Boxing Fever Hits Bahrain

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Royal Rumble IV moved a step closer last night as fighters from Bahrain’s Royal Guard and the UK Armed Forces made their official weight at Euro Motors Boutique in The Avenues, turning a routine pre-fight procedure into a full-scale boxing spectacle. Fans, families, and former world champions packed the floor, giving the weigh-ins the gravity of a major international event, while popular Bahrain-Moroccan singer Amal Al Anbary performed live. Under the patronage of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the long-awaited showdown gets underway tonight at 7pm at the Crowne Plaza, with all proceeds supporting the Royal Humanitarian Foundation.

The Royal Guard enter this week with confidence after a solid showing in September at the International Boxing Night in Catterick Garrison, England, where six Bahraini boxers stepped into the ring against British Army fighters and came home with two hard-earned victories. They served as valuable rounds that sharpened them for tonight’s clash with the UKAF.

Speaking exclusively to The Daily Tribune moments after the final fighter stepped off the scales, special guest and two-time world champion Amir Khan said he was struck by the physical condition and mental sharpness on both sides. “Both teams looked ready, really ready,” Khan said, noting there was no obvious advantage for either camp. “Nobody looked drained or outmatched. These are going to be close, competitive fights.” He added that the atmosphere around the weigh-ins showed how quickly boxing is growing in the kingdom: “Events like this raise the level in Bahrain. One day, I’d love to bring a full professional show here.”

Joining him was Bahrain’s national boxing coach Tony Davis, who leads the Royal Guard squad and has overseen the sport’s rise in the country. In the same interview, he told TDT that Bahrain’s fighters were “not here to take part, they’re here to show what Bahraini boxing has become.” Davis credited the system built under HH Shaikh Khalid as the reason the Royal Guard continue to develop into a respected force. Khan agreed wholeheartedly, calling Davis “the backbone of Bahrain’s boxing surge” and saying that what he has built “would be impossible for most coaches to replicate”.

The weigh-ins themselves revealed the night’s matchups to be evenly balanced. Junior standout Abdulrahman Al Mudahki of Bahrain came in just under 60kg for his opener against Saudi Arabia’s Rayan Altayaar. Isaac Zaman of the Royal Guard matched perfectly with the UKAF’s Dylan Swales at 68.05kg, while Israel Davis of Bahrain hit 90.9kg ahead of Dominik Zieba of the UK. Heavyweight Isaac Augustine of the Royal Guard weighed a formidable 112.05kg opposite UKAF’s Kieran Cooper at 102.25kg, and Abdulla Alabdullah checked in at 66.7kg before meeting Britain’s Blaine Lambert. The main event was sealed when Prakash Limbu and Leon Moulds, long-time rivals, both weighed in around 63.5kg, setting the stage for their third chapter.

Limbu, who has lost twice to Moulds but maintains the first defeat was controversial, was defiant. He told TDT that returning to fight in Bahrain changes everything. “That first one, I don’t even count,” he said. “People know I should’ve had it. But this is different. This is home. In front of His Highness and our people, I’m not letting this one go.”

Women’s standout Maryam Khamis, preparing for her high-profile 57kg bout with Saudi Arabia’s Khaltoum Hantoul, struck a confident tone of her own. She said after the weigh-ins that fighting in Bahrain gives her a mindset she cannot replicate anywhere else. “This is my home. I have no way to lose,” she declared, before flashing her trademark, crowd-pleasing warning, “Easy guys, easy,” which immediately drew cheers and laughter.

With a sold-out venue expected, a charity auction lined up for the interval, and a guest list stacked with former world champions, Royal Rumble IV now steps into the spotlight. For Bahrain’s Royal Guard, it is a night of national pride. For the UK Armed Forces, a test of their travelling squad’s resolve. And for everyone in attendance, as Amir Khan put it, it promises to be “a fight night with heart - exactly what makes Bahrain special.”