Latest news with #ArturBeterbiev
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Ali's grandson turned down Jake Paul fight in fear it would ‘taint his legacy' but WILL accept offer under one condition
NICO ALI WALSH turned down an offer from Jake Paul to avoid tainting his family's legacy - but he would consider the fight under one condition. Even boxing's best in Artur Beterbiev, Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua have all publicly entertained the thought of facing Paul. 5 5 But Muhammad Ali's grandson Nico revealed he snubbed $3million (£2.2m) to fight the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter last year. It means the 24-year-old - wise beyond his years - is possibly the only boxing star in the world not interested in Paul's millions. Ali Walsh told SunSport: 'I can't be mad at these pro guys that are calling him out, they want the money. 'And obviously, the money they would be getting, they would be getting paid millions to knock out a guy that's way below the skill level of the guy that they get paid far less to fight. 'So it makes sense for these guys, but for me in particular, that's not something I want to be remembered by. 'It would really be just tainting my legacy to be getting involved with something like that." Ali Walsh announced that he had turned down the approach from Paul's camp after beating Sona Akale in June 2024. The middleweight - who fights at 160lb - revealed he was offered the fight at 174lb but snubbed the deal despite the career-high payday on the table. 5 He said: 'I had a fight coming up, so once I heard Jake Paul, I was like, 'I'm good.' But then obviously they mentioned the price but the price wasn't gonna change my mind. 'They mentioned the weight and stuff like that but as soon as I heard Jake Paul, I was like, 'I'm good.' 'I mean, listen it's 100 times more than what I'm fighting for now and I'm fighting guys who are a lot better than him. 'So realistically speaking, any normal guy who would be in my position would be dumb to say no. But I'm a weird case where no Ali should be fighting him.' Paul, 28, is now 11-1 in his career and returns on Saturday against ex-middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 39, at cruiserweight. His last fight was marred in controversy when he beat the returning 58-year-old Mike Tyson over eight rounds as over 100 MILLION watched on Netflix. Paul's only defeat came to Tommy Fury, 26, in 2023 when he lost a split-decision in Saudi Arabia. Ali Walsh meanwhile has 12 wins, two losses and one no-contest in his 15 fights - refusing to entertain the cash-grab fights. He said: 'I'd be doing myself a disservice if they said some crazy number, but it would would hurt me morally so bad to say yes to something like that and just be a part of it. If they offered me $15million - I'd be dumb to say no but like it would have to go towards charity or something. I would have to make it work morally Nico Ali Walsh on fighting Jake Paul 'And it wouldn't just be that fight. Once you go down that road, you're down the circus road and now you're never out. Like, I'm going for a title one day. 'That's my goal is like, I'm on the road of title. And that will bring the money of the $3million plus that's where the money comes when you do it the right way. 'I'm ready to do it slow and steady, but once you go down that road of clowns, it'll go from the Jake Paul fight to who knows who they're gonna want me to fight next?' Ali Walsh admits only an astronomical figure like $15m (£11m) could convince him to fight Paul. And even then he would have to donate some of it to charity - following in the footsteps of his humanitarian grandfather. Ali Walsh said: "He would be fine with me saying or doing anything, but I know in his heart, he would be happy with the decision I actually made and the decision I'm sticking by. 'And if they offered me $15million - I'd be dumb to say no but like it would have to go towards charity or something. 'I would have to make it work morally for me because there's no reason that I should just be cashing out fighting that kind of guy. I just don't feel it's right. 'You would really just be cashing out and then you would never be able to get back into real boxing. I just wouldn't be respected.' 5
The Independent
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Who are the oldest active professional boxers today?
