Why did Saudi Arabia decide to Invest so Heavily in Boxing?

[Hous]

We know why boxers/promoters/managers want fights to happen in Saudi Arabia, but what does Saudi Arabia get out of it? Is this a big boost to their economy, a more long-term thing, or is boxing just immensely popular in the nation?

[Gladiator18]

They are doing it with every sport, it’s part of a project to have Saudi seen in a better light I believe.

They are doing it with golf, football (soccer), wrestling, ufc.

[mike ruler]

They are doing it with every sport, it’s part of a project to have Saudi seen in a better light I believe.

They are doing it with golf, football (soccer), wrestling, ufc.

^^ Sportswashing at its finest. They're getting into video games too lol

[Zelda]

They are trying to promote Saudi as a global hub and replicating the Dubai story to diversify their GDP.

It is not just boxing, but many other sports. And not just sports, ******* visa programs, incentivizing MNCs to have their MENA headquarters in Saudi, building new airports and launching a new airline to become an aviation hub, developing and opening up tourist destinations that were previously overlooked or even restricted, developing resorts along the Red Sea, etc.

Boxing and other sports are just helping to keep the country in the news for positive things and generate interest in people traveling there. It is to create an image of Saudi as a happening place just like Dubai and Qatar have done.