Saudi Arabia persists in its assertive chase for grand-scale events in major sports, and Carl Froch has shared the news of a lucrative offer for a high-profile boxing match in the Middle East.
Anthony Joshua's recent rematches against Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk were held in the region, and it has also hosted the much-discussed Jake Paul-Tommy Fury match. The country's leading promotion company, Skill Challenge Entertainment, has secured a contract with Usyk for upcoming bouts. Moreover, Tyson Fury has declared a crossover fight with MMA sensation Francis Ngannou on October 28, under the banner of Riyadh Season.
The organizers of boxing in Saudi Arabia have clearly expressed their ambition to host massive sports spectacles. Plans to extend such grand-scale events to football, golf, and motorsport are also in the pipeline.
On an episode of TalkSport’s Talk Boxing, amidst discussions about Fury’s recent declaration, Froch came forward as the newest boxer to receive an invitation to step into the ring in Saudi Arabia.
Froch stated, “In all honesty, [Fury’s] doing it for the substantial payday - and good for him, it's simply how it works.”
“I've recently received a proposal for a potential bout in Saudi with a seven-figure payout from my old pal, The Hayemaker. I have the message saved on my phone. I won't delve deeper as it's all speculative at this point.”
Froch clarified that Haye was simply brokering the deal and no specific opponents have been suggested to him yet.
“David Haye’s out there, networking and making moves, and he sent me a text suggesting 'a fight in Saudi around Christmas, decent earnings.' No mention of any opponents. Apparently, a big name isn’t necessary.”
The planned bout would be an exhibition match considering ‘The Cobra’ has been out of professional boxing since 2014.
When Joe Calzaghe's name was proposed as a potential adversary, Froch, the former super-middleweight champion, dismissed it as an unrealistic option, claiming it would quickly escalate into a full-fledged fight.
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