Pinoy OFWs back up historic Dubai card

It’s all systems go for the historic card that Third Force Promotions will stage in Dubai on April 4 and from early indications, the triple world championship bill will break attendance records at the 10,000-seat, open-air Aviation Arena.

Third Force president Noli Eala, who arrived from Dubai on a five-day visit last Wednesday, said a “formidable” group of public and private investors led by New Generations Ltd. is hosting the event to be held in a Wimbledon-like stadium, where Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras once played an exhibition match, only 10 minutes from the airport.

Eala said he met with consul-general Vivencio Vicente Badilla and Ramon Pizarras and Ted Magno of the Filipino Basketball Conference (FBC) during his visit and they promised to tap the 200,000 OFWs in Dubai and Sharjah, two of the seven emirates, as a market for the live and TV audience.

“I saw genuine and sincere interest from our Arab and Filipino partners,” said Eala. “They view it not just as a boxing or sporting event but as history in the making. We’re all very proud to be involved in the project which will make Dubai the site of the first-ever world championship card in the Middle East.”

Headlining the card is IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire’s second defense of the crown against Australian Hussein Hussein who is of Lebanese descent. The other world title bouts feature WBO minimumweight champion Donnie (Ahas) Nietes versus mandatory challenger Daniel Reyes of Colombia and IBF lightflyweight champion Ulises Solis of Mexico versus Juanito Rubillar.

In the undercard, Sydney-based Filipino knockout artist Ranee Ganoy takes on former IBF lightweight champion Julio Diaz of Mexico, Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo faces a still unnamed opponent and Dubai’s Esai (Arabian Warrior) Al-Da meets a surprise Filipino contender in the superlightweight curtain-raiser.

Eala said there was a late attempt to include Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista, A. J. Banal, Oriental lightweight champion Randy Suico and former amateur standout Eric Canoy in the card but it was eventually decided to stage a separate event for the popular Filipino fighters.

“We’ve just received a message from another investor group inviting us to explore the possibility of producing a big card in Shanghai,” said Eala. “Of course, we’re excited to break into the huge Mainland Chinese market. But at the moment, we’re concentrating on making our Dubai event the most unforgettable experience in Middle East sports history.”

Eala said he is bringing the show to Dubai on a turnkey basis.

“This is a major effort on the part of Third Force,” he continued. “We’re bringing the entire show – lock, stock and barrel – to Dubai, meaning we’re transporting the ring and even the table officials, like the timekeeper, the bell ringer, the custodian of the scoresheets, the man counting for the knockdowns, because there is no boxing authority in the emirates. The officials, of course, will be deputized by the Dubai Sports Council.”

Eala said the FBC is made up of 25 teams, including at least 12 in Dubai, active in the emirates. Magno, who has coached in the PBL, operates the FBC on a full-time basis.

Eala also conferred with former PBA cager Allan Yu, who works for a marketing and distribution company in Dubai, on how to involve the OFWs in the project.

Eala said he is leaving for Dubai this Wednesday for another brief visit to finalize travel arrangements, hotel bookings and logistical tie-ups.  

What impressed Eala was the stadium.

“It’s part of a complex of buildings owned by the Emirates Aviation College,” said Eala. “The stadium has a seating capacity of 7,000 but we intend to add a ringside section and expand an upper level to increase it to 10,000. The atmosphere is very Wimbledon with cafes all around the stadium in a European-like setting. The stadium itself is a state-of-the-art facility.”

Eala said during his visit, he watched the finals of the 19th Dubai International Basketball Championships at the Al-Ali Coliseum where the PBA has played games. Lebanon, starring Fadi Al Khatib and Joe Vogel, came from behind to beat Jordan by two on a tip-in at the buzzer for the title. He said another venue, the Dubai Rasheid Hall, is used for sports. But the big events are reserved for the Aviation Arena.