• Jake Paul at the pre-fight presser at Riyadh’s Faisaliah Hotel in Saudi Arabia. Tommy Fury, his opponent on February 26, was a no-show.
    Jake Paul at the pre-fight presser at Riyadh’s Faisaliah Hotel in Saudi Arabia. Tommy Fury, his opponent on February 26, was a no-show.
  • 'The Truth' press conference at a hotel in Riyadh. Jake Paul is sat second from the left.
    'The Truth' press conference at a hotel in Riyadh. Jake Paul is sat second from the left.
  • Jake Paul attend 'The Truth' press conference.
    Jake Paul attend 'The Truth' press conference.
  • Jake Paul poses for photographers.
    Jake Paul poses for photographers.
  • Badou Jack, left, takes on Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight title on February 26.
    Badou Jack, left, takes on Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight title on February 26.
  • Badou Jack, left, takes on Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight title on February 26.
    Badou Jack, left, takes on Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight title on February 26.

Sport

Other Sport

Jake Paul v Tommy Fury: Date, UAE time and ticket information

Billed as 'The Truth', YouTube-star-cum-boxer Jake Paul takes on the half-brother of reigning WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia

John McAuley
John McAuley

February 22, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

The long-in-the-making boxing bout between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury takes place this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Here’s the details.

What is it?

Billed as “The Truth”, the fight night is headlined by a clash between YouTube-star-cum-boxer Jake Paul and Tommy Fury, a professional boxer and reality TV personality. Fury is the half-brother of reigning WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Paul and Tommy Fury, both unbeaten as pro boxers, have been scheduled to fight twice before, but the latter withdrew on each occasion – the first because of injury, and the second when he was reportedly prevented from entering the United States.

When is it?

Sunday, February 26. Gates open 6pm Saudi time, with the first bout scheduled for 8pm (9pm UAE). A pre-fight press conference is slated for February 23, with the official weigh-in two days later.

Where is it?

Diriyah Arena, Diriyah (outskirts of Riyadh), Saudi Arabia.

Who’s fighting?

Having risen to fame as an actor and social-media personality, Paul has gone 6-0 (four knockouts) since turning his hand to professional boxing in 2020. He has recorded stoppage wins against former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva. Paul defeated the Brazilian in his last outing, in October. Fury, meanwhile, is also undefeated as a pro, and boasts an 8-0 record (four by KO). His most recent pro bout came against Daniel Bocianski last April. Elsewhere on the card, Congolese-South African Ilunga Makabu defends his WBC cruiserweight world title against former two-weight world champion Badou Jack, while Saudi boxer Ziyad Al Maayouf takes on Panama’s Ronald Martinez. Also, Ragad Al Naimi will make history on the night, becoming the first Saudi female boxer to debut as a pro. She faces Perpetual Okaidah.

  • Jake Paul punches Anderson Silva during their cruiserweight bout at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. AFP
    Jake Paul punches Anderson Silva during their cruiserweight bout at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. AFP
  • Jake Paul punches Anderson Silva during their cruiserweight bout at Gila River Arena. AFP
    Jake Paul punches Anderson Silva during their cruiserweight bout at Gila River Arena. AFP
  • A fan holds up a sign reading "We Love U Jake" during the cruiserweight bout between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
    A fan holds up a sign reading "We Love U Jake" during the cruiserweight bout between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
  • NBA player Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns attends the fight between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
    NBA player Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns attends the fight between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
  • UFC fighter Sean O'Malley (L) and boxer David Benavidez attend the fight between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
    UFC fighter Sean O'Malley (L) and boxer David Benavidez attend the fight between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
  • Jake Paul against Anderson Silva during a boxing match at Desert Diamond Arena. Reuters
    Jake Paul against Anderson Silva during a boxing match at Desert Diamond Arena. Reuters
  • Jake Paul enters the arena prior to his fight against Anderson Silva at Desert Diamond Arena. Reuters
    Jake Paul enters the arena prior to his fight against Anderson Silva at Desert Diamond Arena. Reuters
  • Jake Paul and Anderson Silva pose together following their fight at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. EPA
    Jake Paul and Anderson Silva pose together following their fight at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. EPA
  • Jake Paul has his arm raised in victory after his unanimous decision win over Anderson Silva. AFP
    Jake Paul has his arm raised in victory after his unanimous decision win over Anderson Silva. AFP
  • Logan Paul attends the cruiserweight bout between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP
    Logan Paul attends the cruiserweight bout between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva. AFP

Fight Card

  • Jake Paul v Tommy Fury
  • Ilunga Makabu v Badou Jack
  • Ziyad Al Maayouf v Ronald Martinez
  • Muhsin Cason v Taryel Jafarov
  • Badr AlSamreen v Viorel Simion
  • Adam Saleh v Stuart Kellogg
  • Salman Hamda v Daniel Plange
  • Ragad Al Naimi v Perpetual Okaidah
  • Ziad Majrashi v Philip Quansah

How to watch in UAE

TBA.

Tickets

For those wishing to attend, tickets are available from SAR225 (Dh220) at https://diriyahseason.sa/en/events/the-truth. For visa entry information, go to https://visa.visitsaudi.com/.

If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

If you go

The flights

There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.

The trip

Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.

The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.

 

THE APPRENTICE

Director: Ali Abbasi

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 3/5

Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results for Stage 2

Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race

Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)

Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)

Company profile

Name: Tharb

Started: December 2016

Founder: Eisa Alsubousi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: Luxury leather goods

Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings

 

While you're here
Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Dolittle

Director: Stephen Gaghan

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen

One-and-a-half out of five stars

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Updated: February 27, 2023, 4:47 AM
BoxingSaudi Arabia