WBC Boxing Grand Prix Phase II set for June 20-21 in Riyadh
The WBC Boxing Grand Prix is set for its next phase.
The groundbreaking tournament will return for its second wave of bouts on June 20 and June 21, live on DAZN from Global Theatre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All 64 remaining participants will compete across four weight divisions - featherweight, junior welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight - in a bid to advance to the quarterfinal round.
A decades-long vision of late, former longtime WBC president José Sulaimán came to fruition this past April in Riyadh.
“The event represented the realization of a long-held aspiration of our late Great Lifetime President Don José Sulaimán, which was ultimately brought to fruition through the support of Riyadh Season and His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh," noted the sanctioning body.
The first wave the tournament featured 128 prospects, all of whom fought over a four-day span. The winners from those bouts are now set to return in hopes of claiming the Jose Sulaimán Trophy, awarded to the last boxer standing in each weight division.
All 32 bouts are scheduled for six rounds apiece. As was the case with the first round of action in April mong the unique rules in place:
- There will be a confirmed winner in every bout.
- Tiebreaker procedures are in place in the event that the scores are knotted at the end of six rounds. In addition to the 10-point must-system, judges are required to grade the advantage for the winning boxer of that round: C (close), M (moderate), D (decisive) or E (extreme).
- Open scoring will be implemented, a common practice for WBC-sanctioned global bouts (excluding the U.S., U.K. and select other markets).
- Instant replay will be fully utilized to confirm in-ring rulings (knockdowns, fouls, etc.) or for immediate protest if it is believed such a call was missed.
- In addition to the 10-second clapper and the final bell, a 30-second buzzer will sound – with the intention to motivate the boxers to pick up the pace, particularly in perceived close rounds.
- Green and gold corners will replace the traditional red and blue. Boxers will wear uniforms in accordance with this color scheme, reflective of the WBC belt.
- All boxers are subject to random drug testing as contracted through VADA.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.