Turki Alalshikh says his ability to make big fights happen is ‘more powerful than magic’ as attempts to make Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol vs Jai Opetaia continue.
Saudi Arabian Chairman, who has a budget from the Crown Prince to puppeteer the sport, aims to secure Beterbiev vs Bivol in the coming weeks.
Once over the line, Turki wants to pitch the winner against the IBF cruiserweight champion.
Ordinarily, these fights wouldn’t get made so easily. But such is the region’s power and size of the checks that few can resist the lure of Saudi Arabia.
Discussing his vision, Alalshikh spoke to DAZN about his knowledge and ambition.
Bivol or Beterbiev vs Opetaia
“The people need to see Artur Bivol, need to see what I want to see. I want to see the result of Artur Bivol playing against Opetaia,” he stated.
“This is what I hope to have. We need to see this fight before; in our generation, we see all the greatest fighters.”
Turki added: “If I ask you to give me 20 or 30 names about athletes in America, half of them in the seventies and eighties, you will say boxer. Now, please give me a name.
“I don’t have magic. I have something more powerful than magic behind me. There are two big mountains where you can not see the end of the mountain.
“The King and the crown prince support what we are doing. We cannot do this without their support.”
Promoter rivals
On bringing two promoters who previously despised each other together through cold hard cash, Turki stated: “Because they are very good people, of course, this is the market.
“There are some problems between them, but now there is a big, fast, strong train, and they have first-class seats. Why don’t they go inside this train to the station of dreams?”
Concluding on Saudi Arabia overtaking Las Vegas as boxing’s Mecca, Turki defended Saudi Arabia against sport-washing criticism.
“Big fights usually happen in Las Vegas or Madison Square Garden.
“The biggest fight in boxing is the undisputed heavyweight title fight, and it’s happening in the Kingdom.
“What’s the problem with the Kingdom? It is a G20 country, a strong country, a big country, a beautiful country, and a safe country.
“The people inside this country welcome all the people, very nice time zone, good protection. If the question is, why Saudi Arabia, why not Saudi Arabia?”
