Boxing in UAE: Female fighters fit the bill at Countdown to the Middle East Crown Series 3 in Dubai

Female fighters will take centre stage when they take to the ring in Dubai on Saturday night for a history-making evening of boxing.

As the sport continues to grow across the UAE, the Conrad Hotel will witness another landmark when India’s Urvashi Singh takes on Halima Vunjabei of Tanzania for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) world super bantamweight title, in the first ever female world title fight in the Middle East.

On the week of International Women’s Day, the Countdown to the Middle East Crown series is back for its third instalment on Saturday, with female fighters getting equal-billing with their male counterparts.

Along with the WIBA title bout, there are two more female encounters on the eight-fight card, and athletes from all around the world will travel in to compete on the evening, with boxers from Philippines, India, Pakistan, the UK, Armenia, Turkey, Argentina, USA and Thailand.

“This is our third of 10 series and we are still watching these events grow and grow,” said Dunstan Paul Rozairo, Chairman of promoters DJMC Events, told Gulf News on Thursday at the Conrad. “Our vision is to truly make Dubai a boxing destination, just like it has become for so many other sports. We have ready-made facilities to host events such as the Conrad, Bluewaters and La Perle, plus many more, and we certainly have the fan base. What we are doing is building the platform to bring the top fights to the followers.

“One thing we are concentrating on is promoting female boxers in this part of the world. In doing so we are giving them centre stage this week in the same capacity are their male counterparts.

“Until now, boxing had a lack of promotion and opportunities for women boxers, and we are here to help these fighters and also give a chance to each and every woman who want to take part in this sport.”

Michelle Kuehn of Real Boxing Only Gym in Dubai represents two of the female fighters on the Saturday card — England’s Kimberley Shannon and Anahit Aroyan of Armenia — and is thrilled to see the women get an equal footing in the ring at last.

“This is a great equal opportunity for female boxers,” she said. “I think that it is important to realise that promoters like DJMC are making history. We have a female world title fight — the first of its kind in the region — and we have three female fights on and eight-bout card. That is almost unheard of internationally, so I am honoured to be part of this team and make history in giving women the same opportunity than men have had for generations.”

Shannon will take on Sri Lanka’s Kauminihashini, while Aroyan will face debutant Mamta Rana of India.

Also on the card is a clash between Turkey’s Fatih Keles and Argentina’s Diego Gabriel Chaves, along with an intriguing India v Pakistan bout for the WBC Asia Continental lightweight title featuring Sachin Dekwal and Muhammad Bilal. Fans can purchase tickets online through Platinum List and 800 Tickets.