The highly-anticipated celebrity boxing match between Youtuber Jake Paul and boxer Tommy Fury, of Love Island fame, is taking place in Riyadh Sunday evening.
Held at the 15,000-seat Diriyah Arena, the match is finally coming together after two previous cancelations.
How to watch
Viewers in the Middle East can watch the fight, including the undercard, on MBC’s Shahid VIP streaming service.
Fight fans in the US can catch the event on ESPN Plus pay-per-view, while BT Sport Box Office has the rights to the UK broadcast.
In Australia, the fight will be broadcast by streamer Kayo on pay-per-view.
Start time
The main event is due to start in Riyadh at 10 p.m. local time. As there are several other fights on the card, Paul vs Fury is expected to begin at around 12.30 a.m.
Double or nothing
Paul taunted Fury at a press conference on Saturday, offering him ‘double or nothing’ if the Briton won the fight.
Fury’s father John accepted the wager on his behalf, and the two fighters shook on it.
The Briton has, however, so far refused to sign a contract to put the bet into writing, Paul told The Mirror.
Third time lucky
The pair were originally supposed to meet in the ring in December 2021, but Fury had to pull out due to illness and injury.
Then, they were scheduled to fight at Madison Square Garden in August 2022, but Fury failed to obtain a US visa.
Now, the third iteration of the highly-anticipated matchup is due to take place in the Saudi capital.
Youtube to boxing
Jake Paul built a massive following as a Youtuber before transitioning to the fight world.
So far, the 26-year-old has maintained an undefeated record by taking on mainly retired fighters from another sport: Mixed martial arts (MMA).
He notched notable wins against Ben Askren, then 36, Anderson Silva, then 47, and Tyron Woodley, 39.
Fury, younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson, will be Paul’s first opponent who has competed as a professional boxer before.
Fight card
Also appearing on Sunday night’s fight card are a number of local and international boxers.
Ilunga Makabu will put his WBC cruiserweight world championship on the line against former two-weight world champion Badou Jack in the evening’s co-main event.
Rising Saudi star Ziyad al-Maayouf will be taking on Ronald Martinez, while Ragad al-Naimi will make her debut and become Saudi Arabia’s first professional female boxer when she takes on Perpetual Okaidah.
Elsewhere on the undercard, undefeated American cruiserweight prospect Muhsin Cason faces Azerbaijan’s Taryel Jafarov, and Badr al-Samreen of Jordan goes up against Romania’s Viorel Simion.
Popular American YouTuber Adam Saleh is also in action against fellow countryman Stuart Kellogg, while Zaid Majrashi faces Philip Quansah, and Salman Hamda meets Daniel Plange.
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