His Excellency Turki Alalshikh reports that the pay-per-view card for the Feb. 22 season in Riyadh is priced at $19.99 in the UK and $25.99 in the US and “rest of the world.” That’s a remarkable price for the six fights announced on the card today
Bargain PPV
All five undercard bouts could headline their respective cards, and, incredibly, those matchups are listed below. The main event for the February 22 card is a rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and former WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. The combination of the PPV price and the great fights on the card make it attractive. I can’t remember seeing a card stacked like this in many years.
There was grumbling from fans and Buffalo’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, about the outcome of the first fight with Beterbee on October 12. So there will be a rematch to settle that.
Buffalo looked like he didn’t want to be there after the seventh round and was in survival mode. He deserved the loss 100%, and Beterbiev will make sure the Buffalo fans have nothing to stand for after that.
The undercard features two outstanding fights that fans will be talking about during the build-up. They are as follows:
- Shakur Stevenson vs. Floyd Schofield
- Virgil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israel Madrimov
The Ortiz Jr.-Madrimov fight is tentative because it requires Madrimov to get through his Dec. 21 contest against Sergiy Bohachuk without a loss or injury. Promoter Tom Loeffler considers it “bad karma” that Madrimov was scheduled to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. on February 22, when a tough fight against Bohachuk awaits him this month.
“Bad karma for posting this. Bohachuk has over 90% KO, he has knocked down Virgil twice. “He’s going for a KO against Madrimov on December 21st, so no more funny business with the judges,” said Tom Loeffler. Ks.
The PPV price will be no more than £19.99 in the UK and no more than $25.99 in the US and the rest of the world 🔥🥊 (We want the fans to be happy and enjoy themselves… Let’s make boxing great again 💪🏻) pic.twitter.com/I2SkdJkENb
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) December 3, 2024
Not Gimmes
“He has deep pockets and they pay fighters a lot of money,” said commentator Ade Aladipo. talkSport Boxing about His Excellency Turki Alalshih drawing up the map of February 22.
“In the past, fighters have said, ‘I’m not going to fight that fight because I’m not getting paid enough.’ Now they almost can’t turn down these fights. That’s way more than what they’re used to getting paid. Plus, he has broadcasters and promoters who are currently working with each other.
“It would be almost impossible to put this card together without deep pockets.” These are all big, important fights. There are no tricks. Most fights are 50-50.
Before Turki Alalahik got involved in boxing, many of the fight cards over the last five years were terrible and getting worse. For fans who remembered the great cards of the 1980s and 1990s, they were disappointed in the sport.
Many fans stopped following boxing because of the bad events, which were full of mismatches deliberately put together by promoters to sell a bad product. It’s still going on, obviously, but at least there’s Turki, who is putting up big fights.
“The first fight will probably be Zhilei Zhang against Agit Kabayel. You’re talking about two top six heavyweights walking first. It’s usually six-round or eight-round,” Ade said of the Feb. 22 card.
“No, it must be Beterbiev against Bivol. You’re talking about two of the best light heavyweights of all time. The first fight was so good. All the belts, every single belt in the division,” Ade said when asked if the Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker fight should headline the Feb. 22 card.
“Dubois’ rise in the last year has been great.” He’ll be a good co-main event, but even he knows the two best in the world have to go first. Beterbiev is pound for pound #5. Buffalo #6. These are the two best. “They have to go first,” Ade said.