All roads will lead to Saudi Arabia this weekend when Anthony Joshua prepares for battle with Oleksandr Usyk for a heavyweight battle for the ages.
Usyk will look to defend his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles against former two-time champion Joshua on Saturday, August 20, at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah.
The clash, billed as "Rage on the Red Sea", will be the second time the fighters have met after Joshua's defeat by a unanimous decision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London last September.
Anticipation is high for the match, with the winner of the encounter possibly facing Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight title, even though Fury has maintained that he has retired from boxing – while also dropping hints of a comeback for the right price.
Boxing fans in the UAE have the opportunity of a lifetime to witness history this weekend. Here is all you need to know.
What
"Rage on the Red Sea" – Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title match
When
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Where
King Abdullah Sports City Arena, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Oleksandr Usyk after beating Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on Saturday, September 25, 2021. Getty -
Anthony Joshua walks away from the ring after losing to Oleksandr Usyk. AP -
Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine celebrates after his unanimous decision victory over Britain's Anthony Joshua. AP -
Oleksandr Usyk throws a punch at Anthony Joshua. AP -
Anthony Joshua on the defensive against Oleksandr Usyk. AP -
Oleksandr Usyk throws a punch at Anthony Joshua. AP -
Anthony Joshua before his fight with Oleksandr Usyk. AP -
Close up of Anthony Joshua's injuries during a press conference after defeat in the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO title fight agianst Oleksandr Usyk. AP -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after the fight. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after being crowned the new heavyweight world champion. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates with his team in the ring. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk celebrates. Getty -
Anthony Joshua following his defeat. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk punches as Anthony Joshua ducks. Getty Images -
Oleksandr Usyk throws a punch as Anthony Joshua. Getty -
Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua during their title bout. Getty -
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk during the fight. Getty -
Anthony Joshua after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk. Reuters -
Anthony Joshua lands a punch. Getty -
Anthony Joshua goes on the attack. Getty Images -
Oleksandr Usyk punches Anthony Joshua. Getty -
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk during the fight. Getty -
A dejected Anthony Joshua walks back to his corner. Getty -
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk during the fight. Getty -
Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk during the fight. Getty
Tickets
Tickets for the match begin from 375 Saudi riyals (Dh367) and go all the way up to 20,000 riyals (Dh19,500) for ringside seats. Tickets in all categories are still available and can be purchased on halayalla.com. Expats flying to Saudi Arabia from the UAE can also visit visa.visitsaudi.com for information on how to apply for their visit visas, as well as complete the process and receive their visas online by filling in and submitting the application form.
How to watch in UAE?
Fans can catch all the live action on MBC’s streaming platform www.shahid.net under the sports package of Shahid VIP.
Travel
Flights from Dubai to Jeddah take approximately two hours and 55 minutes, while the air travel time between Abu Dhabi and Jeddah is around two hours and 45 minutes.
Jeddah is also home to world-class infrastructure with a number of hotels and restaurants. The King Abdullah Sports City Arena is within 30 minutes' travel of the King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Fight card
The undercard is set to begin at 5pm local time, featuring fighters such as former WBA and Ring magazine super-middleweight champion Callum Smith, former two-weight world champion Badou Jack, as well as the first professional female fight in Saudi Arabia between British-Somali boxer Ramla Ali and Dominican boxer Crystal Garcia Nova.
The main event between Usyk and Joshua is expected to begin at 12.45am, with the ring walks expected shortly before.