Boxing is a sport where youth is a valuable commodity. To keep your reactions and hand speed is an uphill climb as a fighter ages, which leads to fighters commonly retiring before the age of 40. But we are increasingly seeing fighters push the limits of how old a fighter can be and still be competitive. For example, Artur Beterbiev becoming the undisputed light-heavyweight champion at nearly 40, Manny Pacquiao returning to challenge for the WBC welterweight title at 46 or perhaps the most extreme example, Oliver McCall having his second fight of the year at 60 years old. In honour of McCall's incredible resurgence, being undefeated in three fights since 2024, here are the oldest active professional boxers. • Watch over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters with a DAZN subscription. More information here. Firat Arslan Age: 54 Nationality: Germany Division: Cruiserweight Record: 56-9-3 (41 KOs) Arslan is a career cruiserweight based out of Germany, who made his professional debut in 1997, and has been active every year since, bar 2009, due to a life-threatening cycling injury. Arslan won his first version of a world title in 2008 when he converted his WBA Interim title into the Regular belt, beating Virgil Hill on points. He lost this title the next year to Guillermo Jones The German challenged unsuccessfully for full world titles three times, fighting Marco Huck twice for the WBO cruiserweight title and Yoan Pablo Hernandez for the IBF title between 2012 and 2014. Undeterred by falling short, Arslan continued to campaign and in 2020 earned himself a shot at Kevin Lerena's IBO cruiserweight title, but once again lost, getting knocked out in the sixth round. In 2023, aged 52, the German former champion fought Edin Puhalo in what was supposed to be his farewell, which he won via knockout. But Arslan couldn't be kept away and returned to the ring in 2024. Shannon Briggs Shannon Briggs is one of the heaviest hitters that the heavyweight division has ever seen, across 60 victories had a knockout ratio of 90 per cent and faced some of the best from his era. Briggs made his professional debut in 1992 and went undefeated in his first 25 fights before a defeat at the hands of Darrol Wilson in 1996. In 1997 in Atlantic City, Briggs has his first shot at a world title against Lennox Lewis, who outclassed the Brooklyn native and ended the fight in the fifth round with a technical knockout. After nearly ten years, Briggs would get another shot at a world title, against Siarhei Liakhovich in 2006. He secured the WBO belt with a twelfth-round knockout, having been behind on all three scorecards. His reign was short-lived, losing the title in his next fight against Sultan Ibragimov. There was one final chance at world title glory for Briggs, who faced Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title in 2010, but he was beaten on boxing ability over 12 rounds by one half of the Klitschko heavyweight dynasty. The former WBO champion retreated to small hall shows afterwards and retired in 2016. Briggs is now 53 and has not fought in nearly ten years but has recently announced he will be returning to the ring as a professional in July against an undecided opponent. Oliver McCall Oliver McCall holds the record as the oldest man to win a professional heavyweight fight, at 60. His career has lasted over 40 years, and he has been in 76 fights in that time. In such a long career, the Chicago-born fighter had the opportunity to share the ring with heavyweight greats such as James 'Buster' Douglas, Tony Tucker, Lennox Lewis and Larry Holmes. McCall debuted in 1985, with mixed results, losing five fights before challenging for his first world title against Lennox Lewis in 1994. In the defining moment of his career, McCall knocked out Lewis in the second round to claim the WBC title, defending once before losing it to Frank Bruno the next year. He would only compete for a world title once more in his career in a rematch with Lennox Lewis that saw him pulled out of the fight in the fifth round. The former WBC champion continued to fight until 2014 when he retired for the first time, only to return in 2018 and retire again in 2019. 2024 saw McCall return once again at 59, and since then, he has gone undefeated in three fights, with two wins and a draw.
Campaign ME
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Here's Campaign Middle East's Saudi ‘Work' picks
Campaign Middle East features an annual double-page spread of selected Work from the Kingdom in its Saudi Arabia Report. Here is the 2025 round-up of some 'made-for-KSA, by-KSA' campaigns, featuring Saudi work from Riyadh Season, Rexona Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, HungerStation, Foodics, Budget Saudi, Beyond ONE – Virgin Mobile KSA, Disney+ MENA, Golden Chicken, AROYA Cruises and Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota. The Last Crescendo – Riyadh Season Agency: BigTime Creative Shop This cinematic film aims to capture the drama of the highly anticipated rematch between light-heavyweight boxers Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Set in a grand European opera house, The Last Crescendo tells the story of the two boxers through three dramatic acts. Directed by Alan Masferrer and shot over four days in Serbia, the film blends the art of opera with the raw drama of boxing. The soundtrack, composed by Philip Kay, was written specifically for the film, adding another layer of emotional depth. Quit Screens To Scenes – Budget Saudi Agency: FP7 McCann Saudi To redefine how people celebrate special moments, Budget Saudi launched a campaign to encourage Saudi audiences to take virtual expressions of celebration into reality. The campaign invited consumers to share details on special moments, whether a birthday, promotion or a personal achievement. Those who celebrated online were brought together by Budget for a real-world celebration supported by emoji-style hearts, claps and confetti. The car rental company also leveraged influencer Abdulaziz Bakr, someone who is typically only seen on a screen, to the activation in an effort to foster a deeper sense of community beyond the screen. We're Coming – Rexona Arabia x Saudi Arabian Football Federation Agency: ‿and us