Saudi money bringing back Boxing’s Vegas heyday era to Riyadh made headlines in the international press, with World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman telling Bloomberg that the Kingdom is driving a new golden age for the sport.

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Sulaiman was attending the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, which for him was reminiscent of the sport’s glamorous era of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The Kingdom has hosted fights between some of the biggest names of the sport in the past two years, including Tyson vs. Oleksander last year, with 1.5 mn pay-per-view buys, rivaling the iconic Tyson-Holyfield rematch in 1997 with almost two mn pay-per-view buys.

Discussions are underway on tournaments, global events, and potentially a boxing museum, Sulaiman added. While still in the early stages, he sees Saudi investment as a potential unifier for the sport’s fragmented landscape. The PIF is partnering with TKO Group Holdings to create a new boxing promoter with plans to host its first event next year, Bloomberg reported separately.

The catch lies in whether the kingdom can keep the funds flowing with budget priorities shifting. Despite this, Sulaiman remains bullish. “The way it looks right now, the answer is yes,” he said.

Other promoters can’t compete with Saudi-sized purses: Established promoters are under pressure to stay competitive as the Kingdom’s deep pockets push them to boost ticket revenue or secure streaming and partnership agreements to stay afloat, Sulaiman said.

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