Anthony Joshua has provoked anger by saying gay people who can’t travel to Saudi Arabia for his big fight can just watch it on TV.
The 29-year-old boxer is due to take on Andy Ruiz Jr in Diriyah on December 7 in a bid to win back his heavyweight titles which he lost in a shock defeat in June.
But there has been anger about the £83million clash taking place in such a repressive country, where gay people can face the death penalty.
Some fans have even called for a boycott of the bout.
Quizzed about it, Joshua said: “I feel like in this situation I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t, it’s a thing I can’t win for.
Joshua will be taking on Andy Ruiz Jr (Image: Getty Images) “I feel like I stand in the middle and I feel like boxing is just trying to open up the barriers for people to travel and see it.
“If you can’t come to the country, you can still watch it, you’re still open to support and I appreciate the support from every community.”
But his comments were met with criticism.
Amnesty International slammed the decision to hold the fight in Saudi Arabia, which has a history of human rights breaches.
They accuse the regime of “sportswashing” - using a huge event to boost its reputation overseas.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn hit back at critics last week, saying: “This is boxing. No-one has the right to tell a fighter they can’t take an opportunity in a sport like this.
“Every country has problems. We understand that. We’re interested in the boxing, and what this can do for boxing worldwide.”