Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou was perhaps the biggest fight of 2023 and certainly seemed to bring out the most stellar audience in recent memory.
Celebrities are no strangers to the limelight and the attention that is brought to a high-profile clash in the ring keeps those looking to stay in the public eye, and true fight fans, coming back to combat sports.
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, there was no shortage of Hollywood names, and the biggest figures in fighting were there too.
Perhaps the most notable, and most expected, sportsman and celebrity of any kind was Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Al Nassr striker joined the Saudi Pro League at the start of the year after departing Manchester United in controversial circumstances before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The 38-year-old Portuguese international has 34 goals in 39 appearances for the Saudi side and shows no sign of slowing down for his country either, and he was ringside to watch the Baddest Man in the Planet challenge go down.
Ronaldo’s former Manchester United colleague Rio Ferdinand was there, a player who also dabbled in boxing training after retirement, and he was there to perform media duties as well as taking in the spectacle.
Two former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Barcelona stars were there, with Luis Figo and the Brazilian Ronaldo in attendance.
From sports entertainment, Vince McMahon and his retired WWE colleague The Undertaker was alongside him, and there were also big names from the world of straight-up fighting.
Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan, Mike Tyson, Teddy Atlas, Evander Holyfield, Kamaru Usman, Dmitry Bivol, Junior Dos Santos, Randy Couture and Conor McGregor were there, as was film star Salman Khan, and massive music presence, Eminem.
There were perhaps too many names to list them all here, and doubtless some escaped the attention they were looking for, but Saturday night proved that boxing still draws the biggest and brightest crowds.