Every Thursday here at FightHype, I pull out my gigantic, bulbous, bulging sack and give truth-minded boxing fans a gander. This week, I shoot ropes of truth all over comments/questions regarding Keyshawn Davis, Boxing’s dead zone, and the Saudi takeover.
Saudi Arabia’s Takeover Will Fail
Hey Paul.
Just read your take on the Saudis and can’t agree more. Here’s my take on the current trend. It reminds me of WCW and WWE Monday night wars. When we first got this Saudi business, some were excited because Turki was putting on fights that American and British promoters failed to do. However, after watching that Usyk vs. Fury dud, I think we’re about 18 months away from people being done with this nonsense as a mainstream experience. The content of WCW eventually became such dogshit that folks tuned out. Eventually, I think we will get back to mega-fights in Vegas, Dallas and Great Britain.
Here’s my take: this effort to Sports Wash Saudi Arabia as a sports destination is not working in my opinion. The only way I am going to Saudi Arabia is if my Reserve Unit gets activated and I am told to go protect Saudi Oil. Besides that, do people really want to go there? Looks kind of stupid honestly. I mean, it is bordered or within striking distance of Yemen, Syria, Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, etc. Call me ethnocentric, but I would rather go to Caracas, Venezuela than that place. At least I know the food is great, I can actually see the women and there aren’t jihadists within 20 KM of my hotel. Yes, Caracas might be dangerous and I don’t agree with their politics…just seems like a much better time. All kidding aside, is this Saudi as a tourist spot actually working? I don’t see it.
The atmosphere at these boxing events in Saudi Arabia are muted, quiet, and lacking the excitement of other boxing venues. When I watched the most recent Usyk fight, it was a compelling great fight. However, the mood just sucked. It was truly missing the aura of a prime time fight. I also feel that there is no public awareness of boxing events in Saudi Arabia. These events don’t capture the public’s attention here and they certainly don’t in Saudi Arabia. I know you are very against the regime and I am as well, but you have to admit, if this was done in China, as bad as they are, and the Macau Casinos were packed and the buzz was there, that would lessen the blow. There simply is no crowd excitement, a muted atmosphere and the arena feels soulless. It feels like an AI generated experience.
Anyways, just a lot of word salad. I was thinking that maybe advertisements in boxing will pull it back into the realm of the West. If viewership was 25 million plus like it is for a football game on a Monday night. If that could ever happen to boxing, I think we could exit this nonsense in Saudi Arabia.
— Greg
Hey Greg.
Yeah, the only way you’d get me to Saudi Arabia is with some tranquilizer darts and a giant butterfly net. It’s hard to imagine anyone in the West targeting them as a tourist destination. But I guess that’s why they’re sportswashing like a sonuvabitch. They want people to forget all the ugly stuff they do that would kinda, sorta put a damper on your fun in the Vegas of the Middle East. Only a fucking sociopath (or a boxing person paid to be there, who may or may not be sociopath) would have a carefree good time at “Harry Potter: A Riyadh Season Adventure” when, a few blocks down, some kid is serving a 19-year prison sentence for a “disrespectful” tweet about Turki Alalshikh or another is being beheaded for a crime he may or may not have committed.
I agree with what you’re saying, but these Saudi shows are already failing. I think the most likely scenario is that Turki says or does something to fall out of favor with the Crown Prince, gets “removed” from his position, and his pet projects get shit-canned. It’s also possible that the Saudis simply lose interest and decide to move on. Right now, though, making money is, apparently, not an issue. They want the publicity, which, I think, is not as overwhelming as they had hoped it would be when they, almost literally, bought up all the boxing media.
And, yeah, the shows are stale and laborious to watch. They look and feel like the pandemic cards in empty arenas. And that’s because there are no fans there. All the fans who could generate a big-fight vibe are on the other side of the planet, seven hours (by flight) away in the UK, and/or averse to traveling to Saudi Arabia. Pretty much the only ones there for the fights are royal family sycophants and those who were paid to be there.
There are several ideas when it comes to boxing getting out from underneath the Saudis’ thawbs. First and foremost, the promoters have to actually start making fights.
Boxing, MIA
Hello, boxing, are you out there? Hellloooooo. Is anyone out there? Where’s all the boxing? I thought that turkey guy was saving us? Paul, can you help me look for boxing? Maybe we can put it on a milk carton?
— S. Lowe
Hey S.
Didn’t you know that the eerie empty-corridor echo of nothingness you’re hearing is boxing being “saved?”
The holiday season has always been slow, but, yeah, what about the five months prior? We have a couple of good cards fights in February and March, but then we go back to black until Canelo fights. This is clearly something other than a lull. American boxing is being smothered to death– and way too many people are embracing that pillow over their face.
Is Keyshawn The Next Big Thing?
Hi Paul.
I don’t know what your plans are for the future when it comes to being boxing media, but I want to let you know that you are appreciated. You may not feel like it, but you are. A lot of us search you out specifically when we want to know the truth about what’s going on in boxing. I may not always agree with your takes, but I know everything is REAL and that’s more than I can say for every other writer out there.
Anyway, let’s get back to boxing for a second.
Can Keyshawn Davis be THAT guy? Can he be the next big thing? He’s getting his shot at hist first world title this February against Berinchyk. It’s a safe choice and he should win easily, but what then? Looking into the future, can he be the next big American star?
–Dennis.
Hey Dennis,
Thanks for the kind words.
Keyshawn’s got the talent and enough charisma to be a star. He’s also got the right ring style. The problem will be in finding the right opposition for him to grow his star. Like you said, Berinchyk is a safe world title grab. It’s the right choice for where he’s at right now. But who does he get after that and even a couple years down the line? Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson won’t fight him. Vasiliy Lomachenko will re-re-retire if his name even gets remotely tied to Keyshawn’s. Even if he moves up to 140, he’ll have the same problem. He’s certainly not going to boost his star by fighting overseas. So, I think he’ll hover around this same level of stardom. Right now, in this boxing atmosphere, I don’t think it’s possible to create any new stars.
Got a question (or hate mail) for Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack? The best of the best gets included in the weekly mailbag segment right here at FightHype. Send your stuff here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com.
