Jake Paul has not endeared himself to boxing’s most powerful man Turki Alalshikh, and Anthony Joshua has the chance to make the Saudi businessman’s day.
Paul and Joshua are set to compete on December 19 in an outlandish heavyweight mismatch, it was confirmed today. The fight will take place on Netflix, marking just the fourth live boxing fight on the streamer.
The fight will be Joshua’s first in 14 months after being viciously knocked out by Daniel Dubois in his last effort at the world title. Meanwhile, Paul was due to fight Gervonta Davis on November 14, before the bout was cancelled on short notice.
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Turki Alalshikh’s thoughts on Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua
While this December showcase isn’t happening under Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season or The Ring Magazine banners, he is certainly going to be watching closely. He has boasted of having a fight ready for Anthony Joshua as soon as February, and will later put on his ultimate grudge fight with Tyson Fury.
And earlier this year, His Excellency gave an interview to Tha Boxing Voice where he noted that a win for Joshua would be an overall positive for his business. “If Joshua destroys him, it will be good for me because the headache is finished.
“Let me explain for you, Joshua against Jake Paul, if Joshua destroys him then the headache of Jake Paul will go from my mind. If Jake wins, then I will know that Joshua is finished and Jake Paul deserves to be ranked and deserves to have a future in boxing.
“You asked me about Edgar Berlanga against him, I am not very sure Berlanga can knock Jake out. But I have a good feeling about Joshua… I don’t want a 50-50, in this situation I want it to be 99-1.”
Alalshikh is head of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, who preside over all major boxing matches with Saudi funding. He is also involved with Dana White’s new TKO Boxing venture and has put on major UFC events in Riyadh.