Pressure now on Zhong-Cuello bout

Dubai: Xiong Zhao Zhong and Denver Cuello’s WBC strawweight fight at Dubai World Trade Centre on June 28 will be an acid test for boxing in the UAE, according to local promoter Zach Taumafi.

Taumafi organised the UAE’s first world title fight between the Chinese and Filipino fighters long before talk of Amir Khan and Devon Alexander’s proposed Dubai IBF welterweight bout broke, but he now feels the spotlight is on his event to gauge boxing’s long-term success in the emirates.

“Everyone is sitting back now and waiting to see how the first world title fight in Dubai goes. If it’s successful everyone will jump on the bandwagon and do the same, but if it fails they will all laugh at us,” said Taumafi.

Asked why boxing hasn’t taken off here despite previous fights between Chris Eubank and Camilo Alarcon at Dubai Tennis Stadium in 1997 and Michael Moorer and Shelby Gross at Shaikh Rashid Hall in 2008, Taumafi added: “I’ve always said that to put on a successful fight you need three bouts from outside the UAE as well as the main bout and the rest should be local fighters.

“Unfortunately local boxing doesn’t have the calibre. We need to rebuild local boxing because it’s been destroyed by people who think they can make a fast buck from one event.”

Elsewhere UK sports promoter Barry Hearns, the chairman of Matchroom Sport and the Professional Darts Corporation, recently told Gulf News that after the success of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters he was in talks to bring boxing back to Dubai Tennis Stadium after a 16-year hiatus.