The decision to host Anthony Joshua 's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia has been criticised over human rights issues in the country.
Usyk outpointed Joshua last September to win the unified heavyweight titles. It was announced this week the pair will step into the ring again in June with Saudi Arabia dishing out a reported £90million to host the fight.
Initial reports stated that, like their fight meeting, the rematch would take place in London. But Usyk's promoter Alex Krassyuk confirmed they are in "discussions" with the Middle Eastern country.
""Saudi is the place we are in discussions with at the moment," he told BBC. "Late June is the date we are looking at. Nothing has been confirmed on paper. We are working on it. There are other options but we take it step by step."
Joshua was criticised for competing in Saudi Arabia for his 2019 rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr. 'AJ' is facing the same criticism for his second fight with Usyk as the country has been accused of attempting to ‘sportswash’ its reputation.
Peter Frankental of Amnesty International, a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights, told PA: “Saudi Arabia’s human rights record remains dire – with dissent severely punished, human rights defenders persecuted and jailed, and the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen conducting a terrifying campaign of airstrikes which have repeatedly killed civilians.
“After the Saudi authorities shockingly executed 81 people in a single day earlier this month, it’s likely that Riyadh will see the glitz and raw hype of a Joshua-Usyk bout as a useful exercise in sportswashing that could help lessen any outrage over the executions.
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“If this fight goes ahead, we’d like Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk and their respective teams to approach it with a genuine preparedness to speak out about human rights issues in Saudi Arabia and challenge the pernicious effect of big-money sportswashing.”
Human rights group Reprieve reported that 16 people had been executed by Saudi Arabia following the mass execution of 81 men on March 12, over half of whom were pro-democracy protestors. At the current rate of executions, the country is on course for 500 executions this year. The previous highest for a calendar year was 186 in 2019.
Formula One returned to Saudi Arabia last weekend for the first time in 2022, with Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali defending the decision by stating the country is moving in "the right direction".
