By Alan Hubbard

Nelson Mandela, who was not only an ardent boxing fan but fought himself with distinction as a youthful amateur middleweight, was bang on the button when he declared:

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope, where there was once only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.

That was in 1990 when he was released from his long incarceration to lead South Africa out of its abominable apartheid system.

Sport was a major factor in ending it following the international opprobrium when English cricketer Basil D’ Oliveira was deemed persona  non grata to play in South Africa because of his colour. Thus the sports boycotts began.

I had visited South Africa during its apartheid days and found it a distinctly unlovable country. Indeed I suspect  my contacts book is still  somewhere in the Government vaults, nabbed when  police raided my hotel room while I was out.

All that has changed of course. Thanks to Mandela and world opinion. South Africa has become accepted back into global socierty- and international sport.

Now it seems it is the turn of another but still unsweet SA – Saudi Arabia – to try and convince us that things are changing in a country which I have also visited and found deeply lacking in basic human rights and  distastefully opposed to the emancipation of women not only in sport but all walks of life.

However it is quite desperate to rid itself of such opprobrium and at least find its place on the sporting stage by relaxing some of its discriminatory laws to allow major sports events to be held there. These
have included Formula One, international golf tournaments,WWF  and, only recently, boxing.

Two big fights have been held in Jeddah, which has become a small coastal oasis of liberalism in a desert if discrimination where Britain’s George Groves and Callum Smith contested the World Series boxing super-middleweight final and Amir Khan  engaged in fistic combat against a knock-over Aussie, all  aided by Saudi money and western promotional know-how. Incredibly women, who domestically must cover themselves head to toe in black and walk several paces behind their men in public are now allowed to watch certain sporting events and even play certain sports such as badminton and basketball although not in public.

True, women can even drive now although they be accompanied by a man and I’m not sure whether or not a ban which was in force while I was there on at least three occasions whereby women were not allowed to eat in male company and had a separate room of their own, in restaurants, is stil applicable.

Maybe it won’t be when the next major boxing event, a three-belt world heavyweight title fight between the deposed British champion Anthony Joshua and his shock Mexican-American conqueror Andy Ruiz Jnr is staged on December 7 in a new 15,000 seater arena being built just outside the capital, Riyadh.

It is a remarkable coup for the Saudis but one which understandably has received a more negative than positive reaction worldwide.

Former Olympic champion Joshua, although now merely the challenger is said to be receiving some $50 million for the rematch with new champion the tubby Ruiz, who sensationally stopped him in seven rounds in New York last month. The Saudis, Sky.  American TV and international sponsorship are footing the bill under the promotional stewardship of sh Matchroom’s  Eddie Hearn.

These shifting sands in Saudi Arabia have come about, as change did in South Africa through international pressure and sanctions especially by sport. Things have improved so much that a token  handful of women were selected for the Olympic Games in London and Rio. though not quite to the extent of burqas being exchanged for bikinis in beach volleyball!

The Saudi breakthrough has all come about by Royal prerogative despite angry opposition from the mullahs who usually dictate things in Islamic countries such as Saudi. This time they have been overruled because, again like South Africa, the nation wants a foothold of respectability internationally.

At the two fights held in Jeddah’s King Abdullah’s Sports City women were not only allowed to watch (though not box of course) bill but did not have to cover themselves completely or even wear headscarves .

The announcement of the December fight was certainly the most jaw-dropping since an unknown ex-con named Don King, with hair looking as if he had just escaped from the electric chair, called a press conference in Caracas ,Venezuela in 1974 where then champion George Foreman had knocked out Ken Norton,.to tell us that Foreman’s next fight would be against Muhammad Ali in Zaire, an African nation formerly known as the Congo and it would be labelled The Rumble in the Jungle. We almost fell off our chairs laughing yet it turned oput to be the most famous slice of history in the annals of boxing.

Now fast forward 38 years and we have this Dust Up in the Desert. At   least they hope so, for despite signing for the rematch Ruiz is said to be is deeply unhappy about the venue and wants it held in the United States. No doubt the debate will continue.

Hearn says: “You can talk about events in the past with the Rumble in the Jungle and the Thrilla in Manila – and I put this in the same kind of league.“

Really? Steady Eddie..Let’s remember that Joshua is not Muhammad Ali and Ruize is by no means George Foreman or Joe Frazier. Having said that it is indeed a bizarre happening. If indeed it happens.
But when or where it does I  fear Joshua again will be softened up by Ruiz, leaving him mas a mere future ’opponent’ for Queensberry men Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois.

One law which hasn’t changed in Saudi is the ban on alcohol (it will be the same in Qatar for the 2022 football World Cup) Boxing fans like a tipple or two while singing along to the sport’s new anthem,.‘Sweet Caroline’ but trying to smuggle even a can of Heineken into the arena could mean a sentence of 500 lashes.Ouch!

Visiting Saudi Arabia even today is like stepping back into mediaeval times with public executions by beheading with a huge sword, whippings,
stoning to death for adultery and continuing by and large, sexual apartheid against women. Not to mention the blatant murder of a journalist who opposed the current regime and was lured to his death in an overseas embassy.

So can sport and in particular the noble art bring about the sort of change in attitude and culture which happened under Mandela in South Africa?

Many might bet against it. But then betting isn’t allowed there either.

And if this fight doesn’t go ahead in Saudi Arabia, Fast Eddie can always try North Korea.