RIYADH SEASON events have become a permanent fixture in the boxing calendar, with several mouth-watering matchups now emerging from the realm of fantasy.
Turki Alalshikh has largely spearheaded this seismic shift, seamlessly realising his lofty ambitions while the sport’s most influential figures dance to his tune.
The latest promoters to broker agreements with Alalshikh are Bob Arum and Oscar de la Hoya, after their separate partnerships with Riyadh Season were revealed last month.
So now, it would seem, boxing is on the verge of being completely submerged by the once obscure sports and entertainment initiative in Saudi Arabia, which has at no point attempted to conceal its meteoric rise.
In fact, the warning signs have been plentiful, just as they were in the land of Westeros where, albeit in a fictional context, the kingdom’s most powerful players were confronted with a very frank and constant reminder: “Winter is coming.”
But, unlike winter, this is a season that appears to be here to stay, and rather than bringing with him an army of White Walkers, Alalshikh has called upon the services of Eminem and Liam Gallagher to elevate the events.
And yet, while it is easy to lose yourself in this fascinating world, there is, equally, a clear motivation shared by each promoter, who will only look back in anger should they fail to capitalise on the lucrative opportunities presented by Riyadh Season.
Arum and De la Hoya, for instance, have the opportunity to pit their promotional stables against each other, and, with several intriguing dustups waiting to materialise, one would assume that a potential 5v5 clash between Top Rank and Golden Boy could only deliver fireworks.
But how would it look? Boxing News gives you five potential matchups.
Christian Mbilli vs Jaime Munguia (Super-middleweight)
A collision between two high volume punchers with incredible engines – what’s not to like? While both have upcoming assignments to complete, with Mbilli taking on Sergiy Derevyanchenko this Saturday and Munguia returning to the ring against Erik Bazinyan in September, the pair would no doubt engage in an all-action war should they be summoned to lock horns.
And the fight is not beyond the realms of possibility, either, as with both combatants boasting lofty rankings with the WBC, a final eliminator for Canelo Alvarez’s belt could be ordered in the not too distant future. In this genuine 50-50 matchup, though, the prediction of an outcome is far from straightforward.
Xander Zayas vs Vergil Ortiz Jr (Super-welterweight)
Most would share the view that Zayas, a gleaming super welterweight prospect who looks set to become one of boxing’s brightest stars, remains a level or two below Ortiz. While that may be the case, the 21-year-old is seemingly just a few wins away from reaching the upper echelons of his division, following a dominant display against former world champion Patrick Teixeira.
Ortiz, on the other hand, was compelled to overcome a stern test in his last outing, edging a majority decision after picking himself up from the canvas twice against Serhii Bohachuk. Nevertheless, the American reminded fans of his quality with several sickening attacks to his opponent’s body, and while Zayas, too, has a reputation of being a prolific body puncher, the Puerto Rican would certainly benefit from more experience before taking on one of the sport’s dangermen.
Sandor Martin vs Arnold Barboza Jr (Super-lightweight)
Since his highly controversial split decision defeat to Teofimo Lopez back in 2022, Martin has largely distanced himself from the world level scene at super-lightweight. But, despite amassing just two stoppages against limited opposition last year, the Spaniard, who is ranked number one with the WBC, could catapult himself back into the mix with a win over someone like Barboza.
Both fighters, you could say, are members of the “who needs him club,” yet, while Barboza is the mandatory challenger for Lopez’s WBO strap, his last outing against Sean McComb would indicate that his style still needs more refinement. The 32-year-old has looked more convincing in performances over the likes of Jose Pedraza and Danielito Zorrilla, though, and his momentum could see him edge a close decision against Martin.
Teofimo Lopez vs Jose Carlos Ramirez (Super-lightweight)
Of course, the potential battle between Lopez and Ryan Garcia – two explosive punchers – still holds a great deal of weight. But following Garcia’s failed drugs test, it is perhaps best to remove him from the conversation for a moment.
Regardless, former unified super-lightweight champion Ramirez remains a fearsome contender, coming off a comprehensive points victory over Cuban campaigner Rances Barthelemy. Lopez, meanwhile, has failed to set the world alight since his scintillating performance against Josh Taylor to claim the WBO strap.
In truth, his win against Jamaine Ortiz earlier this year could have gone either way, but the 27-year-old has proven that, against a fighter like Ramirez, someone he would not have to go looking for, a vastly different affair is likely to unfold.
Emanuel Navarrete vs William Zepeda (Lightweight)
It is difficult to comprehend the fact that Zepeda – ranked number one with all four sanctioning bodies – is yet to receive a title shot. For some, it would make more sense for the 28-year-old to face Vasiliy Lomachenko, who now holds the IBF world lightweight title.
However, when it comes to seeing a gladiatorial spectacle between two Mexican warriors, the inclusion of a trinket is neither here nor there. While Navarrete comes off a defeat to Denys Berinchyk, the three-weight world champion has, nonetheless, proved to be a formidable operator, with his unorthodox style and devastating power posing problems for anyone in the 135 lbs division.
That being said, the front foot aggression of Zepeda, who comes off a three-round demolition job over Giovanni Cabrera, could well be too much for his countryman.
