By Aljohara Zarea

JEDDAH — Sale of tickets for the “Rage On the Red Sea” is considered the biggest for any sporting event hosted by Saudi Arabia other than football, according to President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Abdullah Al-Harbi.

Al-Harbi made the remarks while speaking to Saudi Gazette on the sidelines of the pre-fight press conference ahead of the rematch between Anthony Joshua and defending champion Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah on Saturday.

He added that the tickets sold represent about 40,000 spectators during the much-awaited event that millions of people from around the world would be watching live.

Al-Harbi said people from 60 countries purchased the tickets and applied for visas in order to attend the Saturday night event.

Rage on The Red Sea, and especially the heavyweight championship rematch, is the biggest tournament that people follow right now.

The match that will be held on August 20 in Jeddah is one of the most awaited fights by the whole world, Al-Harbi said, while pointing out that people consider this fight as one of the best sporting event that they can watch and enjoy.

He said Saturday's fight would bring together athletes from different parts of the world in Saudi Arabia.

More than one channel will cover the event, taking it to more than 100 million homes around the world, Al-Harbi noted.

Asked about the absence of Ramla Ali and Crystal Garcia Nova from the first professional female boxing match in Saudi Arabia held as part of two days of activities preceding the big fight, Al-Harbi pointed out that there were no reservations about the presence of female boxers.

Al-Harbi said hosting of a women's event at the professional level in Saudi Arabia is considered an event in itself. He added that they had tried as much as possible to highlight the event, which was the first of its kind in the Kingdom.

The two female boxers have been here in Jeddah for more than three days, Al-Harbi said, while confirming that Ramla Ali hosted more than 30 Saudi female boxers.

She also took supportive initiatives by conducting sparring matches between Saudi female boxers in order to publicize the sport in the women's community of Saudi Arabia.