Boxing in Saudi Arabia is growing in popularity, with the involvement of Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season. Many of the best fighters in the sport have fought in Riyadh, and this has seemingly influenced the next generation of fighters. Here are three Saudi Arabian boxers to watch out for.
Saudi Arabian Boxers: Three Rising Stars to Watch
Ziyad Almaayouf
Ziyad Almaayouf (7-0-1, 1 KO) has appeared on some of the biggest Riyadh Season cards, including Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov. Almaayouf remains undefeated, but his performances have not always been convincing. Last time out, he impressed, staying behind his jab and beating Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira 60-54 in a welterweight contest.
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“Zizo” has high hopes for the future “I don’t want to just be a boxer but a spokesperson where I could change the perceptions and the conceptions that people have of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi people,” said Amaayouf.
Sulaiman Abbar
Next on our list is super lightweight fighter Sulaiman Abbar (5-0, 5 KOs), who has won every fight in his professional career. He picks his punches well but carries that fight ending power in the super lightweight division. His most notable win came against Adam Ngange. He’s patient with his work and impressively varies the angles of attack.
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Mohammed Alakel
The pick of the Saudi Arabian boxers coming through is unbeaten lightweight prospect Mohammed Alakel (4-0, 0 KOs), trained by Joe Gallagher. He has dominated all four of his opponents thus far, showcasing impressive shot selection. He has shown an ability to implement Gallagher’s tactics mid-fight. Alakel is disciplined and uses his jab effectively to control the distance in his fights.
The Riyadh native moves his feet well to control the distance, ensuring he gets his shots off while remaining hard to hit. The future looks bright for Mohammed Alakel.
