Not everyone was impressed with Jake Paul’s sixth round technical knockout (TKO) win over Mike Perry last night (Sat., July 20, 2024) inside Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., (see it again here), as many fighters slammed “El Gallo” for picking on a smaller opponent.
Turki Alalshikh, head of General Entertainment Authority [GeA] in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was not particularly thrilled about Paul’s recent boxing victory.
Following the altercation, Alalshikh expressed his dissatisfaction with Paul and Co. on social media, succinctly stating, “This does not adhere to the principles of boxing.”
In response to a fan’s attempt to mock Alalshikh, insinuating that he was a hypocrite for compensating Francis Ngannou, a former UFC Heavyweight champion, with $30 million for his initial two fights against boxing greats Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, “His Excellency” refuted those allegations.
Ngannou reportedly made $10 million for his boxing debut against Tyson Fury, a fight he narrowly lost. For his sophomore effort, it was reported that “The Predator” banked a whopping $20 million despite getting knocked out cold in the second round (see it again here). Nevertheless, the man writing the checks confirms those numbers aren’t exactly correct.
Still, it seems we won’t be seeing Paul fight in Riyadh anytime soon because Alakshikh is obviously not a fan. Perhaps it’s the Dana White effect.
As far as Paul and Ngannou’s respective boxing careers go, “El Gallo” is expected to return this November to face off against 58-year old Mike Tyson in Dallas, Texas. “The Predator,” meanwhile, doesn’t have a timeline for his return, taking time off to grieve following the untimely death of his infant son.
