logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
17m 34s

Saudi Arabia: The saviour of boxing?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Two years ago, boxing was on the ropes.

Fans were fed up, and rival promoters were playing the blame game, as egos, finances and broadcaster commitments got in the way.

Now, it's all changed, largely thanks to investment from Saudi Arabia.

We head to the boxing ring to look at the revival of this global sport – and find out whether the Kingdom's increasing involvement in sport is being universally welcomed.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presented and produced by Matt Lines

(Image: Britain's Tyson Fury (red) and Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk (blue) compete during their heavyweight world championship rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on December 22, 2024. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Spain's power blackout: what went wrong?
On the morning of the 28th of April, Spain lost electric power equivalent to that generated by ten nuclear plants, leaving the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal and parts of France, without electricity for up to 12 hours. We examine the cause of the blackout that ... Show More
17m 28s
Aug 21
Business Daily meets: Spencer Horne
The South African entrepreneur tells us about his experience growing up under the apartheid regime, before securing a scholarship that would take him to Harvard University in the US.He's now returned home to set up Cloudline, an airship company which aims to deliver goods and car ... Show More
17m 29s
Aug 20
Are you a personality hire?
The trend has taken off on social media as it's resonated with office workers around the world. So what value does an extroverted colleague bring to a company? And is it fair, or even legal, for businesses to recruit for specific personality types?Produced and presented by Imran ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
Saudi Arabia: Cricket’s sponsorship dilemma
On this week’s episode of Stumped, should cricket care where its funding comes from?The International Cricket Council have announced a partnership with a Saudi state-owned oil company, raising issues of both sustainability and an association with a country that has a poor human r ... Show More
33m 22s
Oct 2024
Eddie Hearn - Putting Neymar in the Ring, Why is BOXING Booking Superstar Performers, and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Season...
We’ve got the main man when it comes to boxing on the Fozcast today! In this episode, we are joined by the guy who puts all of the big boy fights on our screens, it’s Eddie Hearn and it’s fair to say, this one was a belter! Eddie talks to us about what really goes on behind the s ... Show More
1h 6m
Jun 3
"If You Dwell on the Past, You'll Stay There" — Ziyad Almaayouf | Saudi Pro Boxer
A returning guest on the podcast, Ziyad “Zizo” Almaayouf is Saudi Arabia’s first professional boxer undefeated, unapologetically proud, and a GQ Middle East cover star representing a bold new generation. Born in New York City on July 2, 2000, Zizo took up boxing at age 11 and ove ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 6
At what cost? Saudi Arabia and soccer
There's been two football tournaments in the United States this summer, the Club World Cup and the Gold Cup. Both with an ostensible Saudi feel, all part of grand plan to invest heavily in sport backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.Adam Leventhal has travelled to Miam ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
Saudi Arabia Awarded 2034 FIFA World Cup
It's been confirmed the FIFA World Cup will be returning to the Middle East in 10 years' time after FIFA awarded Saudi Arabia the hosting rights to the 2034 tournament. Securing football’s most high-profile tournament is just the latest example of the Kingdom’s growing influence ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 2024
Fight Night Extra-How to fix boxing at the Olympics
Ade Oladipo and Gareth A Davies have the latest from the world of boxing, where this week they focus heavily on boxing in the Olympic gamesThey reflect on the gold medals won by Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting, with the pair embroiled at the centre of a debate reg ... Show More
51m 13s
Dec 2024
Saudi saga and more trouble in Manchester
World Cup 2034 is heading to Saudi Arabia and WC 2030 to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Martin Samuel was revolted by proceedings… “FIFA conducted two one horse races yesterday.”Is it a decision to grow the game, or a demonstration of 'money talks' ?Martin joins Tom Clarke, Tony Ca ... Show More
1h 2m
Mar 2024
Football in the House of Saud
Roger Bennet and Tommy Vietor are back for Season 2 of World Corrupt! And this time, Rog and Tommy are diving into how Saudi Arabia, the biggest exporter of oil in the world and a nation in the news for human rights abuses, became the latest geopolitical power player sweeping glo ... Show More
48m 2s