Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has drawn attention for his recent trip to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad and expressed his hopes for the introduction of American football in the Middle Eastern nation. Watson’s social media posts have elicited mixed reactions from NFL fans.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia, 88, was admitted to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah on Wednesday for what state media described as routine examinations. The Saudi Press Agency did not provide further details, and the king has since been discharged from the hospital.
Greg Norman, CEO of LIV Golf, has denied offering Rory McIlroy a financial incentive to join the Saudi-backed league. However, Norman expressed willingness to discuss the matter with McIlroy if he is interested. McIlroy has previously criticized LIV but has recently softened his stance amid merger negotiations with the PGA Tour. Norman stated that he recently met with another top PGA player to discuss LIV’s offerings, but the player ultimately decided to remain with the PGA Tour. Norman emphasized that LIV’s door remains open for further discussions.
UAE’s Al-Ain has advanced to the final of the Asian Champions League after overcoming Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia with a 5-4 aggregate victory in the semifinals. Despite Al-Hilal’s 2-1 victory in the second leg, they were unable to overturn the 4-2 deficit from the first leg, marking the fourth Saudi Pro League club to be eliminated from the knockout stages since February.
Saudi Arabia’s boxing advisor, Turki Alalshikh, has unveiled ambitious plans for the sport, hinting at the possibility of women’s boxing events in Riyadh and expressing keen interest in several potential blockbuster fights. During a Reddit AMA, Alalshikh shared his enthusiasm for the heavyweight division, as well as other weight classes, and women’s boxing.
Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh is making waves in the boxing world with his first card in the United States. Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom is promoting the event, which will showcase a star-studded lineup led by Terence Crawford challenging Israil Madrimov for the IBF super welterweight title. Other highlights include Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz defending his WBA junior welterweight belt against Jose Valenzuela, a heavyweight clash between Andy Ruiz and Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller, and a potential showdown between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Tim Tszyu. The card is scheduled for August 3 at the Los Angeles Forum in Inglewood, California. Crawford’s return to the ring is expected to draw a massive audience, but the rest of the planned card could make this the biggest boxing event of 2024.
As Liverpool faces a transitional period with the departure of Jurgen Klopp and other key personnel, the future of talisman Mohamed Salah is a pressing concern. Despite his continued status as Liverpool’s top scorer and leading provider of assists, Salah’s advancing age and a potential £150 million offer from Saudi Arabia have raised questions about whether it’s time to cash in on the Egyptian King.
The club faces a dilemma: Salah’s goalscoring prowess and marketability are invaluable, but the potential financial windfall and the opportunity to rebuild the squad with younger talent are tempting. The decision to sell or keep Salah will shape Liverpool’s next era and is a complex one, considering his contributions, injury concerns, and the changing landscape of the team.
Saudi Arabia is facing difficulties in funding its $500 billion Neom megaproject, which includes the ‘The Line’ city. Neom officials have invited potential investors to visit the futuristic city, and have visited China and Hong Kong in search of new investment. Despite these efforts, financial constraints have forced the project to be scaled back significantly. The project aims to raise $1.3 billion through bond issuance and has held meetings with investors in major cities around the world.
Turki Alalshikh, the influential Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has set his sights on making some of boxing’s most anticipated matchups happen. During a Reddit Q&A, Alalshikh named Fury vs Joshua, Crawford vs Canelo Alvarez, and Benavidez vs Beterbiev as the top three fights he hopes to bring to fruition.
