The rivalry between Nigeria and Cameroon in recent time came to a crescendo at the weekend in the fight between Anthony Joshua and Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, with most sports watchers tipping Ngannou to carry the day. Contrary to expectations, the British-Nigeria boxer Anthony Joshua yet again show class, determination and resilience as he knockout 37 years old Cameroonian Francis Ngannou in the second round on Friday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The fight world had optimism for Ngannou after he gave an impressive performance in a near-upset of Tyson Fury last October, losing by a narrow split decision.
Joshua quickly proved there’s no substitute for years of boxing experience and he sent Ngannou to the cleaners.
Now 34, Joshua won his last three fights before accepting this meeting with Ngannou, whose talent and name recognition turned it into a big-money matchup. Reports indicate that both boxers are set to pocket millions of dollars in prize money, regardless of the fight’s outcome.
It was gathered that Ngannou earned $20 million from the fight, which is $10 million more than he earned from his fight with Tyson Fury
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Joshua is in line to earn almost $50 million (£40m) – not factoring in pay-per-view and additional bonuses.
Recall that Las Vegas has been the fight capital of the world for decades. It seems almost crazy to look at any other place as the destination spot for fighters, fans, and the promoters who push the events.
Over the past two years, it’s become clear that Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states have taken a significant piece of the pie. So much so it’s not a stretch to say Saudi Arabia has become the world’s fight capital.
Saudi Arabia is attempting to rebuild its image and prepare for a world without oil — and sport is a key part of its strategy.
In 2023, the Saudi Public Investment Fund allocated $31.5 billion, with significant portions dedicated to various sports ventures such as soccer, golf, MMA, boxing
Recent reports suggest that the country has invested hundreds of millions to host boxing matches, possibly surpassing nine figures, indicating its ambition to challenge Las Vegas as the global fight hub of the world
This strategic investment aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic shift from oil dependency. It aims to boost tourism as a critical source of revenue for the future of the oil-rich Saudi kingdom.
In the spirit of sportsmanship, Tyson Fury, said of Joshua, “Me and Usyk have got an undisputed world heavyweight championship coming up. He (Joshua) just had a show fight in Saudi Arabia, which is fantastic for the show, but for the actual real boxing, it is me and Usyk who will fight for the number one and number two positions for the undisputed championship of the world.
“So that (the fight with AJ) is on the backburner for now. Great performance from AJ, fantastic, but unfortunately I have got bigger fish to fry in Usyk on May 18 and then we have a rematch in October.
“So, after that, if he is still available, and I’m still available, let’s get it on.”
