SAUDI ARABIA, here we go again. It’s been two-and-a-half years since Anthony Joshua headed over there, brushed off a series of awkward questions about the morality of fighting in such a contentious setting, and notched one of the most important victories of his career when he defeated Andy Ruiz Jnr, then his sole conqueror, in a one-sided rematch.
The parallels are clear as he prepares to face Oleksandr Usyk in a sequel to a bout won in London, almost at a canter, by the Ukrainian last year.
The obvious reason for Joshua’s latest rematch being staged in the Middle East is money, and a desert-load of it. Do we, or should we, begrudge boxers for pocketing as much cash as they can lay their hands on? It’s certainly hard to.
There’s more to consider, too. Though the seriously fat wedge on offer is the biggest factor in the setting of this eagerly awaited return, it’s undoubtable that Joshua – who has to be selfish at this crucial juncture of his career – will like the idea of returning to a place where he managed to restore order to his boxing career before.
Out in Saudi in 2019, as November rolled into December, Joshua was largely shielded from the indescribable pressures of fighting at home. What followed was a punch-perfect display against Ruiz who barely landed a glove on the man he’d knocked senseless only six months before. For Joshua, Saudi Arabia generates only happy memories.
That of course is not the case for everyone. The country’s human rights record is both notorious and atrocious. The issue of sports-washing should be impossible to ignore but, as we know only too well by now, when there are huge sums of money involved even the worst of crimes can be overlooked.
Joshua claims to know nothing about sports-washing, even though he was posed the same questions back in 2019. Some might say that a fighter with a profile as big as his would make it his business to find out. Others will suggest it is not in his remit as an athlete to get bogged down in such matters.
