The big boxing event on Saturday featuring the rematch between Andy Ruiz and Anthony Joshua is taking place in Saudi Arabia. The location is curious, if not for the fact that we realize that money takes precedence over everything.
The WWE has done well in holding events in Saudi Arabia. Its two events in 2019 have been a financial success and has led to more in the future. As a publicly traded stock, most investors are worried about the bottom line of the company, not how it got there.
Reports indicate that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia paid $100 million for Matchroom Boxing to have the fight in a stadium built for the event. Ruiz was persuaded from having the fight in the U.S. (his original plan) when he was given more money to fly halfway around the world for a shot to defend his newly won titles.
Certainly, Anthony Joshua could have lobbied to have the contractually obligated rematch in Cardiff, Wales where he has sold out stadiums and is beloved by the locals. Even with the upset loss, Joshua still yields leverage. But, he too, accepted the fight in Saudi Arabia which one might suggest was related to additional financial incentives.
Money. The all-encompassing equalizer to one’s values. Or a question to it. More than any other sport, there is a perception that combat sports is a big money grab. From the promoters, to the networks, to the content providers to the athletes, boxing and MMA are predicated on making money in the shortest amount of time. Certainly, the NFL may subscribe to this model as well but combat sports is more glaring as exemplified with the location of Saturday’s fight.
This past September, Karim Zidan wrote in The Guardian about Saudi Arabia’s strategy of mobilizing its sports authority to go on a public relations mission to lobby organizations to hold its events in the country. The inference posed by Zidan in the article was that this strategy of “sportswashing” would steer away the bad publicity Saudi Arabia has had with human rights abuses and the conflict in Yemen. Not to mention, the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The disturbing details of his death and the utter embarrassment in the aftermath of it are alarming.
Yet, with its wealth, power and dominance in the region it has used sports to foster an olive branch to the western world. Despite its conservative culture, it has opened up its country for westerners to come and hold their events. This past November, it allowed women to perform in the wrestling ring in the WWE marking a moment for sports entertainment.
But even with these steps forward, one cannot help but look back. Should there still be accountability for past (and perhaps current) wrongs even with the perception that the country is seeking to make amends? Moreover, is the viewer enabling those that have caused harm and suffering in the past by bypassing the atrocity to pay to watch an interesting fight on a Saturday afternoon?
These questions are geopolitical, religious, ethical and moreover way too big to answer in a blog post on a web site. Yet, even while most of us combat sports fans are willing to turn away from the World section of the newspaper to focus on sports like we are akin to watch the NFL on Sundays without worrying about the issues with long term head injuries, it is something to think about.
The fight between Ruiz and Joshua will be an intriguing rematch to see if the now heavier Ruiz can emulate his 4-knockdown performance of Joshua this past June. For Joshua, this is redemption for a fight, if he wins Saturday, he can just shrug off as an anomaly. Fans will pay their $19.99, or continue with their DAZN subscription, to watch the two fight.
Does it matter where its taking place?
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