David Haye has caused a stir on social media with his take on the Saudi’s influence on boxing.
A whole host of the boxing elite have been tempted by the huge wads of cash that has been thrown at them.
‘His Excellency’, Turki Alalshikh has worked wonders in getting fights made that seemed impossible and even managing the strained relationship between the UK’s top promoters in Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren.
But the flip side is how many fans get to fly over and enjoy the fights and it seems Haye’s take has angered many.
In a video posted on social media he captioned with this: ‘Understandably, many British fight enthusiasts are disappointed at not being able to attend the bouts in Saudi Arabia. However, the stark reality is that it’s either in Saudi or not at all. The landscape of boxing, much like the world, is ever-evolving. There was a time when Pay-Per-View events were met with resistance by fans accustomed to free-to-air broadcasts. Yet, times have changed. The economic realities of modern boxing mean that traditional revenue streams no longer suffice to meet the financial needs of top-tier fighters.
“So, to the devoted fans of the sport, let’s embrace this new era with open arms. The best are competing against the best, realising the dream matches we’ve longed for. Exciting mega bouts are on the horizon, and there’s so much to look forward to!”
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You can watch the video below:
Understandably, many British fight enthusiasts are disappointed at not being able to attend the bouts in Saudi Arabia. However, the stark reality is that it’s either in Saudi or not at all. The landscape of boxing, much like the world, is ever-evolving. There was a time when… pic.twitter.com/lFwCVAu0Tu
— David Haye (@davidhaye) February 7, 2024
Fight fans flocked to the comments section to vent at the video.
One wrote: ‘Talking absolute bollocks tbh. They’re there purely for the pay day and saudi sportswashing. Once the bubble bursts they’ll be begging back for Wembley. Sport is nothing without the fans David.’
Another added: ‘Yeah let’s embrace terrible crowds and awful atmospheres. Fights that look like they are being held down the local leisure centre in front of ten people sipping cups of tea. Buzzin’
A third person seemed to agree with Haye: ‘What’s been brought in with Turki, Queensberry & Goldstar is definitely better than what was happening before.. fights at prime time shows for the UK, money isn’t a issue for fights being made & people actually working together.’
Good or bad for boxing? Let us know in the comments.
