Moroccan super featherweight Moussa Gholam (20-1, 12 KOs) will headline “Rising Stars Arabia: The Revolution,” promoted by AAM Seddiqi Sports and sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi), on March 13. January. at the Yas Links golf course in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Rising Stars Arabia (RSA) series is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and provides a platform to showcase the best of Arab boxing talent to international and regional audiences. .
Sanctioned by the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission, “Rising Star Arabia: The Revolution” will air live on DAZN and ESPN Knockout, as well as Abu Dhabi Sports TV, starting at 8 pm UAEST (11 am EST and 8 am PST ).
“2024 will be an important year for Rising Stars Arabia,” said promoter Ahmed Seddiqi. “It is the second edition of the series and we are delighted that world-class boxer Moussa Gholam will be featured globally on DAZN and ESPN KO. We are also excited about other exceptional talents such as UAE national Fahad Ali Baloushi, Bader Samreen and Iraq’s extraordinary talent Amer Kadhum Ghaneem.
“My hope is that the Moroccans will support their fighter, the Emiratis will support their warrior and all the other Arab citizens on the card will have their followers and fans present live on January 13 at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. “None of this would have been possible without our partners at the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and our broadcast partners, DAZN and ESPN Knockout.”
Gholam, who was ranked 14th by the World Boxing Council (WBC) at the time, was originally scheduled to headline the inaugural “Rising Stars Arabia” event on September 9. However, he was forced to withdraw due to an injury sustained during training camp, but returns eager to establish himself as the future of Arab boxing in his debut fight in the Middle East.
Gholam, 28, will face South African “Baby” Lunga Sitemela (15-1, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Gholam is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) and WBC Intercontinental Youth Silver Super Featherweight Champion. Sitemela is a former South African super featherweight champion.
The 10-round co-main event pits local favorite Fahad “Kid Emirati” Al Bloushi (12-1, 2 KOs) against veteran Milner Marcano (24-12, 20 KOs) of Argentina. Al Bloushi, the pride of the United Arab Emirates, has won his last 11 fights in a row.
A special lightweight attraction features red-hot Bader “The Master” Samreen (9-0, 8 KOs), Jordan’s first professional boxer, against Britain’s Jeff Ofori (13-5-2, 4 KOs) in a 10- round combat. Samreen, 23, captured a bronze medal as an amateur at the 2018 AIBA World Junior Championships. He turned professional in 2021 and moved to Dubai to further his boxing career.
Opening the evening’s broadcast segment is one of boxing’s best-kept secrets: Syria’s undefeated cruiserweight force, Mohammed “The Destroyer” Bekdash (26-0, 23 KOs), in an eight-round bout against Shaban Hamadi Jongo (11-3). -2, 10 KOs), from Tanzania. Devastating puncher Bekdash has a 14-fight knockout streak dating back to 2015, while dangerous Jongo is a former Tanzanian cruiserweight champion.
Iraqi light heavyweight Amer Kadhum Ghaneem (2-0, 1 KO) will fight on the undercard in six-round bouts. Hisham Osama Majed Elsimreen (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Marcela Germán Rodríguez (0-1), from Argentina Riva Kundimang (9-7-2, 5 KOs), from Indonesia, at a weight of 152 pounds.
Also scheduled to be in action, all in four rounds, are Moroccan Anas Hafiane (1-0, 1 KO) against Ugandan Batamazee Iddi (0-1) at 143 pounds, Saudi Arabian super lightweight Sulaiman Abbar (1-0, 0 KOs) against Tanzania’s Salum Omari (1-2 (0 KOs) and UAE middleweight Fahad Alkhoori (2-0, 2 KOs) against Pakistan’s Shahzada Sohail (0- 3).
