The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) hosted another fantastic night of boxing from Riyadh on Saturday.
There were potential fights of the year, heavy knockdowns, new world champions and young stars in the making. In the much hyped and promoted 5 versus 5 between rival British promoters Queensberry and Matchroom Boxing, the victory of the former was an emphatic 10-0.
Frank Warren who heads up Queensberry was jubilant and if the wager was for the loser to serve tea in their rival promoter’s office for a day, then Matchroom staff will enjoy that (not) !
The big boxing attraction though was headed by quality fights throughout. Sadly, only available on TNT Sports and DAZN pay-per-view (or Box Office if you prefer), it was bankrolled and hosted by the KSA for the significant riches on offer. Good for the boxers, but yet another hit to subscribers pockets. That’s the price of boxing now unfortunately !
In the ring, biggest achievement and headline goes to Liverpool, England’s Nick Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) who won the WBA ‘world’ featherweight title via split decision against talented and game American Raymond Ford (15-1-1, 8 KO’s). It was an absolutely quality contest, with both fighters giving their all, and sits well with any world title meetings in the 9st/126lbs division of yesteryear.
In an action packed contest Ball’s aggression and relentless industry won him the fight by scores of 115-113 on all three scorecards. The Liverpudlian was was unlucky to receive only a draw against Mexican WBC champion Rey Vargas in March 2024 and on Saturday took his second ‘world’ title chance with both hands. He will now look to unify some of the titles.
Southpaw Ford was coming off a last minute knockout victory in March to retain his WBA title but couldn’t cope with Ball’s workrate and accuracy.
Most high profile on the card was Chinese giant Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) who destroyed former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) inside five rounds, likely sending the American into retirement. Zhang who is enormous, weighing in around 5 stones (70lbs) heavier than his opponent, but is highly skilled and heavy handed, can now look forward to a shot at the world heavyweight title. He may have to join the queue though with a Usyk-Fury rematch scheduled for December.
Young Briton, Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), spectacularly halted previously undefeated Croatian Filip Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs) after 0:57 of round eight, with the referee waving it off with Hrgovic rocked and badly cut around both eyes. This was a ding-dong contest throughout with both fighters having success through the completed rounds. Dubois’ youth and industry ultimately prevailed.
In victory Dubois took Hrgovic’s mandatory IBF status and the so called IBF ‘interim’ title to current undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Russian Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs), scored his first knockout in six years stopping Libya’s Malik Zinad (22-1, 16 KOs) for the former’s WBA light-heavyweight (12st, 7lbs/175lbs) title. The end came at 2:06 of round six.
Bivol is holding out for a ‘mega’ unification fight with his compatriot Artur Beterbiev, which has been postponed due to Beterbiev sustaining an injury during camp. Bivol, a victor over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is looking the ‘real deal’.
At middleweight (11st, 6lbs/160lbs) bright British prospect Hamzah Sheeraz (20-0, 16 KOs) dominated and stopped world rated American Austin Williams (16-1, 11 KOs) in the eleventh round. Sheeraz, physically and stylistically a Tommy Hearns lookalike further improved his stock and looks a certainty for a world title shot.
Final mention goes to Scotland’s fast improving Willy Hutchinson who beat England’s multiple ‘world’ title challenger Craig Richards in a clear points victory. All in all, an another excellent and entertaining night of boxing as part of RSA’s Riyadh Season.
The Undisputed 