Following Andy Ruiz Jr.'s shocking win over Anthony Joshua in June, there was no question a rematch would be on the horizon. But choosing a venue for the second bout turned out to be quite an ordeal, ending with a controversial decision that was met with some raised eyebrows around the boxing community.
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After the first bout in New York, Ruiz and Joshua have flown across the world to box in Saudi Arabia, a nation that's rarely played host to major sporting events. A temporary, purpose-built 15,000-seat arena will serve as the stage for the rematch, a stark departure from their first fight at Madison Square Garden, "The World's Most Famous Arena."
Here's what you need to know about Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua 2 fight in Saudi Arabia, including the host city, details about the arena and boxing's history in the nation.
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Why is the Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua fight in Saudi Arabia?
London, Cardiff and New York City were all discussed as possible hosts for the Ruiz vs. Joshua rematch.
When neither Ruiz (Mexico) nor Joshua (United Kingdom) would agree to fight in the other's country of preference, Matchroom Boxing president Eddie Hearn branched out, eventually receiving an offer from Saudi Arabia for a site fee worth $40 million, according to The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger.
Hearn, who is Joshua's promoter and reached a $1 billion deal with streaming service DAZN in 2018 to exclusively stream Matchroom's title fights across North America, took the opportunity. He claimed many promoters before him had tried and failed to secure a fight in the Middle East, and predicted that many more fights will come after.
"I think this is a changing of the guard," Hearn said at a news conference in September. "Every promoter in boxing tried to get Saudi Arabia to stage a mega-event. I got it. Unfortunately, I have to take the flak that comes with it. ... I believe that not just Saudi Arabia, but Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar will be bidding for all these big fights in the future. So you either embrace the change, or you turn your back on it, and you'd be an idiot (to turn your back on it)."
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Despite political and moral objections to Saudi Arabia's governing regime, the nation has become an increasing presence in the sports world in recent years, part of a widespread effort to improve — or "sportswash" — its global reputation, as well as its economy. But athletes (Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Phil Mickelson) and organizations (WWE, Formula E) have faced controversy for organizing events in Saudi Arabia.
In defending the decision, Hearn used those other events as cover, and says boxing "is going to be responsible" for necessary changes in how Saudi Arabia operates but also says "the sportswashing thing is something over my head."
"[I] believe that no one has the right to tell a fighter how and where they can earn their money," Hearn told The Guardian. "Our job is to provide opportunities to the fighters. If I put a proposal in front of Joshua and he said to me he was going to Saudi Arabia, and I advised him against, he would say: 'See ya.'"
Location for Ruiz vs. Joshua 2
Ruiz and Joshua will fight in Diriyah, a suburb of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh is the most populous city in the nation, with a population of 7.1 million. The city is centrally located in Saudi Arabia, while most other population areas border either the Red Sea to the west or the Persian Gulf to the east.
Ruiz vs. Joshua arena: Where is the fight held?
With Ruiz vs. Joshua being the biggest fight Saudi Arabia has ever hosted, there weren't many great existing options for the bout to take place in. So, being one of the richest countries in the world, the Saudis built an arena for the sole purpose of this fight.
The result is Diriyah Arena, a 15,000-seat outdoor stadium that was built in under two months. Plans call for the venue to be dismantled four months after the fight, and it has a bit of a temporary look as a result.
According to a press release, a team of 175 workers built the stadium, and more than 2,000 staffers will be working in the arena Saturday.
Where was the first fight between Ruiz and Joshua?
Ruiz and Joshua's first fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1, 2018. MSG was considered as a potential venue for the rematch before Saudi Arabia was chosen.
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Boxing history in Saudi Arabia
Beyond any political or moral objections, Saudi Arabia was viewed as a surprising choice for the fight because its lack of history hosting major boxing events.
Other than Ruiz vs. Joshua, the second-biggest bout to take place in Saudi Arabia is likely either Amir Khan beating Billy Dib earlier this year, or Callum Smith's triumph over George Groves in September 2018. Neither of those were close to the level of a rematch with four heavyweight world titles on the line.
It's not the most unlikely pairing one could imagine, however. Boxing has always had international appeal, and plenty of notable fights outside of the U.S., in countries with no connection to either fighter, such as the Thrilla in Manila.
Plus, boxing is just one of the sports Saudi Arabia is looking to play host to, and the country has found plenty of willing partners hoping to cash in on the massive, young, wealthy population and open new doors in the Middle East, including golf, WWE and tennis.