Williams star guest at World Arab Boxing meet
Ahmed Al Hosani, Ahmed Darmaki and Khadoum Kaabi will lead the UAE challenge at the World Arab Boxing Championships to be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Dubai Aviation Club in Al Garhoud.
Organised by Golden Star in coordination with Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and international boxing body FIBA, the two-day boxing event will be a combination of sports and entertainment as some of the top boxers from the region are up for action at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the first day of the championship has been dedicated to men’s boxing, with four main bouts along with another four supplementary fights involving boxers from the region.
The World Arab Boxing Championships will have legendary British boxer Danny Williams as the star spectator on both days.
With the fight cards being finalised by organisers, Al Hosani has been pitted against Mohamed Bikai of Palestine in the 64kgs category, while Darmaki will be up against another Palestinian fighter Bilal Sarieh in the 66kgs division.
Kaabi will fight Dahbi Molay Hassan from Mauritania in the 65kgs category and the fight card in the amateur men’s will be complete with Mohammed Fayed of Egypt facing Rateb Hatahet of Syria in the 87kgs category. All fights will be held over three rounds of one and half minutes each.
Some of the best professional boxers will also be in action with Rosario Presti of Italy opening the night with an eight-round contest against Arjan Vatniksj of Albania in the 71kgs division.
Eduardo Martinez of the USA will take on Ilman Arskahanov of Russia in the 75kgs and Loiay Nader of Iraq will be up against the challenge put up by Jean Claude Delar of France in the 86 kgs division. In the final fight for the professional men, Portugal’s Jose Da Fonseca will take on Dinitri Bosson of France in the 66 kgs category. All these fights will be held over eight rounds of two minutes each.
The glamour quotient of the night will be staged when the women professional fighters take to the ring with Haifa Ouersighni of Tunisia taking on Nora Ali of Egypt in the 61kgs category. Natalie Maurel of France will then face Khadija Aldabali of Morocco in the 50kgs and Dolly McBean of Surinam will fight Lorena Klinj of Holland in the 55kgs.
In the final two contests, Hatice Ozyurt of Turkey will be up against Ghizlan El Aazri of Morocco in the 63kgs division and Raquel Adamus of Holland will take on Kiel Holtz of Colombia in the 66kgs category. All women’s bouts will be contested over eight rounds of two minutes each.
All participating boxers will be backing the Dubai Police campaign against the use of drugs. The boxers are scheduled to wear T-shirts with the letters 'No To Drugs' embossed on them during the competition.
In addition to the bouts, there will be a range of top singers to entertain the spectators on both days with Lebanese Miriam Fares, the UAE’s Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Pakistani Atif Aslam, Iranian Mansour and the Filipino group Free Style Philippines Band leading the way.
Ticket-holders will be entitled to attend the boxing and the post-match entertainment on both days. Tickets have been priced at Dh200, 300 and 500 with boxing action commencing on both days at 6.30pm.
Schedule
Professional Fighters (Female)
Haifa Ouersighni (Tunisia) vs Nora Ali (Egypt) 61kgs; 2 mins x 8 rounds
Natalie Maurel (France) vs Khadija Aldabali (Morocco) 50kgs; 2 mins x 8 rounds
Dolly McBean (Surinam) vs Lorena Klinj (Holland) 55 kgs; 2mins x 8 rounds
Hatice Ozyurt (Turkey) vs Ghizlan El Aazri (Morocco) 63 kgs; 2mins x 8 rounds
Raquel Adamus (Holland) vs Kiel Holtz (Colombia) 66 kgs; 2 mins x 8 rounds
Amateur Fights (Male)
Ahmed Al Hosani (UAE) vs Mohamed Bikai (Palestine) 64 kgs; 3 rounds x 1:30 minutes
Ahmed Darmaki (UAE) vs Bilal Sarieh (Palestine) 66 kgs; 3 rounds x 1:30 minutes
Mohammed Fayed (Egypt) vs Rateb Hatahet (Syria) 87 kgs; 3 rounds x 1:30 minutes
Khadoum Kaabi (UAE) vs Dahbi Molay Hassan (Mauritania) 65 kgs; 3 rounds x 1:30 minutes
Professional Fighters
Rosario Presti (Italy) vs Arjan Vatniksj (Albania) 71 kgs; 8 rounds x 2 mins
Eduardo Martinez (USA) vs Ilman Arskahanov (Russia) 75 kgs; 8 rounds x 2 mins
Loiay Nader (Iraq) vs Jean Claude Delar (France) 86 kgs; 8 rounds x 2 mins
Jose Da Fonseca (Portugal) vs Dinitri Bosson (France) 66 kgs; 8 rounds x 2 minutes