Unless you're up close and talking to the actual fighters, to Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, or seeing them step off a parked jumbo jet to make their outrageously grand arrivals in front of a small group of local dignitaries, chattering YouTube outlets and jaded reporters, boxing feels like a mysterious rumour from the other side of the world.
It's hard to gauge how many of the 7 million people who live in this vast and teeming city are even aware that Usyk will defend his world heavyweight titles against Fury on Saturday night, in a rematch of their classic first fight in Riyadh just seven months ago. I have spent hours this week in the company of various Uber drivers, as we crisscross the city, and the chattier men tend to ask two questions: where are you from? Why are you here?
My first answer has elicited some pretty informed insights into the surprising rise of Chelsea this season, the inexplicable loss of Arsenal's creativity and the slow implosion of Manchester City. It says something for the Premier League's global sway that there is such knowledge of their teams - but it also shows immediate evidence of a real football culture in Saudi Arabia.
This story is from the December 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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