A headline fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr represents the frontrunner for Matchroom Boxing’s return to Abu Dhabi this summer – although Manny Pacquiao remains in the frame for a comeback bout in the capital.
Promoters Matchroom, who last year signed a long-term agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT), are putting together plans for a June 3 show at Etihad Arena, as a follow-up to their successful debut in the emirate in November.
That event, the first in the "Champion Series", was headlined by WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s victory against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.
An encounter featuring Benn and Eubank Jr is in the offing for Matchroom’s second Abu Dhabi event, as is a bout between Benn and Pacquiao. The latter, boxing’s only eight-division champion, retired from the sport in August 2021, but has been in negotiations regarding a return against Benn.
Speaking to The National, Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith said at present Benn-Eubank Jr was in pole position for June 3. The pair were slated to fight at O2 Arena in England in October, only for the bout to be cancelled 24 hours beforehand after Benn tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in August.
“We’ve got a date now from the DCT and Etihad Arena that works - June 3 - and we’re just going through the process,” Smith said. “We’ve got multiple options, whether we look at Dmitry Bivol again.
“But the main focus for us right now is Conor Benn. There’s a lot of talk about the Manny Pacquiao fight, but a big fight we’re looking at as well is the Chris Eubank Jr fight, which sold out the O2 in a matter of minutes. So that’s the focus for us to try and get over the line.”
Asked which fight was more likely at this stage, Smith added: “I think [Benn-Eubank Jr] is the frontrunner we’re working on. There’s a lot of talk about the Pacquiao fight as well in the background across social media, but [Benn-Eubank Jr] is something we’re focusing quite heavily on at the minute, trying to see if can make that one happen. A lot of work going into that currently.”
Smith said he hoped to announce Benn’s next bout within the next week. The unbeaten welterweight, the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn, was last month cleared by the WBC of intentionally doping and subsequently restored to their rankings.
However, Benn is currently prohibited by the British Boxing Board of Control from competing in the UK. In recent weeks, Benn has repeatedly protested his innocence.
“The one thing about Conor Benn right now is he will fight anyone,” Smith said. “That’s why we‘re talking about all the names that have been mentioned. Whether it’s Manny Pacquiao, [retired former welterweight champion] Kell Brook, Chris Eubank Jr. He will literally go in with anyone; he wants the biggest fight possible.
“He’s obviously had some time out of the ring now that he’s focused on getting a massive fight. And they’re very excited by the prospect of coming to Abu Dhabi.”
Smith said Benn, 21-0 as a professional, was understandably keen to put the past five months of turmoil behind him.
“One hundred per cent,” Smith said. “The focus always was to clear his name. He could’ve boxed a week after the situation happened if he wanted to, in another territory.
“But it was always his focus to put the work in to clear his name with his team. That’s been a four- or five-month process, probably one of the hardest processes he’ll ever go through in his life.
“So, as I said, the focus is completely set now on moving forward, continuing the journey he was on. And taking the biggest fight possible, because he believes in his ability.
“He’s 26 years old and has a huge future ahead of him. He’s stayed in the gym throughout, has been training very hard, and we’re looking forward to seeing him back in the ring.”
Smith said Matchroom are convinced Benn-Eubank Jr in Abu Dhabi would generate “massive” interest given it would appeal to both the local and expat market, as well as attract visitors from outside the UAE – particularly the UK.
Eubank Jr, 32-3 as a pro, is the son of the former two-division world champion, and long-time rival to Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank.
“The key obviously for the travelling fans is to make sure we can get the fight up and running and out there as soon as possible, so people can start making their plans,” Smith said.
Filipino Pacquiao, meanwhile, retired from boxing following his unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas 19 months ago - the bout followed a two-year hiatus. He then ran, unsuccessfully, for the presidency of the Philippines.
On Wednesday, MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons told ESPN that Pacquiao, 44, “wants to fight again and feels he can do it at the highest level. And this [Benn] fight was presented to him by [Matchroom Sport chairman] Eddie Hearn, and he agreed. Ball is in Eddie Hearn’s court. Pacquiao ready to go”.
On Friday, Smith told The National: “Let’s be honest, Manny Pacquiao is probably one of the biggest names in the past 20 or 30 years in professional boxing. And still very relevant as well.
“And in great shape also. People talk about his age, but Manny Pacquiao has never stopped training. You see him in the gym, he looks as good as ever.
“And sometimes, with some of these fighters, a bit like when Vladimir Klitschko fought Anthony Joshua [in 2017], he was 41 years old and that gave us one of the best nights we ever saw in the boxing ring. And although he’s retired, Conor hasn’t been in with fighters anywhere near the level of Manny Pacquiao, so we have to be realistic.
“So I think he can still cause him problems. People at certain points in Conor’s career wrote him off that he didn’t have the ability. This is the kind of fight we get to see if Conor can go to the top. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t Manny Pacquiao of 10-15 years ago, but it’s still a hugely talented fighter who’s still got a lot left to give the sport.”
As for the talks between Matchroom and Pacquiao’s team, Smith said: “Look, they really want the fight. His management team are talking to us every single hour of the day. It’s something we’ve been discussing for a while now, and I think it’s something that we can make very quickly.
“As I say, there’s a number of options to look at and all have got their strengths. And Pacquiao is definitely up there as well.”
Smith said Matchroom are targeting two events in Abu Dhabi this year having proven what they could offer with their inaugural "Champion Series" show last November.
“Now the focus for us is to keep building and deliver this event in June,” Smith said. “Hopefully then deliver another event later in the year.
“We’ve had good conversations with the [Abu Dhabi] Sports Council as well as with the DCT around the broader growth of boxing in the market. We’re working on a longer-term, broader plan of how we grow boxing and how we bring new eyeballs into the sport. And that’s very exciting. That’s how we’re going to build momentum for the sport.”
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Factfile on Garbine Muguruza:
Name: Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
World ranking: 15 (will rise to 5 on Monday)
Date of birth: October 8, 1993
Place of birth: Caracas, Venezuela
Place of residence: Geneva, Switzerland
Height: 6ft (1.82m)
Career singles titles: 4
Grand Slam titles: 2 (French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2017)
Career prize money: $13,928,719
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
