- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:33 05:50 12:21 15:48 18:46 20:03
Competitors and officials during the press conference announcement of the Global Fighting Championships on Monday. (SUPPLIED)
Dubai is set to become the next Las Vegas of boxing when some of the world's best fighters showcase their skills at the inaugural Global Fighting Championships (GFC) this week.
Hosted by Golden Cage Promotions and Events in association with Dubai Sports Council (DSC), it will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Thursday May 29.
There are seven fights on the card with action set to begin at 8pm with the main attraction being the competition between four heavyweights who will be vying for a cash prize of Dh1 million and a place in the upcoming GFC Grand Prix.
The GFC in Dubai will be the first of a series of fights due to take place in Turkey, Holland, and Morocco. The four champions will then battle it out at the GFC Grand Prix slated for October 2 where the winner will walk away with $1 million.
The four-man tournament in Dubai will feature world classs fighters Badr Hari, Peter Graham, Arnold Oborotov and Stefan Leko, who flexed their muscles at a media event on Monday.
"I'm really excited to fight here. It's a big fight, big money. It's Dubai ... new Las Vegas for me you know," said two-time world champion Leko from Germany who is pitted against local favourite Hari in the semifinals.
The duo will be reigniting their decade-old rivalry having last fought in 2005 with Leko winning by a first-round knock out while Hari settled the score at the K-1 Grand Prix also knocking out his opponent with a spinning back kick.
Leko will be making a comeback of sorts and is determined to relaunch his career the ripe old age of 39 having an awesome K-1 record of 23-11-1-1 and a total fight record of 50-12-1-1 (win/loss/draw/no contests).
"I don't stop. I won three fights in last two years. I prepare in in my gym in Germany. I feel like before. If you give everything and have long preparation, 39 is not old," said Leko who may not be 'lightning' quick but has the heart of a champion.
Moroccan-born Dutch national Hari is excited to be fighting in an Islamic country for the first time.
"I've been here for two weeks and feeling in good shape," said the tall muscular 29 year-old who wants to prove age is catching up on Leko and also bank on 'home' advantage.
"Heavyweights are always dangerous. If I stay sharp and stick to my game plan, it will be an easy fight," he predicted.
The high point of Hari's career was when he became the world’s first ever K-1 Heavyweight champion in 2007.
"Every fight is very important. It is not like soccer. If you lose this, you cannot make it up the week after. First time fighting in an Islamic country and it will be nice if I take the title in my 'home' country," said Hari who feels interest for the sport is high in UAE.
"I feel it's alive. It's new here. People have to learn about it. So we have to teach people that it's a wonderful sport to come and watch," he said.
Hari felt it was also important to produce an Emirati fighter.
"They should develop a good fighter from here," he said adding he would be more than willing to teach Emiratis.
Peter Graham of Lithuania is the favourite in the other semifinal against Australian Oborotov.
Amir Shafypour, promoter and managing director at Golden Cage Promotions and Events, expected the sport of K-1 to take off in the country after the GFC.
"People need to be educated because they had some bad history in the past. We are almost sold out. This will be bigger than the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) held in Abu Dhabi," said Prince Amir who has been in fighting business for three decades.
"You will see fighters coming out of the roof. We are going to give something to the people," he said promising a great evening of entertainment for which he expects an audience of 4,000.
"UFC is about mixed martial arts. As GFC gains momentum, we will get star boxers into Dubai not only kickboxing. We are focusing on fight entertainment," said Amir who has won three world titles in kick boxing and Thai boxing.
Predicting a bright future for the sport in the region, he said: "Iran has 20 million registered martial artists, Turkey over 10 million and even Afghanistan has three million. When we have an event like this, people will fly here. If GFC goes to Morocco, it can fill up a soccer stadium. GFC will not stay only in Dubai," said Amir who has ambitious plans to popularise the sport and show the professional side of it especially to aspiring Emirati fighters.
"Dubai is becoming the hub for major international events. This type of sport - kick boxing and martial arts - is becoming very popular. It is a sport that is recognised by international bodies," said Rashid Al Kamali, Director of Marketing and Sport Promotions at Dubai Sport Council.
"Entertainment and sport is developing. It is also becoming very popular. Big names are coming to Dubai. This is what we want to build on," he added.
Tickets are available online via Platinum List, Virgin Tickets and Time Out Tickets and at retail outlets like ENOC/EPPCO ZOOM Stations & The Champion Club in JLT. For any further information call : 055 4069952
Check out the GFC social media pages to have the chance to win your way in.
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