By Abimbola Ogunnaike
All is now set for a power-packed heavyweight boxing clash between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia tonight.
The fighters are set to earn massive prize money and fight purses, thanks to the head of Saudi’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Turki Alalshikh, who is driving efforts to make Saudi the new home of boxing.
Though the exact figures have not been made public, Forbes reported that Joshua is set to bank a whopping $50 million [£39 million] from this fight, not including pay-per-view sales.
In contrast, Ngannou is reportedly set to receive $20 million [£15.6 million], which is twice the amount he received for his highly praised debut fight against Tyson Fury last October.
This is Ngannou’s second time boxing in the ring and he is sure to provide a stiff test for Joshua, who is fighting for the fourth time in under a year.
The involvement of Saudi Arabia in boxing’s biggest fights has given rise to Joshua’s calibre of fighters benefitting from huge fight purses.
Though the focus will, of course, remain on the in-ring action, the money involved is a testament to the growing commercialization of boxing.
