In 2018 Kingdom hosts Race Of Champions and World Boxing Super Series

Saudi Arabia will host the first World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight final in May next year as well as its first-ever international motorsport event, featuring stars from Formula One, World Rally Championship, IndyCar, NASCAR, sportscars and touring cars competing against each other.

President of Saudi Arabia’s General Sports Authority, Turki al-Sheikh, signed agreements with the organizers during a trip to London this week.

“This agreement is part of our broader commitment and work to develop the sport of boxing in Saudi Arabia,” al-Sheikh said.

The Race Of Champions will be held in early 2018 at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh according to motorsport.com.

The ROC will feature superstar drivers from across the world of motorsport for a final, winner-takes-all showdown in celebration of the 2017 season. Formula 1, Le Mans, IndyCar and Rallycross will all be represented in ROC’s unique head-to-head competition to determine the next Champion of Champions.

“Further details, driver announcements and exact dates for ROC’s Saudi Arabian debut will be announced shortly, but the General Sports Authority has confirmed that Race Of Champions will be a family event, open to both genders and feature drivers, exhibitions and activities all suitable for the Kingdom’s specific cultural requirements,” motorsport.com reported quoting an official statement.

“Our organization is honored to be working with the President of the General Sports Authority, his Excellency Turki al-Sheikh, to bring Race Of Champions to the region for the first time in the event’s 30-year history,” Fredrik Johnsson, Race Of Champions President said.

“As motorsport’s most forward-thinking property, ROC is an event perfectly suited to Saudi Arabia, which is emerging as a modern sports market on the global stage”.

Riyadh’s 75,000-capacity King Fahd Stadium will join a list of prestigious venues to have hosted ROC that include Beijing’s Bird’s Nest and London’s Olympic stadiums, the iconic Stade de France in Paris and Wembley Stadium in London.

تركي آل الشيخ

Boxing Final in Saudi Arabia

In May 2018 Jeddah will host the first World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Final after an agreement was signed between World Boxing Super Series organizer and owner Comosa AG and The General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia.

The event’s penultimate prize, the Muhammad Ali trophy, will be awarded to the winner of the contest in the final stage of the inaugural season, which has seen growing worldwide attention and broadcast coverage across more the 60 countries since its launch back in July.

“Having the first final of such a high profile and groundbreaking tournament take place in Saudi Arabia is a key milestone for us, and will be one of many major sports events to take place in the Kingdom next year,” Fightnews.com quoted al-Sheikh.

“The interest in boxing amongst the young generation is there and growing rapidly, which is why the GSA is also working to form a grassroots partnership with one of the largest international boxing federations to promote the sport. Our involvement in the Muhammad Ali trophy is the perfect way to step up our engagement in boxing, given how popular and well respected this great sporting athlete has always been.”

Roberto Dalmiglio, CEO of Comosa said that his organization has seen huge and growing interest in the World Boxing Super Series from fight fans, broadcasters, commercial partners and venue owners from the major boxing markets around the world.

“The competition to host the cruiserweight final has been fierce, and we are delighted to be able to announce the winner, I am sure that Saudi Arabia will lay on a fitting finale to the first year of the WBSS and first award of the Muhammad Ali trophy!” he said.

Russia’s IBF World Champion Murat Gassiev faces against Poland’s former world champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk this Saturday in the US city of Newark, New Jersey in the quarter final

The winner will progress to the semifinals in January next year ahead of the Jeddah finale.