A Saudi official has meddled in the pay-per-view costs of the next Anthony Joshua bout after the US fans had to pay $80 for Fury vs. Ngannou.
Later this month, Anthony Joshua will return to the ring to face Otto Wallin. Also, Joseph Parker will face off against Deontay Wilder in the much-awaited event.
Fans anticipated the pay-per-view pricing to be comparable to the $80 that US fans paid for the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou event that took place in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. However, that is not the case.
In an unprecedented move, head of Riyadh Season Turki Al Alshikh is reshaping the landscape of boxing by advocating for more accessible pay-per-view prices.
He said the following on Facebook:
“We are proud to be hosting one of the most exciting nights of boxing that has ever been seen. Every single fight on this card could be the headliner ! We want all boxing fans to be able to join this evening with us, so we have requested that all of our broadcast partners reduce the Pay per view to these prices to offer exceptional value for the fans : US + Canada: 39.99 USD UK: 19.99 GBP • Rest of the World: 21.99 USD”
While anticipation initially swirled around a Joshua vs. Wilder showdown on December 23, logistical hurdles altered this trajectory. Nonetheless, this development serves as a precursor to a potential monumental clash between the two boxers.
Speaking to Boxing Social, Eddie Hearn talked about a possible Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder battle as the “biggest fight in boxing.”
He said: “We’re full steam ahead trying to make the Wilder fight and a WBC final eliminator if that’s what it’s called, but I’d just call it the biggest fight in boxing. When that fight happens, and the only way that fight happens is if they both win on December 23rd on the same card, if they do win on the same card on the same night, that fight is the biggest fight in boxing.”