(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: When Zuhayr Al-Qahtani enters the ONE Championship Circle for the first time on March 1, 'The Arabian Warrior' knows that he'll be carrying the hopes and dreams of the entire Middle East on his shoulders.
The stakes are high as Saudi Arabia's undefeated pugilist squares off against French-Algerian star Mehdi Zatout in a 147-pound boxing match at ONE 166: Qatar.
As Al-Qahtani steps into the spotlight, he is acutely aware that the eyes of the world will be on him. Emanating from the magnificent Lusail Sports Arena, the promotion's first on-ground event in Qatar will be broadcast live to over 190 countries, making it a truly global affair.
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The magnitude of this responsibility is not lost on the 34-year-old, who plans to make the most of the opportunity and inspire people all across the Middle East with his performance.
“It means a lot to represent the region. It feels like the entire region's weight is on my shoulders. I am just here to please the fans. That's my main aspiration,” he said.
Competing on such a grand scale is a dream for any athlete, and Al-Qahtani doesn't take this honor lightly.
“Joining ONE was something that had to be done. ONE is a giant. I could not turn down the opportunity to sign with ONE. It was a dream come true to sign up for a platform like ONE. I needed to be part of this giant,” he stated.
“Being part of ONE can revolutionize my whole life, my whole future. It can bring me closer to goals that need to be done. This fight will be just the start, the stepping stone to something bigger.”
Over the past five years, ONE has firmly established itself as an international sports juggernaut, boasting world-class athletes from more than 80 countries.
Its premium live shows encompass a diverse array of disciplines, including MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, submission grappling, and more.
While ONE has predominantly been known for its diverse combat sports offerings, Al-Qahtani's bout against Zatout marks only the second time the world's largest martial arts organization has staged a boxing match.
The first one, held in October 2018, featured Srisaket Sor Rungvisai successfully defending the WBC Super Flyweight World Title against Iran Diaz in front of a partisan crowd in Bangkok, Thailand.
Al-Qahtani acknowledges it could be difficult to follow such an iconic showdown, but he is prepared to meet and exceed expectations.
“All I can tell you now is that it will be an exciting fight and will probably be the best fight of the show,” he declared.
With the region emerging as a hotbed for boxing, Al-Qahtani believes that aligning himself with ONE puts him on the path to realizing his dream of becoming a World Champion.
“To represent the Middle East on the world stage and win a World Title is my greatest goal,” he said.“That's what I really want to happen, making history as a representative of the Arab world and the Middle East.”
Fans can purchase tickets for ONE 166: Qatar at Virgin Megastore or Q-Ticket !
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