BAHRAIN’S boxers put on a fabulous and fearsome display in front of a passionate home crowd of fans at the first-ever international championship event in the Gulf region.
The debut Bahrain and Kuwait International Boxing Championship took place in front of a black tie audience at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain ballroom.
“What a fantastic night for fight fans,” said Bahrain national boxing coach Tony Davis.
“I couldn’t have asked for more - our fighters were fantastic.”
The night started off well for Bahrain with schoolboy Ali Bukhalaf opening the night with an impressive victory over Mohammed Al Anezi.
The next three fights went Kuwait’s way with Rashid Fawaz beating Sayed Fadhel, Hudafa Mohamed narrowly taking Mohammed Mahdhi and Khalid Al Rashoud securing victory over a solid Qassim Osama.
Bahrain took the front foot when the elite fighters took to the ring.
To a vocal crowd screaming ‘come on Bahrain’ mighty Mohammed Bilal did not disappoint. He was the first-ever boxer to represent Bahrain at an international tournament in Bangkok at the Asian Elite Championships and powered to victory over Humood Al Mutairi whose corner had to throw in the towel in the third round.
Impressive team captain Yousuf AlBalooshi led the fighters in this event, and provided the entertainment value too with an ‘Ali shuffle’ and a powerful performance against Dhari Humood.
Solid Ali Saeed outpowered A. Rahman Mohammed and Bahrain’s Abdulla Fadhel disposed of A. Rahman Faraj.
The final bout was an awesome battle between dynamic Denis Latypov against A. Rahman Ramadan with the awesome Latypov’s arm being raised by the referee.
The Bahrain Boxing Federation (BBF), which comes under the umbrella of the Bahrain Combat Sports Council, organised the event under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Shaikh Khalid in the fight programme said: “Our goal is to have Bahrain boxers at the Olympic Games.”
Judging from last night’s performances his dream is likely to be realised.
editor@gdnonline.com