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Turki Al Al-Sheikh Announces Names of World Champions Participating in Global Boxing Match

28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
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Turki Al Al-Sheikh Announces Names of World Champions Participating in Global Boxing Match

28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Advisor Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, has announced the lineup for the "4 Crown Showdown" fight, featuring an electrifying clash for the undisputed world championship in the light heavyweight category (175 pounds) between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Al Al-Sheikh also unveiled the participants for the upcoming “5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original” event, a highlight of this year’s Riyadh Season. This event will bring together boxing rivals Queensberry and Match Room at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 1, SPA reported.
Al Al-Sheikh emphasized, “The ‘4 Crown Showdown’ and ‘5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original’ fights are among the standout events of this year’s Riyadh Season, showcasing champions selected by our partners at Queensberry and Match Room.” He stressed Riyadh Season's commitment to hosting top-tier fights, major events, and forging partnerships to deliver unparalleled entertainment to fans.
Dmitry Bivol, the current light heavyweight world champion at 33 years old, boasts an impressive record of 22 wins, including eleven knockout victories, and has successfully defended his title in 10 matches over the past six years. Meanwhile, Artur Beterbiev, aged 39, holds the WBC, IBF, and WBO world champion titles, having secured all 20 of his victories by knockout.
In the "5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original" matchups, announced during a press conference at Outernet in London, Queensberry selected heavyweight boxer Daniel Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs), known for his formidable skills in the ring. Dubois recently faced champion Jarrell Miller in Riyadh last December and is set to take on Filip Hrjovic (17-0, 14 KOs), the number one contender in the International Boxing Federation, representing Match Room.
Queensberry's second heavyweight contender is Chinese giant Zhang Zhili, also known as “Bang Bang” (26-2-1, 21 KOs), who will face former WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) from Match Room.
In the featherweight category, champion Nick Paul (19-0-1, 11 KOs) represents Queensberry and is expected to engage in a thrilling bout against American world champion Ray Ford of Match Room (15-0-1, 8 KOs) for the WBA World Featherweight Championship.
The middleweight division features WBC silver and Commonwealth champion Hamza Shiraz (19-0, 15 KOs) from Queensbury, facing off against Match Room nominee Austin Williams (16-0, 11 KOs), who claimed the IBF North American title in 2023.
The final matchup of this eagerly anticipated event pits Queensberry light heavyweight champion and former amateur world champion Willie Hutchinson (17-1, 13 KOs) against Match Room candidate Craig Richards (18-1-3, 11 KOs), the former British champion and WBA World Champion title challenger.

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FIFA Chief Infantino Praises Impact of Expanded Tournaments in Speech to Asian Football Group

A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
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FIFA Chief Infantino Praises Impact of Expanded Tournaments in Speech to Asian Football Group

A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)
A video recording of FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivering his speech is displayed during the 35th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 April 2025. (EPA)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the impact of expanded tournaments in the development of soccer around the world in a video message to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress on Saturday.

Speaking from the United States, host of this year's Club World Cup which will feature 32 teams in June and July instead of the previous seven, Infantino addressed the 46 member associations gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Opportunities to face opponents from different continents don’t come along too often and that is something that we have been trying to change at FIFA,” said Infantino, who has pushed for bigger and new tournaments since taking his position in 2016 in a bid to generate more revenue for the organization’s 211 member associations.

Asia will have four representatives at the Club World Cup: Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Ulsan HD of South Korea and Japan’s Urawa Reds.

“In total, players from more nations will represent their respective countries at this tournament than at all of the FIFA World Cups combined since 1930,” added Infantino. “It is further proof in our desire to make football truly global.”

While there has been some criticism of expanded tournaments in Europe because of the increased demands placed on players, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said Infantino had Asia’s support.

“This is a competition that we have supported as a confederation and a competitive opportunity which our members, and their clubs, have wanted,” the AFC president said.

The United States will also co-host the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and Canada in the first tournament to feature 48 national teams, an increase from 32 in 2022.

“Some teams will break new ground in reaching that competition as a result, not only of the move to 48 teams with eight or even nine Asian teams now being able to qualify, but also a product of the tireless work being done by you all,” added Infantino.

Infantino did not mention Thursday’s proposal by Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer’s ruling body CONMEBOL, that the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by six nations, feature 64 teams in order to mark the centennial celebration of the tournament.

In March, FIFA said it would look into the South American proposal when it was first broached by a Uruguayan official. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930.

The 1930 World Cup, won by the host Uruguay side, featured 13 teams which did not have to pre-qualify — seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America. Many European teams did not participate because of the difficulty of traveling to South America during the Great Depression.