The WBC Grand Prix Riyadh Season kicks off on Thursday with a spectacular boxing tournament in knockout mode – featuring numerous German boxers!
On Thursday, April 17, the WBC Grand Prix Riyadh Season kicks off – an international knockout boxing tournament that is unique in its form worldwide. The “Season” is a newly created, multi-month tournament format, which is being implemented by the World Boxing Council (WBC) together with the organizer Riyadh Season from Saudi Arabia – a spectacular boxing series, the likes of which professional sport has not seen on this scale for a long time.
What is the “WBC Grand Prix Riyadh Season”?
The “Season” is a top-class boxing tournament with 128 participants from over 40 nations, who compete against each other in four weight classes – featherweight, super lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight – in the classic knockout system. There are 32 fighters per weight class. The tournament comprises a total of 64 duels in the first round alone.
The special features:
- No draw – there has to be a winner
- Open scoring after each round
- Video replay of controversial scenes
- Six rounds per fight
- WBC sanctioning: Every fight is officially recognized
What is the schedule for the tournament?
The season begins on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. German time with the featherweight fights.
The following tournament days are scheduled as follows:
- Friday (April 18) – Super lightweight
- Saturday (April 19) – Middleweight
- Sunday (April 20) – Heavyweight
Will German boxers step into the ring?
Numerous German boxers and boxers active in Germany are also taking part, including:
- Viktor Jurk (11-0), heavyweight
- Samvel Gasoyan (2-0), heavyweight
- Brian Zwart (6-0), heavyweight
- Anas El Abid (15-1), middleweight
- Serkay Cömert (9-0), middleweight
- Alexander Kovrigin (8-0), featherweight
P2M heavyweight Viktor Jurk in particular will compete against top-class opponents in the heavyweight division – including Lazizbek Mullojonov, who won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Text by Robin Josten