LONDON: Boxers set to take part in the Riyadh Season Card fight on Saturday in Los Angeles said they were “excited” to be part of such a strong lineup.
The feature bout is the WBA super-welterweight world title fight between Uzbek boxer Israil Madrimov and American Terence Crawford.
Madrimov said the fight was the biggest one in his career so far and pointed out that fighting the best boxer in the world was a dream come true.
Crawford thanked Madrimov for accepting the challenge and said many people had underestimated his opponent. But he added that regardless of how the fight ended, whether by knockout, technical decision, submission, or judges’ decision, he expected to win.
Saudi boxer Ziyad Almaayouf is included on the undercard and said he wants to win his fight not just for the Kingdom but for the Arab world.
“I just love the story that I am in because it’s a multigenerational story,” he said at a press conference on Thursday at the Chinese Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
“Every generation you get a power puncher, but it is rare to find a history maker, a superhero, and a symbol representing not only a city or a country but the Arab world.
“I want to make history again on Saturday to become the first professional Saudi boxer to fight in the US. What I am doing now is not for myself, but for the fighters who will come after me from Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.”
Eddie Hearn, chairman of promotion company Matchroom Sport, said: “Here in Santa Monica we’re hearing remarkable feedback about the upcoming encounters on Saturday, which will set BMO Stadium on fire with the presence of boxers from the US and Mexico, as fighters will engage in one of the biggest fights this country has ever seen.”
Spencer Brown, an agent representing several of the participating boxers, agreed.
“This fight is not only important in the US but globally,” he said. “What distinguishes these confrontations is the difficulty in predicting who will win, as all competitors have the abilities and enthusiasm to achieve victory and improve their records.”
