Dubai braces for another top boxing event

Knockout Night at FIVE Palm Jumeirah to be held on Friday night

From almost next to nothing to two top events in the space of two months, Dubai, the Maximum City, couldn’t have asked for anything more.

After Round 10 Boxing Club hosted ‘The Fight DXB Uncovered’ last month with two belts – the WBC International super-flyweight title and the WBO European featherweight title on the line, the city braces itself for another big boxing event titled ‘Knockout Night at FIVE Palm Jumeirah,’ on Friday night.

And again, it is a card oozing with quality, and one that also includes kick boxing.

The event, which takes place in collaboration with Swedish boxer Badou Jack Promotions, will witness 12 bouts of boxing with the cream bout being the one between the undefeated Cruiserweight Viddal Riley and Mo Ali, the ‘UAE Boxer of the Year.

There will also be five bouts of kick boxing, which includes five-time Muay Thai World Champion Atakan Arslan facing off against Christos Avramidis.

Riley has two wins and two knockouts and an impressive amateur record of 41 wins with 19 KOs. In just his second bout, he featured on the main card of Manny Pacquiao vs Adrien Broner, scoring a devastating first round knockout in just 33 seconds.

Meanwhile, Mo Ali’s story has been nothing short of amazing with him actually having starting out in boxing to lead a healthy lifestyle. One thing led to another and Mo Ali has turned boxing from a mere hobby and into a profession.

When he was 24, he Mo Ali had already become a WKBF World Champion and WKBF Pan Asian Champion. He currently holds a record of 12 wins, one loss and 12 knockouts, as well as earning the title of ‘UAE Boxer of the Year.’ Just recently, he won an eight-man tournament and became Grand Prix Champion.

Meanwhile, Arslan is a knockout specialist in kickboxing and Muay Thai, having claimed five World Championships. He boasts an incredible record of 58 wins, 8 losses and 51 knockouts. Outside the ring, Atakan won the ‘Survivor’ show in Turkey and is one of the most well-known up and coming actors.

The night also see the UAE’s Majid Al Naqbi going up against India’s Sandeep Duggal.

The 22-year-old from Khor Fakkan had won his first professional bout earlier this month. Al Naqb had floored his Russian opponent Vladimir Lytkin in the Lightweight category.

Al Naqbi, who became only the second professional boxer from the UAE after Eisa Al Dah, had Lytkin on the mat with a right hook and the fight was cut short at 2.33 seconds in the fourth and final round, with the Emirati winning by TKO.

Meanwhile, India’s Pushkar Pundalik takes on Anthony De Jubin, while Jaspal Singh fights Rolly Lambert in a preliminary bout.

MAIN CARD LINE UP:

Viddal Riley vs Mo Ali

Rohan Date vs Wanphihit Siriphana

Majid Al Naqbi vs Sandeep Duggal

Julaidan Abdul Fattah vs Ahmed Dawrani

Faze Sensei vs Giorgos Veronis

Fatih Ulusoy vs Junior Kabbani

Anthony De Jubin vs Pushkar Pundalik

Usman Wazeer vs Brahim Oubenais

Atakan Arslan vs Christos Avramidis

Ashley Theophane vs Narong Bunchan

Ross Levine vs Stelios Tasmalidis

Oscar Ahlin vs Arthit Bunphloeng

Bryce Mills vs Antonis Stroutzalis