WBC Boxing Grand Prix Crowns Four World Champions In Riyadh

The WBC Boxing Grand Prix, held as part of the Riyadh Season at Boulevard City, ended after eight months of contests with a final card of four title fights. Champions in featherweight, super-lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions were decided by unanimous decisions in bouts marked by strong pace and close competition.

Each category winner received a symbolic World Boxing Council belt and a cash award of $100,000, while every finalist earned $50,000. The event formed part of wider efforts in Saudi Arabia to grow international boxing, attract global athletes, and provide organised opportunities for future stars to compete on a major stage.

Final honours went to Brandon Mejía Mosqueda in featherweight, Carlos Utria in super-lightweight, Dylan Biggs in middleweight and Kevin Ramirez in heavyweight. All four champions won on the judges’ scorecards without split results, confirming clear decisions across every division as spectators at Boulevard City followed the action throughout the evening.

The middleweight final saw Australian boxer Dylan Biggs secure the title through a unanimous decision after a contest shaped by forceful combinations and careful tactical control. Biggs’ performance placed the boxer among the first group of WBC Boxing Grand Prix champions, giving the fighter a notable result in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

The WBC Boxing Grand Prix followed a professional format approved by the World Boxing Council and took place under a partnership with Riyadh Season. This cooperation aimed to build a recognised global platform where rising boxers could display their abilities, compete under international rules, and gain exposure within a structured entertainment schedule in Saudi Arabia.

The tournament’s opening phase started in April and involved 128 boxers representing more than 40 countries. These early rounds were designed to identify promising names in world boxing, with athletes progressing through a series of matches to reach the final night at Boulevard City, where four divisional champions were confirmed.

In December 2024, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Turki Alalshikh announced the launch of the tournament in partnership with WBC, explaining that the competition would act as a global platform to support young talents striving to compete at the highest level under the Riyadh Season umbrella.

Heavyweight honours went to Argentine boxer Kevin Ramirez, who beat Bosnian opponent Ahmed Krnjić by unanimous decision after controlling the tempo across the rounds amid strong crowd involvement. In the featherweight final, Mexican boxer Brandon Mejía Mosqueda overcame Italian boxer Muhamet Qamili, showing speed and timing that underlined Mosqueda’s status as a rising name in the division.

The super-lightweight title bout featured Colombian boxer Carlos Utria against Uzbek boxer Mujibillo Tursunov, with Utria taking a unanimous decision after a match noted for constant exchanges and pressure until the final rounds. Together, the four finals completed the first WBC Boxing Grand Prix, adding another international boxing event to the Riyadh Season calendar.

With inputs from SPA