To celebrate the unstoppable determination of the Saudi Arabia Women's National Football Team, this campaign showcases the team's grit, resilience and relentless pursuit of their goals as they continue to break boundaries and inspire a new generation of athletes in the Kingdom. Narrated through the voices of young girls who dream of a future in football along with the National Team themselves, the campaign underscores a collective vision: the Saudi Women's National Team is not stopping until they achieve whatever they set out to achieve. Social Feed – HungerStation Agency: VML Dubai HungerStation introduced Social Feed – an AI-powered feature that allows users to turn any food post on social media into an orderable dish. The campaign taps into changing consumer behaviours, particularly the influence of social media on food choices. It also builds on HungerStation's ongoing efforts to rethink how users engage with food delivery. By blending social media habits with ordering, HungerStation created a platform where food seen online is now part of its menu. 10 Years – Foodics Agency: Foodies Block The cloud-based restaurant management tech and payments platform celebrated 10 years through this campaign by prompting audiences towards nostalgic moments with reflections on how restaurants operated 10 years ago. 'Remember when paper was used to take orders?'; 'remember waiting in long lines just to place an order?'; 'remember paying in cash and struggling to find spare change?' With a teaser reel followed by a brand video and four short-form social media videos, which were amplified through Saudi influencers, Foodics organically gathered more than 3.2 million impressions within the first week of the campaign's launch. Switch – Beyond ONE Group – Virgin Mobile KSA Agency: Swing This relatable integrated campaign promotes Virgin Mobile KSA's Switch Postpaid Plan by drawing inspiration from the daily inefficiencies that have consumers overpaying for underused experiences. The brand took a comedic route to bring its brand values of heartfelt service, delightful surprise, smart disruption and insatiable curiosity to life. Three hero films served as the centrepiece for the campaign, accompanied by a media mix of social media, digital-out-of-home, digital platforms and point-of-sale placements to ensure maximum visibility and impact. The Curse of Anything – Golden Chicken Agency: Tarek Nour Saudi Arabia This campaign taps into the universal problem of deciding what's for dinner, and the most common response to that question from friends, colleagues, and family: 'Anything!' While it might seem like a straightforward answer, the response frequently leads to a stressful and overwhelming decision-making process, especially for young mothers and busy individuals. To address this, Golden Chicken positions its products as a solution, simplifying the decision and providing the perfect meal solution. Watch and Live The Stories – Disney+ MENA Agency: Science & Sunshine To tie together Saudi storytelling with iconic entertainment options available on the streaming platform, Disney+ MENA released three short videos on its Disney+ Saudi Arabia Instagram account, inviting audiences to showcase how mainstream entertainment becomes a part of everyday Saudi households. Picking from six of its top performing content offerings, the campaign showcases fine-dining kabsa inspired by Disney's Ratatouille and FX's The Bear, Wolverine-inspired toothbrush claws, and a father singing beloved Disney tunes. From dallah coffee pitchers and folded ghutras by the door, every scene hints at how the streaming platform is immersed in Saudi culture and households. Toyota Reclaims Toyota – Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota Agency: Serviceplan Experience To address a digital challenge in Saudi Arabia, where local consumers commonly search for their vehicles using informal Arabic nicknames (terms the company's official website couldn't use), Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota leveraged off-page SEO techniques to turn a technical obstacle into a creative breakthrough. Serviceplan Experience developed an off-page SEO strategy that placed the informal nicknames into backlinks and anchor tags. Collaborating with trusted publishers and bloggers, the team ensured these high-volume terms linked back to Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota's website. Yalla, AROYA Cruises – AROYA Cruises Agency: Social Clinic Former Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Saudi football club Al-Nassr FC, has been spotted in a new advertising campaign, alongside his partner Georgina Rodríguez, for AROYA Cruises, the cruise line owned by Cruise Saudi, a PIF-funded company. The campaign took a cinematic, playful approach – offering a glimpse into how Ronaldo and Rodríguez turn a regular day at home into a spark of cruise excitement. To see the print version of the Saudi Work section, check out page 16-17 here.
Japan Times
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Dmitry Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev for undisputed light heavyweight title
Riyadh – Russian Dmitry Bivol avenged a previous defeat to take the undisputed light heavyweight world title from Artur Beterbiev via a majority decision in an epic rematch in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The judges scored the fight in Riyadh 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113. The previous encounter last October, when both went toe-to-toe as unbeaten champions, ended with exactly the same score but in favor of Russian-born Canadian Beterbiev, who added the WBA belt to his WBC, WBO and IBF titles.
Reuters
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Bivol takes Beterbiev's undisputed light-heavyweight world title
RIYADH, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Russian Dmitry Bivol took Russian-born Canadian Artur Beterbiev's undisputed light-heavyweight world boxing title on a majority points decision in their rematch in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The judges scored the fight in Riyadh 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113. The previous fight last October went by exactly the same score to Beterbiev.
