Turki Alalshikh made it clear that he no longer wants runners on his Riyadh Season cards from this point forward. He says he wants to use fighters that “leave it all in the ring.”
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)
Turki’s New Fight Policy
The move by Alalshikh to set a new standard for inclusion on his Riyadh Season cards was expected following the negative press his May 2nd and 3rd cards received. Several of the fighters who competed in those events chose not to engage and were constantly on the move throughout the night.
While some fans who enjoy watching runners may take issue with Turki insisting that only action fighters be included on his cards, it’s his prerogative. He’s the one who is paying for the entertainment. For him to use movers, it’s self-defeating because it results in criticism and fans losing interest in watching the sport.
Fan Backlash, New Rules
There was a massive backlash for the dull performances turned in by Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez during the Times Square card on May 2nd in New York. Despite those two being paid millions by Turki, they moved around all night and rarely engaged. They should have felt obligated to earn their money.
Some fans believe the poor ticket sales for next month’s card on July 12th in Queens are partially related to the runner Shakur Stevenson being on that card. He’s a fighter with a reputation for moving and boring fans.
Riyadh Season Fights Evolve
“From this point on, I don’t want to see any more Tom and Jerry-type boxing matches where one fighter is running around the ring and the other is chasing him. We can no longer support these kinds of fights with Riyadh Season and The Ring. We want to support fighters who leave it all in the ring and fight with heart and pride!🥊🥊🥊” said Turki Alalshikh on X.
Runners
Devin Haney
Shakur Stevenson
Richardson Hitchins
Teofimo Lopez