Cristiano Ronaldo was at the ringside when Tyson Fury took on Francis Ngannou in the highly anticipated ‘Battle of the Baddest.’ In a shocking turn of events, the Al-Nassr superstar was reportedly booed off every time he came onto the screen, or was he?
The Portuguese superstar was among the many celebrities who attended the highly anticipated fight. However, being one of the most recognized faces in the world, Ronaldo was on the live telecast quite a few times during the fight.
Every time the camera pointed toward him, the crowd made a noise in unison, which sounded more like ‘boos’. The reason for this negative reaction can be twofold.
Les supporters d’Al Hilal BOO Cristiano Ronaldo 😳pic.twitter.com/K6ySfLouHL https://t.co/fycNOlbfoZ
— SPL 🇸🇦 (@ActuSPL) October 28, 2023
First, the stadium was filled with combat sports fans, and the presence of Ronaldo wasn’t noteworthy to them, which might have resulted in a negative reaction. Second, Riyadh, where the fight took place, was also home to Al-Nassr’s biggest rival, Al-Hilal. The negative reaction could have been from the fan base of the current league leaders.
On the flip side, it can be argued there could have been a sound mix-up, as these reported ‘boos’ could have been fans cheering the ‘SIUUU’ sound from the iconic celebration of Ronaldo. The reason can be either that the look on the face of Cristiano Ronaldo told only one story.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction after being booed by fans in the Battle of the Baddest
The Portuguese superstar was visibly shocked by the reception of the fans at the Boulevard Hall Stadium in Riyadh. Even when Ronaldo looked visibly frustrated as he walked to his ringside seats with his partner, Georgina Rodriguez.
The forward had a stony face every time the camera paned toward him. The spotlight was always matched with the boos and jeering, which must be shocking for Ronaldo as Riyadh is also the home city of his club, Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo was going through all the motions during that fight. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ClUrRCTfng
— TC (@totalcristiano) October 29, 2023
Ronaldo has been vocal about the love and support he has received from Saudi Arabian fans, especially from Al-Nassr. The continuous support has been one of the factors that has led to the speculation that Ronaldo might extend his stay at Al-Nassr.
However, the response at the Boulevard Hall Stadium might shift the perspective of Ronaldo for his Saudi fans. The night could prove to be just a minor hiccup in the relationship between Ronaldo and Saudi Arabia or could turn into a snowball into something huge that might impact the relationship in the long run.
The fallout from the event will be noted by all the parties involved. As it turned out, The Battle of Baddest was a disappointing night for new friends Francis Ngannou and Cristiano Ronaldo. For Ngannou, the night ended with a controversial defeat in the ring. Meanwhile, Ronaldo was booed off outside the ring.