Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix is ready to start
By Gabriel F. Cordero
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 22 Feb 2025
During the Beterbiev vs. Bivol II press conference, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman made a historic announcement: the launch of the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix mega tournament.
The long-awaited World Boxing Cup envisioned by Don Jose Sulaiman will finally be held and this will be the first Boxing World Cup in history focused on the next generation of boxing superstars.
President Mauricio Sulaiman expressed his gratitude towards His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Dr. Rakan for making this WBC dream come true.
“This Grand Prix is a testament to the vision and passion of my father, Jose Sulaiman. The world of boxing has taken a giant turn after the arrival of Saudi Arabia, the Riyadh Season and the leader, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. When I had the honor of meeting Turki Alalshikh, I recognized his passion for the sport and its boxers. When I shared my father’s dream with him, he immediately said, ‘Let’s make it happen. ’ With the incredible support and vision of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Dr. Rakan, his team and Sela, we are bringing to life a tournament that will revolutionize the sport and unearth incredible new talent. This is the first event where young talent will have the opportunity to come out from unknown parts of the world to shine through the Grand Prix,” said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.
The Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix will feature four weight categories: featherweight, super lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight with a participation of 128 athletes: 32 participants in each division.
There will be 41 participating countries in 5 events that will be held in Saudi Arabia.
The fights will have no draws and the scoring will be open after rounds 2, 4 and 6, providing transparency and excitement.
The World Cup of Boxing will feature instant replay to ensure that ring officials perform fairly and accurately.
In the announcement, heavyweight boxing legend Lennox Lewis presented the “Jose Sulaiman Trophy,” also known as the Flame of Hope, which will be awarded to the champions of the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, which symbolizes the spirit of competition and the pursuit of excellence in boxing.
Further details regarding dates, venues and participating athletes will be released in the coming weeks.
The Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix will be streamed on www.dazn.com/wbc
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Gabriel F. Cordero.
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