Postcard from Riyadh

Once again we are back in the capital city of world boxing for a Saturday show that probably surpasses anything we have seen before.

Even an old geezer like me is struggling to recall such a competitive card, from top to bottom, being put together before. Riyadh Season has really delivered on this one.

I think most of us can remember bills that have been stacked with big names before, but not seven pretty much even-money fights populating the same show.

This is something very special. There is a buzz of anticipation in the air over here and I think boxing fans from all around the world are excited over the prospect of tuning in to events at the Kingdom Arena from start to finish.

Luckily for us, there is a hearty helping of British interest on the night, with perhaps a sharper focus on our IBF heavyweight world champion Daniel Dubois.

There are two big heavyweight collisions on the card and we find ourselves in the unusual position of all four big fellas being Queensberry fighters.

Daniel defends his belt against former WBO world champion Joseph Parker and I strongly believe this is the best fight that can be made not involving the other three titles.

Both Daniel and Joe are fully deserving of this showcase occasion and the formline for both is strong coming into the fight, with Daniel having overcome Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, while Joe has defeated Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.

I won’t be sitting on my hands too much during this one because I make no secret of my support for Daniel. He has been with us right from the beginning of his professional career, which does create a bond and I would never back against him.

In the case of the other heavyweight showdown, it is another potentially thrilling encounter between Big Bang Zhilei and another form fighter in Agit Kabayel. This is a tricky one to pick a winner in because you can make a strong case for both men.

What we do know is that the winner will become WBC Interim world champion and will put himself in pole position for a shot at Oleksandr Usyk at some point, even though I would expect Usyk to attempt to unite the titles again against the winner out of Daniel and Joe first.

Another world title fight involving a Queensberry fighter comes at middleweight with Hamzah Sheeraz challenging for the WBC championship against the holder Carlos Adames.

Believe me, we haven’t picked a weaker world champion for Hamzah to feast on. Adames is a top-notch operator and Hamzah will have to be at his absolute best to seize the bounty.

We feel he is ready for this next step, even at the relatively tender age of 25. I am backing him to triumph but, even if he doesn’t, the experience will be invaluable and he will come again, no doubt about that.

I have always felt that Hamzah possesses that special quality which sets him apart. He is diligent and has always invested in himself in order to improve.

Outside of the Queensberry contingent, there is another clutch of crackers for us all to feast on, not least the headline act and undisputed rematch at light heavyweight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol.

You don’t need me to tell you how brilliant a match-up this is, so just sit back and enjoy it. My only wish is that we get a slightly more conclusive outcome this time around.

Also at light heavyweight we’ve got the fascinating British showdown between Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith for the WBO Interim world title. The winner of this one can book him ticket to fight either Beterbiev or Bivol, or you can’t rule out the titles becoming split again and a fight with Anthony Yarde coming into the equation.

I am also looking forward to the American influence on the card, although Vergil Ortiz Jr is likely to have his hands full against Israil Madrimov, plus we’ve got Shakur Stevenson coming to the party against the young US talent in Floyd Schofield.

Us promoters are going to be in something of a quandary on Saturday night. The usual drill is to duck backstage before and after one of your fighters is in action to spend a bit of time with them and offer up a few words of encouragement.

With this show, none of us are going to want to miss a second of the action, so I might have to ask H.E. Turki if he can provide me with a cushion! It is gonna be a long night.