Dubai: Six of the best Arab boxers of the world will be joined by two female champions at the FIBA World Championship Arab Boxing Pro Champions Meeting at Al Wasl Club on June 27.
Held in co-ordination with Dubai Sports Council (DSC) under the patronage of Shaikha Salama Bint Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan and Dubai Police, the high-profile tournament will also witness four amateur boxers from the UAE, Egypt and Morocco.
‘Arab Boxing’ is a variant of traditional boxing, but similar to kickboxing as it allows the use of hands, legs, knees and the head. The card for the evening will get under way with two amateur bouts followed by the four professional fights in various weight divisions.
Promoter Hadi Sideri, who is also the Fiba President, promised that professional fight winners stand to win from a total purse of $350,000 (Dh1.27 million) that has been put up for grabs on the night. Though all arrangements are in place, the names of the boxers will be finalized in the next couple of days.
“The prize money will come from Fiba as this region has still not found favour in this part of the world. In Europe, it is a different case as top companies come forward to sponsor such events. We need to make a start somewhere and I believe this championship will not be the first to be held here,” Sideri said.
“The women’s bout will be a huge attraction as we will have two of the best fighters in the Light Weight Division,” he added.
The Fiba president, who himself has been a six-time world Arab Boxing champion in the past, admitted on the need for grassroots development of Arab Boxing in the region. “There are a few UAE boxers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman, but they are yet to reach a level where they can participate in a world championship,” Sideri noted.
“Unfortunately, there are very few professional boxers among Arab countries. So we hope this move to establish associations in at least 14 countries will help us develop Arab Boxing in the Middle East. Europe has a different set up and we want to establish a similar structure here. The UAE office will either be in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and once we get this office running it will be a start for us,” he added.
