Surrey's Eric Basran will be in Saudi Arabia next month for the start of an inaugural tournament involving boxers from around the world.
Three Lions Promotions says Basran been selected to compete in the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, billed as the first ever Boxing World Cup, "designed to discover and showcase the next generation of boxing superstars."
An undefeated Canadian junior welterweight (7-0, 3 KOs), Basran will be among 128 boxers from 41 countries competing in four weight categories, in "a truly global competition" in Riyadh starting late-April.
Boxers can't be older than 26 years of age or have more than 10 professional fights at the time of entry.
鈥淭his is the dream of every upcoming boxer,鈥� Basran, 26, says in a news release from Three Lions, a pro boxing promo company in Canada.
"I am honoured to be a part of this first-ever WBC boxing World Cup. The competition looks tough in the junior welterweight division but that鈥檚 what I want. You must beat the best to be the best and I am in it to win it. I鈥檓 ready to put on a show.鈥�
As an amateur, Basran was a four-time Canadian national champ who won the 2019 Canadian Olympic Qualifier and earned a bronze medal at the 2019 Commonwealth Games.
Turned pro in 2022, he won a four-round unanimous decision and, most recently, scored an opening-round knockout victory over Jorge Luis Rodriguez in London last October.
"Team Basran" includes Basran, head trainer Jonathan Quinit, Chris Jackson and Three Lions promoter Daniel Otter.
鈥淓ric is ready for this opportunity, and he has looked outstanding training over the last couple of weeks,鈥� Otter says. 鈥淭he Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix is a groundbreaking tournament. We are thankful that Mauricio Sulaim谩n and his Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, selected Eric and made this all possible. I am confident Eric has what it takes to win it all.鈥�
The opening round of 32 matches will feature scheduled six-round bouts, increasing to eight for the final rounds in each division. The four divisional winners will be presented with the Jose Sulaim谩n Trophy, named after the late WBC president, who first envisioned a prospect-based Boxing Grand Prix more than a decade ago.
Basran's boxing career has been chronicled by Surrey Now-Leader for a decade, since 2015.
In November of 2023, a South Vancouver hall is where Basran made his 鈥渉ome鈥� pro boxing debut. A lifelong Surrey resident, he went to school at Frank Hurt Secondary and has been boxing since age 11.
