Alalshikh soon started to get the hang of it, though. After myriad failings from fighters, managers, and promoters, the Saudi Arabian paymaster – thanks to gazillions of dollars at his disposal – delivered a lifetime-awaited showdown for all the heavyweight marbles when he put Fury in the ring with his closest rival, Oleksandr Usyk. He did likewise with Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol down at light heavyweight and, just last month, he was the brains, and wallet, behind one of the most-watched fights in boxing history, Terence Crawford vs Canelo Alvarez. For those three contests alone, Alalshikh’s impact in the sport has been gargantuan. Not only that, he managed to get promoters working together and the sheer volume of contests that have been staged between them since 2023 is testament to Alashikh’s lucrative influence.
