Is Turki Alalshikh getting a return from his investment in boxing?

[LarryMerchant'sBottle]

Problem with that is no one takes any responsibility for the reported numbers. For example, one report says fighter A made $2 million, while another report says he made $25 million. Huge discrepancy. These are actual reports in Tank's fight with Martin. Then there are reports that say it sold 150K PPV, while another one says 300K to 350K. Which one would you believe? And why would believe one and not the other? And, as others mentioned, why was there no reported number in the Haney vs Garcia fight?

As a side note, I don't know if there are laws in the US where it's illegal to lie about your income for negotiations purposes like negotiating a job salary. I don't even think it's illegal.

No, it isn't illegal, but when you brag about how much you're making to a big audience(social media nowadays), it can and has triggered audits in the past. Audits can be rather expensive and scary, but as long as you keep proper records, things should be fine.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that exaggerating or lying about PPV sales can lead to some unnecessary legal expenses. A good example is the Ryan, Devin, GBP circus. Oscar had to publicly announce that the fight did terrible numbers, at least in comparison to what they all had projected and to what the fighters were expecting.

Shoot, one of the reasons for the Haney's suing GBP was for transparency of all the financial records, including the PPV numbers, because they don't believe that GBP paid them all they were due.

[jqSide]

I don't know how it works in other countries, but in The States, those figures can determine the amount of money a boxer will make. The amount of money a fighter in The State makes has to be reported to the IRS. You can't be a celebrity boxer and claim you're making $30 million a fight and not expect to not have to claim that when you file your taxes. Celebrities in the past have gotten audited and charged for failure to claim the money they're making. It's called tax evasion...

It definitely isn't wise to release those numbers if you don't want the IRS knowing how much you are making...

Problem with that is no one takes any responsibility for the reported numbers. For example, one report says fighter A made $2 million, while another report says he made $25 million. Huge discrepancy. These are actual reports in Tank's fight with Martin. Then there are reports that say it sold 150K PPV, while another one says 300K to 350K. Which one would you believe? And why would believe one and not the other? And, as others mentioned, why was there no reported number in the Haney vs Garcia fight?

As a side note, I don't know if there are laws in the US where it's illegal to lie about your income for negotiations purposes like negotiating a job salary. I don't even think it's illegal.

[LarryMerchant'sBottle]

Why can't people cut to the chase and just admit they're pirating fights for free with no exception? End of story. Why repeat concocting it with sportswashing when that is generally acknowledged?

It's nothing new. Fights are generally pirated, period. Inoue's fights in Tokyo were freely shown on Youtube without permission just hours after the live fight.

I remember watching Fulton vs Inoue the next morning in its entirety without ads on Youtube because the fight was so out of our time zone. The channel was not even a TR channel. And so I assumed unauthorized showing of someone's property or production is rampant. It's unstoppable.

Reported PPV numbers are mainly for gullible people's consumption. They're manufactured by shady people because they knew people love talking about them. It's up to you to take them seriously.

I don't know how it works in other countries, but in The States, those figures can determine the amount of money a boxer will make. The amount of money a fighter in The State makes has to be reported to the IRS. You can't be a celebrity boxer and claim you're making $30 million a fight and not expect to not have to claim that when you file your taxes. Celebrities in the past have gotten audited and charged for failure to claim the money they're making. It's called tax evasion...

It definitely isn't wise to release those numbers if you don't want the IRS knowing how much you are making...

[jqSide]

Why can't people cut to the chase and just admit they're pirating fights for free with no exception? End of story. Why repeat concocting it with sportswashing when that is generally acknowledged?

It's nothing new. Fights are generally pirated, period. Inoue's fights in Tokyo were freely shown on Youtube without permission just hours after the live fight.

I remember watching Fulton vs Inoue the next morning in its entirety without ads on Youtube because the fight was so out of our time zone. The channel was not even a TR channel. And so I assumed unauthorized showing of someone's property or production is rampant. It's unstoppable.

Reported PPV numbers are mainly for gullible people's consumption. They're manufactured by shady people because they knew people love talking about them. It's up to you to take them seriously.

[LA_2_Vegas]

He seems to be enjoying himself.

I like that he has rug pulled all the number crunchers, the NSB accountants, the NSB lawyers, all the fans who revel in the roadblocks.

[NihonJim]

True. It's not about the money. Everybody knows that. It's not rocket science. Turki is in it to eclipse the bad publicity about his country and show a different light.

But still, his fights are still marketed as ppv in the US. Whoever are the authorized sellers have to come out and report the numbers. If you're saying his fights are all free to be pirated, fine. What's your estimate, btw? How many bought the ppv?

I don't expect that the Saudi PPV's do well in the US but they aren't aimed at the US market.

Others have tried to crack the US market like Eddie Hearn and failed, the US boxing scene is very insular and hates outsiders trying to come in, they'd rather US boxing SUCKS but is controlled by Americans than have it thriving but a foreigner is on top of it.

Turkey isn't ****** and he's not going to pour massive amounts of money into a black hole which is what trying to crack the US market is basically doing.

[tomhawq]

As others have said it's not about money.

True. It's not about the money. Everybody knows that. It's not rocket science. Turki is in it to eclipse the bad publicity about his country and show a different light.

But still, his fights are still marketed as ppv in the US. Whoever are the authorized sellers have to come out and report the numbers. If you're saying his fights are all free to be pirated, fine. What's your estimate, btw? How many bought the ppv?

[NihonJim]

As others have said it's not about money.

I went to Saudi last year and let me tell you, it's mind blowing.

Their infrastructure, cleanliness etc it's all LIGHT YEARS ahead of the west. You go back to England and it's just a backwards, unpleasant chit hole.

Lots of people who wouldn't have considered going there have been out for the boxing, and Saudis reputation as a tourism destination will continue to grow, it will be on a similar level to Dubai soon.

There's somewhat of an Exodus happening from a lot of anglosphere countries. From Australia and New Zealand a lot of young, skilled people are leaving for a better lifestyle in developing asian nations, Kuala Lumpar, ****kok, Manilla, Hanoi.

20 years ago these places were ****holes but the development there is light years ahead of the west. Again their infrastructure and development is outstripping us by an insane amount and these are fast becoming super modern, clean high tech cities

From Europe, talented people are going to Saudi, Dubai places like that.

This is a massive issue, one of many that the west has no idea how to combat.

But yeah to the original question, it's not a money making exercise, Saudi don't need to make money from these events, it's about getting 1000s of people over there and showing what Saudi has to offer.

[brettWall]

True. Last time I checked, Wilder was on ESNews complaining about why PBC hasn't paid him for his fight with Helenius. And this was guy who waxed poetic about his loyalty to Showtime and PBC.

Yeah, I've seen several of those Youtube videos of Wilder complaining he hasn't been paid. Was so strange to watch them. It's so opposite to the usual, "Thank you Al Haymon!"

[pollywog]

Dunno bout the Desert Turki, but Mohammad Bone Sawman is reaping rewards from sportswashing the cultural capital generated.

Which is all it's meant to do.

With over 750 billion of Saudi Wealth Fund to play with, Turki can pretend he's the most excellent of promoters while pissing away billions on his fantasy fights.

And in many ways he probably is, given the stacked cards and fights that wouldnt have been staged otherwise.