Who is Turki Alalshikh and why is he referred to as His Excellency?
ALL eyes will be on Anthony Joshua this Friday as he takes on Francis Ngannou in a huge crossover battle – but fans have Turki Alalshikh to thank for that.
AJ has won his last three consecutive fights which includes a dominant five-round dominant display most recently against Swede Otto Wallin.
ANTHONY JOSHUA VS FRANCIS NGANNOU: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE CROSSOVER BOUT
But the British mogul’s opponent could cause a serious threat as Ngannou dropped Gypsy King Tyson Fury in his first competitive boxing bout.
However, ahead of the fight, Saudi Arabian royalty Turki Alalshikh has been pictured in an iconic photo with Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And SunSport can give fans a rundown on who he is.
Who is Turki Alalshikh?
Born on August 4, 1981, Turki Alalshikh is the mastermind behind the huge battles that take place in Saudi Arabia and is a member of the Saudi Royal Court.
His Excellency graduated from King Fahd Security College in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in security sciences before receiving certificates in criminology, investigation, risk management and general management.
Alalshikh then worked in several sectors including the Interior Ministry, the Emirate of Riyadh and the office of the Defence Minister and the Crown Prince.
But his big break came in September 2017 when a royal decree was issued to appoint Alalshikh as the new chairman of the General Sports Authority before becoming chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA).
In his role as the General Minister for Entertainment, Alalshikh and the GEA have been tasked with developing, promoting and expanding tourism and entertainment in the Kingdom.
Why is Turki Alalshikh referred to as His Excellency?
‘His Excellency’ is an official title that is given to members of the extended Royal Saudi family – similar to ‘Your Highness’ for the British Royal family.
Turki Alalshikh is known for being key to bringing boxing to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Royal adviser helped Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk sign off their postponed heavyweight unification bout which was initially scheduled for Saturday, February 17.
And his name began to ring bells within the sporting industry when he posted a stunning photo featuring a host of greats.
Among them were several icons such as Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao, Conor McGregor, Amir Khan, Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton and Evander Holyfield.
Oscar De La Hoya and Frank Bruno posed for the picture too.
He is also the mastermind behind the World Masters of Snooker, where Ronnie O’Sullivan and Co have been battling for a huge prize pool.
The exhibition tournament saw the controversial inclusion of a 23rd ‘golden’ ball, which would be worth 20 points and £400,000 reward for potting it.
When is Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou?
- Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou will take place on Friday, March 8.
- The big crossover clash will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Ring-walks are expected to get going from around 11pm GMT.