Eddie Hearn gives more details of his major deal with Turki Alalshikh

Matchroom Boxing has made a splash in the sporting world by announcing a groundbreaking partnership with Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh season. Following the previous agreement with BOXXER, promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed on social media that this collaboration will not be limited to boxing alone, but will extend to a multi-sport era including disciplines such as darts and snooker, where Matchroom already has an established presence.

An unprecedented agreement

Through Instagram, Hearn tagged Turki Alalshikh and confirmed the magnitude of the deal: “Big deal announced in boxing, darts and snooker… all set for Riyadh season!” The image accompanying the message showed Eddie and his father, Matchroom founder Barry Hearn, alongside Alalshikh, symbolising the joining of forces.

This collaboration will translate into specific events that will make history. It has been reported that the partnership plans to stage the first darts tournament in Saudi Arabia’s history, the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, which will be held on January 19 and 20 at the Global Theater.

Before that, a snooker tournament, the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, will take place in fight week on November 22.

Boxing is becoming more and more present

Since Eddie Hearn took over Matchroom in 2021, the promoter has stepped up its work in Saudi Arabia. The collaboration with Riyadh Season has already produced high-profile boxing shows, such as the title showdown between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September and the successful fight between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn in April.

The “Night of Champions” card in Saudi Arabia is headlined by David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde and will feature other Matchroom stars such as Jesse Rodriguez, as well as figures such as Dmitry Bivol, Jai Opetaia and Conor Benn.

Great Expectations

Eddie Hearn expressed his satisfaction with the new phase of the agreement: “We are delighted to enter into an exciting partnership with Riyadh Season as our special relationship continues to flourish. … The future is bright, and we are hugely excited to deliver many more unforgettable nights.”

For his part, Turki Alalshikh was equally enthusiastic, highlighting that Matchroom has been an essential part of connecting the Riyadh season with events of global interest. “We look forward to continuing our relationship and building on what we have already developed together to deliver even more innovative and exciting tournaments and events.”