John Fury, the father of current WBC champion Tyson Fury, thinks that the Saudi boxing takeover will not end well for the British boxing scene.
The last few years have seen Saudi Arabia’s Skill Challenge Entertainment – the country’s first fully integrated sports and entertainment agency – make big moves in the boxing world. Back in 2018 it hosted the final of the World Boxing Super Series between George Groves and Callum Smith and has since hosted Anthony Joshua fights against Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk.
Next up for the Kingdom is Tyson Fury in a fight against former MMA champion Francis Ngannou in October, then most likely Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder in December of January.
Speaking to Boxing Social via Free Bets Ireland , ‘Big John’ shared his views as to why this takeover has begun having been to Saudi to see his other son Tommy Fury beat Jake Paul back in May.
“It’s called professional boxing for a reason – to get paid, get the highest money you can. Obviously the Saudis, nobody can compete with them. They’re taking everything over. I said it when I was over there, they will take over all top sports. The biggest players will go to Saudi no matter what sport you’re in, the Saudis will take over.”
He goes on to discuss the implications of this for British boxing.
“It will kill it stone dead.
How can you compete with men like that? You can’t. What can you say? They want to put the money in and when they’ve got more money than sand, which appears to be the case, good luck to them, they’re doing the business. Big admiration for them. I love the country.
If I was younger I would move out there altogether because nobody appreciates what you do here. They’re your friend today and not tomorrow. Cause Tyson’s doing good business it’s upsetting everybody. It’s jealous, you know, and that’s what happens, There’s a lot of jealous people in the world today and that’s the problem. Get on and enjoy it. He’s doing it for the fans.”