Saudi boxing dealmaker Turki Alalshikh looking into takeover for Championship sleeping giants
Boxing's biggest dealmaker wants to buy an English football club and has been checking out the sleeping giants at Ashton Gate.
4
4
Bristol City are owned by the wealthy Lansdown family, who have built the Championship club up steadily over the years while redeveloping the ground.
There has never been a hint of them selling and the door may be shut — but there is a LOT of cash in the Alalshikh pot for his latest plan.
talkSPORT's Simon Jordan, the former Crystal Palace owner, claimed he had advised Alalshikh to buy Sheffield Wednesday.
But with Saudi Arabia's public investment fund owning Newcastle, Alalshikh is focused on targets in the south and has been linked with both Millwall and Southampton.
And now his sights are set on Bristol City.
Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, has revolutionised the fight game.
The 43-year-old's no-nonsense approach — and deep pockets — has seen him make some of the biggest fights in the sport's history, including heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's double header with Brit Tyson Fury.
Alalshikh has also gone into business with UFC chief Dana White.
Israel Adesanya fought Nassourdine Imavov in Riyadh back in February.
And the following month it was announced that Alalshikh and White would be launching a new boxing league under the TKO banner.
'No stadium, no club' - Championship side releases heartfelt video warning that it will cease to exist if new ground not approved
Turki, 43, is also interested in professional tennis.
The Saudi chief set up last winter's lucrative "Six Kings" event involving the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz - while Riyadh struck a deal to host the WTA Finals between 2024 and 2026.
4
4
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ex-Manny Pacquiao rival urges him to retire as he makes shock claim about comeback fight
Manny Pacquiao 's old rival Tim Bradley has called for him to head back into retirement after insisting his 'time is up' following his comeback fight against Mario Barrios last weekend. Pacquiao returned from a four-year absence to hold Barrios to a majority draw in their WBC welterweight title fight as he almost became a world champion again at 46. However, Bradley, who faced Pacquiao three times between 2012 and 2016, was not particularly impressed and has made a shock claim that Barrios went easy on the Filipino legend. Speaking on his own YouTube channel, Bradley said: 'I'm going to keep it real, Manny Pacquiao's time has been up. You know the fact that he's a special type of athlete, he's a legend, he's able to get in there with Mario Barrios who basically somewhat carried this guy, man, he carried Manny Pacquiao. 'I don't care what anybody say, he carried him. Yes, all he had to do was step on the gas especially in the middle, the back end of the fight where he's the younger fighter. 'He has more energy, he could have gave more effort because obviously he got hit with some straight left hands and he was able to take it but it didn't seem like he wanted to.' Bradley holds a controversial win over Pacquiao, having beaten him via split decision 13 years ago. But Pacquiao outpointed him in the next two meetings to edge their rivalry. Bradley's second defeat by Pacquiao was his last professional fight as he retired a two weight-world champion with 33 wins from 37 bouts. Pacquiao has now had 73 fights and has no intention of stopping yet, despite Bradley's comments. He has welcomed a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, while Ryan Garcia and WBA welterweight titlist Rolando 'Rolly' Romero have also thrown their names into the mix to take on 'Pac Man' next. DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
Football has failed to tackle racism – but big tech can kick it out
When centre-back Jess Carter stepped onto the pitch at Euro 2025 with her England teammates, she wasn't just playing a game; she was carrying a generation's hopes. But what should have been a time of celebration quickly saw people flood her with racist abuse through social media. Last Sunday, Carter revealed she was stepping away from social media because she had received appalling comments from people cloaked in anonymity. Before Tuesday's match against Italy, the Lionesses stood together shoulder to shoulder, in an active gesture of solidarity to show that racism would not be tolerated – a gesture that is likely to be repeated in Sunday's final against Spain. Racism against footballers is a story we have seen play out far too many times in the decades that Black athletes have played for British clubs. And it's one we all have a responsibility to change. However, the social media platforms where this hate spreads are enabling it, and their leaders have a particular responsibility to bear. Their systems are designed to maximise long scroll times and to prioritise outraged reactions so that they can serve people more ads and make more money – all at the cost of our mental health. When posts that spark anger and division rise to the top, abuse becomes part of the business model. No one should