
Rising Canadian super lightweight prospect Eric Basran draws undefeated Isaiah Johnson for Friday's opening round of the inaugural Riyadh Season/WBC Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 18 Apr 2025

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (April 17, 2025) – Undefeated Canadian super lightweight prospect Eric Basran (7-0, 3 KOs) has drawn unbeaten Isaiah “Kyree-James” Johnson (11-0, 7 KOs) for tomorrow’s (Friday) preliminary round of the inaugural Riyadh Season/World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Johnson, 26, is a southpaw fighter from Philadelphia, who has also won 13 of 14 fights (0 KOs) in the Team Combat League.
“I’m ready for anyone,” Basran said. “I’m focused and this is my time to shine.”
Basran vs. Johnson is the co-main event as the 15th of 16 scheduled matches.
“Eric drew one of the toughest fighters in the first round, but that’s what we want,” Basran’s promoter Dan Otter (Three Lions Promotions) added. “We want Eric to fight the best to be the best.”
All winners of the 16 preliminary round bouts advance to the next round in June.
The single-elimination tournament is being streamed live exclusively on www.dazn.com/wbc, featuring a total of 128 fighters in four weight classes - featherweight, super lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight – and the preliminary round concludes this Sunday.
All fighters will be subject to random drug testing in compliance with the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program, as well as Riyadh Season’s commitment to VADA testing.
Basran, fighting out of Surrey, British Columbia, as an amateur was a four-time Canadian National Champion, who won the 2019 Canadian Olympic Qualifier, in addition to capturing a bronze medal at the 2019 Commonwealth Games.
The opening round of 32 matches are scheduled six-round bouts, which increases to eight for the final rounds in each division, and participating fighters represent more than 40 countries from around the world.
In addition to the $200,000 winner’s purse, the four divisional winners will receive the Jose Sulaimán Trophy, named after the late WBC President Jose Sulaimán, who first envisioned a prospect-based Boxing Grand Prix more than a decade ago.
There is open scoring after the second and fourth rounds, a buzzer sounds 30 seconds prior to the end of each round, instant replay may be implemented, and no draws are guaranteed.
INFORMATION:
Website: www.threelionspromotions.com
Facebook: /ThreeLionsPromotions /ericbasranboxing
Instagram: @3LionsPromotions @ericbasranboxing
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Undefeated Carl Jammes Martin Plots Next Move as New Year Unfolds
Mon, 29 Dec 2025Alvin Gayeta Roma leads Mansa Engineering Consultancy Team B to rule New York Chess Academy Team Tournament; pockets P100,000
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 29 Dec 2025Llover, Casimero stop foes in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Dec 2025Organizing Committee Meets for Dr. Eugene Torre Rapid Chess Tournament Honoring FIL-CHI’s Golden Anniversary
Sun, 28 Dec 2025KEYSHAWN DAVIS RETURNS ON THE RING 6 UNDERCARD AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Sun, 28 Dec 2025IM Datu captures 4th IIEE Chess SIKAT, Jeremy Marticio repeat champ for 5th mini-tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 27 Dec 2025THE RING 6: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS INOUE AND PICASSO CLASH IN RIYADH
Fri, 26 Dec 2025THE RING 6: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 26 Dec 2025THE RING 6: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI OPEN WORKOUTS COMPLETE AS UNDISPUTED KING INOUE GETS READY FOR PICASSO CLASH IN RIYADH
Thu, 25 Dec 20253-Time, 2-Division World Champion & IBF No. 1, Mandatory Bantamweight World Title Challenger Miyo Yoshida long overdue for her 8th World title fight
Thu, 25 Dec 2025Game On! 1st Paower Pickleball Cup Ignites Action in San Fernando
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 25 Dec 2025Late Replacement Tellez Ready to Shock the World Against Amanda Serrano for WBA & WBO Featherweight Titles on January 3 in Puerto Rico
Wed, 24 Dec 2025The Pryce is right again!
Wed, 24 Dec 2025Postal Stamp Honoring Muhammad Ali will be present in January 15
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 24 Dec 2025O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SIGNS LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH MATCHROOM BOXING
Wed, 24 Dec 2025