye-popping levels – Joseph Parker earned $10 million for his win over Deontay Wilder in late 2023 – factions between long-standing rival promoters have eroded overnight to leave boxing fans salivating over stacked cards once deemed impossible in this era of crafted records.

While many recent match-ups lived up to the hype, boxing remains a passing interest at best, something of a foreign curiosity, in the vexed Saudi landscape.

The Last Crescendo card, headlined by Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s rematch for the undisputed world light heavyweight championship in Riyadh, is the latest example of an event missing a vibrant heart.

In many other destinations – the UK, US, Australia or pockets of Europe – this event that featured six title fights would have sold out some of boxing’s most iconic arenas.

In Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the event was instead moved at late notice from the new 26,000-capacity Kingdom Arena – twice the size of Auckland’s Spark Arena – to the neighbouring 8,000-capacity AnB Arena due to a lack of ticket sales.

On the night, empty seats were prevalent throughout the venue.

The fighters earned their worth. Bivol and Beterbiev put on a world-class show; Parker brushed aside Brit Daniel Dubois’ late withdrawal and apparent sickness to drop feared Congolese boogeyman Martin Bakole in the second round to continue his push for a second world title shot. Unbeaten German heavyweight Agit Kabayel stopped Chinese powerhouse Zhilei Zhang, American Vergil Ortiz jnr impressed and Callum Smith upset British rival Joshua Buatsi.

Joseph Parker punches Martin Bakole. Photo / Getty Images

Travelling fans, though, accounted for at least half the crowd. And they brought all the noise.

On the undercard, there was an effort to build up Saudi Arabia’s super lightweight Ziyad Almaayouf – pitting him against Brazil’s Jonatas de Oliveira, who suffered his 15th straight defeat.

Yet it’s clear boxing is barely a blip on the local radar.

Boxing’s main, possibly sole, purpose in Saudi is to generate a vehicle for tourism.

Saudi first opened its border to tourism in September of 2019, as a means to diversify its oil reliance and incrementally grow GDP.

Projecting big-time boxing through global broadcasts is one way to sell Saudi to the world.

Whether the ongoing investment is working, though, is debatable.

Recent boxing events have welcomed celebrities including Cristiano Ronaldo, Eminem, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya, with the hope their vast social media reach will influence followers to include Saudi as a bucket list destination.

From countless cranes to state-of-the-art malls, endless construction of glitzy, sprawling hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton and immaculately restored historic sites, the smell of money is everywhere in Riyadh.

That extends to the Kingdom Arena – a multi-purpose venue situated in Riyadh’s Boulevard City, a contrived Disneyland-like area, capable of staging football, boxing and concerts that was constructed in under six months.

Auckland, by contrast, has been waiting two decades for a waterfront stadium.

For the Last Crescendo card, while at a smaller venue than originally intended, there was no expense spared, no need to break even.

From the lighting to the sound, production, multiple outdoor eating areas and corporate hospitality, everything is put on to an incredibly high spec. There’s no shortage of razzamatazz.

Alcohol is illegal in Saudi, a noteable point of difference to other sporting destinations, which creates a contrasting civilised and subdued atmosphere.

Turki Al-Sheikh’s power extends to halting previous boxing events for half an hour while he and Ronaldo ducked out for a spot of Burger King.

Since turning to tourism, Saudi has hosted major tennis, football, golf, UFC, motorsport and boxing events. Its commitment to continue investing heavily in sport is evident from landing the Football World Cup in 2034.

Money can’t buy everything, though. The best venues in the world are soulless without genuine fan engagement.

Mega wealth can buy great fights, great events. No one, though, can manufacture true fandom.

Liam Napier travelled to Riyadh courtesy of Manuka Doctor.