Nicholson Vs Chapman Pave the Way for Women's Boxing in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia hosted its first female world title fight on Saturday night in a move that could pave the way for future events. Skye Nicholson took on Briton Raven Chapman on the undercard of Beterbiev vs Bivol and marks a historic shift that could improve women's sports in a country that has often faced criticism for human rights issues and treatment of women.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sporting events, attracting some of the world's top footballers like Christiano Ronaldo and Neymar. It has also hosted some massive boxing events including Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in May of this year.

While there has been some criticism about events taking place in a country that is not accessible to fans, pay-per-view screenings make it possible for people around the world to take in all of the action.

This has also been good news for online betting sites which have welcomed big pay-per-view boxing events like this. Sports betting expert Peter Addison explains that the top bookmakers offer markets for all the fights on these cards. This is especially useful considering gambling is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia.

Having a global spotlight on the first WBC title to be fought in Saudi Arabia has been great for women's sports, especially boxing. While it may be surprising to many that there hasn't been a female title fight in the country, it is worth remembering that laws only changed in 2018 to allow women to attend football matches and drive.

Women still face harsh restrictions in the country, but moves like this will hopefully start to influence necessary changes. The country's boxing industry also saw Rasha Al Khamis become their first qualified female boxing coach in 2019, and she has since worked her way up to become the Saudi Boxing Federation's vice president

This fight will have helped with female boxing's profile in the country, and will hopefully provide the foundation for further growth. Earning the largest pay-day of her career, Skye Nicholson took the opportunity to perform commandingly to retain the WBC Featherweight Title.

Raven Chapman was able to go the distance, but a unanimous decision went in favour of Nicholson who seemed in control from the start. The judges scored the fight 98-92, 98-92, and 99-91 in favour of Raven Chapman who stood between rounds to underline her dominance.

Nicholson's profile will enjoy a welcome boost from this event, and the money available to the sport in Saudi Arabia can also provide a welcome boost for women's boxing.

Public support will be a significant factor in the inclusion of more women's bouts in future Riyadh Season cards, and the success of this event will please Saudi organisers.

The fact that Saudi Arabia's chairman of the general entertainment authority, Turki Alalshikh, wanted the fight to take place in Riyadh is a good sign for the sport, and will hopefully be a catalyst for further change to attitudes in the country.

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