Mauricio Sulaiman and Turki Alalshikh unveiled the WBC Grand Prix of Boxing during the 62nd annual World Boxing Council Convention in Hamburg, Germany. This innovative tournament will feature 128 young prospects competing across four weight classes, with the aim of showcasing the future stars of the sport.
The Grand Prix, inspired by the late Jose Sulaiman’s vision, will include fighters no older than 26 with no more than 10 professional bouts. The competition begins in February and will feature quarterfinals and semifinals fought over eight rounds, culminating in 10-round finals held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The selected weight classes are featherweight, junior welterweight, middleweight, and heavyweight.
During the event, Turki Alalshikh was honored as the WBC’s Man of the Year, joining a prestigious list of past recipients including Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis. Alalshikh took the stage to address the boxing world, calling for former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko to consider a return to the ring. He suggested Klitschko could face the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch on December 21 or the February 22 clash between IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker.
The WBC Grand Prix promises to be a global platform for rising talent, with its unique format and high-profile backing from the WBC and Saudi Arabia.
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