Dubai: Germany's Lorand Sachs knocked out Englishman Richard Jones in the featured Upper Middleweight fight at the Dubai World Championships for Arab boxing professionals on Friday.
Shaikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum and Dubai Sports Council (DSC) board members Saeed Hareb, Salah Tahlak and Ali Bu Jsaim watched the fight.
Sachs' sharp uppercut sent Jones crashing to the canvas in round six of their scheduled 12-round contest.
"I came here to win and knew that things would not be easy for me. But honestly, I did not know that I would have got so lucky," Sachs said.
Like kick-boxing
Arab boxing is quite similar to kick-boxing where fighters can use their hands (gloved) and feet to attack their opponents.
The evening got under way with four amateur fights where UAE teen Adnan Al Hout lost on points to Syria's Mohammad Waheed.
But in the second fight, UAE boxer Ahmad Abdul Rahman Al Hosani restored some national pride as he matched Jordanian Obaida Abu Shaikha blow-for-blow in an encounter that ended in a draw.
Ethiopia's Tujuste Amiza and Zsofia Bedo of Hungary gave the crowd something to cheer about with the African girl looking the more aggressive of the two fighters.
However, Bedo recovered in the second and third rounds to take advantage of her slowing opponent before finishing off with a fine right-left combination. The fight ended in a draw.
The four pro fights provided good entertainment with Turkey's Fikri Arican going the 12-round distance for an unanimous 119-109, 120-115, 120-110 win against Enrico Luricella in the men's Upper Lightweight category.
Deniz Nurhayat from Turkey and Spain's Maria Rodriguez slugged it out in the women's pro fight before an old shoulder injury forced the former to concede the fight. "This is painful. I came here to win. I promise to be back," Nurhayat said.
Rodriguez, the 31-year-old from Barcelona, replied: "I normally get off to a slow start, and once I enter my zone it is tough to catch me. I have done well here, but the idea is to continue winning."
In the final fight, Ruslan Tozlayen, a television star in Russia, got the measure of his Swiss opponent Alexandre Epp before out-boxing his opponent in the sixth round.
Amateur card
- Mohammad Waheed (Syria) bt Adnan Al Hout (UAE) - Won on points
- Ahmad Abdul Rahim Al Hosni (UAE) drew with Obaida Abou Shaikha (Jordan)
- Zsofia Bedo (Hungary) bt Tujuste Amiza (Ethiopia) - draw
- Ayman Ben Ali (Tunisia) bt Ali Dahbia (Jordan) - retired
Professional card
- Lorand Sachs (Germany) bt Richard Jones (England) - KO (Round 6)
- Fikri Arican (Turkey) bt Enrico Luricella (Italy) - Won on points
- Maria Rodriguez (Spain) bt Deniz Nurhayat (Turkey) - TKO
- Ruslan Tozlayen (Russia) bt Alexandre Epp (Switzerland) - KO