have to endure this just for doing their job. It is possible to do social media better. In 2022, I founded WeAre8, a social network designed to fuel positive mental health at scale. From the beginning, we built a platform grounded in respect, community, and accountability. A powerful AI shield detects and blocks abuse in content and comments before it reaches people's feeds. We've made intentional design choices that protect our community: no anonymous posting, no hate-amplifying algorithms, and no tolerance for discrimination. It works. And it proves that a safer, more respectful internet is not only possible — it's already here. And it is inspiring. Positivity and unlocked algorithms are great entertainment; we just have not experienced this as a collective until now. The beautiful thing is that all the positives of real social connection are supercharged. And all we need is to stand together and choose the alternative. Nothing speaks louder to abusers than leaving the room, as we've seen with the exodus of users from Elon Musk's X to BlueSky. The FA has a long and proud history of supporting its players and leading change in football. But in a world where governments and the American Supreme Court cannot get Meta and Mark Zuckerberg to change, I am not sure that the FA can either. Meta has no interest in changing. The power, and in my opinion, the only thing that will work, is the collective voice of its users voting with their feet and changing the platforms they use. Football is about unity, passion, and pride. But we can't claim those values if we don't realise that our own actions matter. When faced with abuse, what do we do? Scroll through the comments like a bystander or leave the room in support of the person being abused? Jess Carter shouldn't have to be resilient in the face of racism. She should be protected from it. The truth is, we don't have to accept social media as it is. And you have the power to be part of a movement of people who changed the course of history and ended racism on social media. So to every football fan, every player and all institutions who love the game: draw a line. Stop feeding the systems that fuel and monetise abuse. Stand with your players not just in the stadium – but in every space they're seen and celebrated. Social media doesn't have to be a battleground. It can and should be a home. The choice is yours.
The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ryan Garcia targets Manny Pacquiao fight as he vows to replicate scary knockout
Ryan Garcia has revealed he is targeting Manny Pacquiao as his next opponent after the Filipino icon fought the WBC champion Mario Barrios to a draw last weekend. Talks of Garcia and Pacquiao fighting first emerged four years ago, but nothing ever materialised as Pacquiao was in retirement. But with Pacquiao now back in the professional ranks, Garcia says he is ready and has dreamt of fighting a legend like 'Pac Man'. Garcia told The Ring: 'I've been interested in fighting the legendary Manny Pacquiao for a while now. It's something that you dream of. There have been talks in the past of us fighting, and then it fell through. He continued: 'There is a history there. I am always up for the challenge; I would be lying if I said I am not interested. If Manny wants to throw down, let's do it.' Pacquiao said Garcia was on his shortlist of fighters he would take on if he returned, but this was before he fought Barrios, and since his manager, Sean Gibbons, said they were looking at Rolando Romero, who defeated Garcia earlier this year, or Gervonta Davis. Despite his exclusion from this hit list, Garcia believes that he is a totally different proposition to a fighter like Barrios, and this is perhaps why he hasn't mentioned his name. Garcia said: 'I'm a much different fighter than Barrios and styles make fights. Barrios is not a big name, but Manny believes that he could beat Barrios and that's why he took the fight." He continued to explain: 'Manny's style fits perfectly into my style. I'm an extremely good counterpuncher. Pacquiao knows that, and that's why most of the time he doesn't mention me as a guy he would want to fight." Garcia even went as far as to say he would replicate the knockout that Juan Manuel Marquez inflicted on Pacquiao in their fourth and final fight. Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime. Buy Now ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Garcia said: 'I know that I would present a lot of problems for Pacquiao. I would dominate him. I would capitalise on his mistakes better than other guys. I would knock him out like Juan Manuel Marquez – all due respect to the legend Manny, though." After suffering a defeat by Romero in one of the upsets of the year so far, Garcia has undergone surgery on his right hand and is on the road to recovery. He says he will fight in December, with or without Pacquiao. He said: 'I'm looking for and shooting for a fight in December." He added: 'If Manny Pacquiao does want to fight me and make big money in a huge fight, then let's do it. If not, that's OK with me. I can fight Rolly [Romero] in a rematch – either route is ok with me.' Shields vs. Daniels live on DAZN
