BOXING has never been a completely fair sport.
When two fighters enter the ring, we are led to believe that both have an equal chance of winning, an equal opportunity to change their lives.
In reality, though, there is always one fighter, often the more marketable of the two, who is given an unfair advantage, whether that be through something as simple as their choice of dressing room – reducing their opponent to far less desirable facilities – or perhaps a more favourable rub of the green, shall we say, on the judges’ scorecards.
Whatever the case may be, an A-side fighter will typically enjoy every luxury that can be afforded to them, while the B-side fighter, on the other hand, is compelled to overcome a series of hurdles before they even step through the ropes.
This, of course, has largely been accepted over the years. But now, concerns over the fairness of boxing, or lack thereof, have reached stratospheric levels.
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, has been dubbed by many as the ‘saviour’ of boxing.
He has, after all, delivered a handful of blockbuster events under the Riyadh Season banner, with fans, for the most part, hailing his involvement in the sport.
Last Saturday saw perhaps the greatest fight card of all time – indeed, it was compelling from start to finish – take place in Saudi Arabia.
But while the majority of fans will remember it as a thrilling night of action, there was nonetheless a stark moment of controversy that unfolded half way through the show.
As it happened, a video of Alalshikh is what did the rounds on social media, with the power broker revealing to Hamzah Sheeraz, a Riyadh Season ambassador, that he was trailing two points behind WBC world middleweight champion Carlos Adames in their undercard showdown.
Supposedly, Alalshikh had taken it upon himself to sneak a quick glance at the judges’ scorecards before the fight had reached its natural conclusion.
And if that was indeed the case, it must be said that, in doing so, he not only slung the fairness of their contest out the window but also demonstrated, once again, that anything he chooses to do will be met by very little resistance, if any.
With regards to bringing about a more tangible change to the sport, many have argued that the judges’ scorecards should, in fact, be read out to both fighters between each round, allowing them to adjust their performance accordingly.
And yet, for Alalshikh to introduce this change himself – presenting just Sheeraz with the necessary information, whether from the official scorecards or not – offers nothing but a firm kick in the teeth of Adames.
It should go without saying, too, that anyone other than Alalshikh who demonstrates such unsportsmanlike behaviour would most likely be punished or, at the very least, investigated to some extent.
These rules, however, appear to have no bearing on the Saudi boxing chief who, by the very definition of his job title, is quite simply an extension of Mohammad Bin Salman’s policy.
The actions of Alalshikh have therefore transcended our beloved sport in the sense that his investment, at the end of the day, is designed to accelerate tourism in the Kingdom, a place where human rights abuses continue to represent a genuine concern.
Nevertheless, boxing has now almost fully surrendered itself to the Saudi government official, with nearly every major player finding themselves beholden to his desires.
Yet still, the opportunities that have emerged from Riyadh Season make it difficult, in many ways, to view Alalshikh through a critical lens.
Not only have the fans benefited from a more prolific period of enticing fights, but the athletes themselves have, quite rightly, reaped the rewards of Riyadh Season.
Josh Padley, for instance, was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime after Floyd Schofield Jr withdrew from his scheduled clash with WBC world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson.
And despite having just a few days to make weight, the electrician by trade showed last Saturday that, so long as they stay ready, any fighter could be given the chance to earn themselves a career-highest payday at the drop of a hat.
But while the success of each fighter should be celebrated, it is equally important to recognise times where the integrity of boxing – regardless of whatever weight it carries – has been unfairly compromised by the powers that be.
And so, however which way you look at it, the favouritism that Alalshikh showed towards Sheeraz should not be brushed under the rug but instead treated with the same criticism that it otherwise would be.
