Tough clashes on the cards as stage set for second edition of Rising Stars Arabia

The “Rising Star Arabia: The Revolution”, which is the latest version of The Rising Stars Arabia (RSA) series, will kick off Saturday, at Yas Links Golf Course in Abu Dhabi.

The series is promoted by AAM Seddiqi Sports and sponsored by the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), while a constellation of the best Arab and global boxers will participate therein.

The organising committee of the big event disclosed its details during a press conference held at the Yas Links Golf Course in Abu Dhabi on Friday, which also witnessed the official procedures of weighing for the boxers who will participate in the event.

Moroccan super featherweight Moussa Gholam (20-1, 12 KOs) will headline The 10-round co-featured event, as he will take on South African “Baby” Lunga Sitemela (15-1, 9 KOs) in the main event.

The 28-year-old Gholam Gholam is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental and WBC Youth Silver Super Featherweight Champion. Sitemela is a former South African Super Featherweight Champion.

Gholam, who was rated No. 14 by the World Boxing Council WBC) at the time, was originally scheduled to headline the inaugural “Rising Stars Arabia” event this past September 9.  However, he was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during training camp, but he returns eager to establish himself as the future of Arab boxing in his Middle East debut fight.

The hometown favorite Fahad “Kid Emirati” Al Bloushi (12-1, 2 KOs), will defend the UAE hopes in the event, as he will confront the Venezuelan veteran Milner Marcano (24-12, 20 KOs), in a mission that will never be easy.

Bloushi, the pride of UAE, and one of the most prominent emerging boxers, who recently invaded the professional boxing realm, has won his last 11 fights in a row.

The series will feature also another Emirati boxer, Fahad Al Khouri, who conducted two fights and won both by knockout. Khouri aspires to proceed with a victorious demonstration, when he will face the Pakistani, Shahrzad Suhail, in the middleweight. 

There are also more fights which will feature exceptional boxing talents, such as the Iraqi, Ameer Kadhum Ghaneem, who will confront the Mexican, Beverly Gonzales, while the Syrian, Mohammad Baqdash, will defend his dreams, against the Tanzanian, Sha’ban Kongo, in the heavyweight. It is noteworthy in this regard that Baqdash came to Abu Dhabi in very high morale, as he met his family in the UAE Capital for the first time in 13 years.

The promoter Ahmed Seddiqi, welcomed the emerging boxers who will participate in the series, and wished them good luck.

“2024 will be a significant year for Rising Stars Arabia. It’s the second edition of the series and we are thrilled to have world-class boxer Moussa Gholam perform globally on DAZN and ESPN KO. We’re also excited about other exceptional talents such as UAE national Fahad Ali Baloushi, whom we staunchly support, to upgrade the Emirati and Arab boxing”, Seddiqi said.

“The event aims to provide the rising Arab boxers with an access to the realm of professional boxing through conducting thrilling fights against strong competitors. We are fully confident that the series will be presented in the proper manner and will achieve its goals, amidst this congregation of the young boxers”, he added. 

“My hope is for Moroccans to come support their fighter, Emiratis to back their warrior, and all other Arab nationals on the card to have their supporters and fanbase present live on January 13th at Yas Links Abu Dhabi. None of this would have been possible without our partners from the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi and our broadcasting partners, DAZN and ESPN KO,” Seddiqi concluded.