Sponsors sought for Laila Ali fight in UAE

Leah Oatway

• Last Updated: November 13. 2009 12:44AM UAE / November 12. 2009 8:44PM GMT

DUBAI // The news that boxing promoters are looking at bringing the former women’s world super middleweight champion Laila Ali to Dubai has been greeted with cautious optimism by fight fans.

Several attempts to bring the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali to the UAE have failed because of problems securing sponsorship.

But the US-based MMA promoters Xtreme Kombat League (XKL), who have a permanent office in Dubai, are determined to bring Ali to the city within the next 12 months.

“Eric [Rafiq– CEO and president of XKL] was here in Dubai and I told him what an icon Muhammad Ali is in the region. We approached the authorities, who were enthusiastic,” said Viju Jacob, the head of marketing for XKL in Dubai.

“Ali’s people said yes. Now we need to handle the thing. Laila Ali doesn’t come cheap.”

The XKL team are currently seeking sponsors for the launch of their “Road to Dubai” MMA title fight event, scheduled to take place during the Dubai Shopping Festival in February.

Sponsors also need to be secured for the Ali fight before promoters can reveal any details.

If XKL are successful in their bid to host Ali’s return to the ring they will be the first to secure such a high-profile bout in the Emirates.

Leonard Daniels, events manager for the Aviation Club’s Tennis Stadium, said he had received calls from promoters asking if the venue could, and would, host a Laila Ali bout, but no one had followed up.

Ryan D’Arcy, 32, a civil engineer and amateur boxer, hopes the fight will happen.

“I would be excited to see it, it would be a live fight and she is related to one of the greats,” he said. “But it would have to be very carefully matched.”



loatway@thenational.ae