Zuhayr Al-Qahtani holds the distinction of being the first Saudi to secure a professional boxing title, claiming the World Boxing Council Middle East belt in 2019 on the undercard of Joshua vs. Ruiz 2.
Boasting an undefeated 9-0 record, the “Arabian Warrior” is prepared for a historic clash against Mehdi Zatout at ONE 166 on March 1.
ONE Championship, known for showcasing the world’s elite striking talent, particularly in kickboxing and Muay Thai, surprised fans with the announcement of its first traditional boxing match since 2018. In Al-Qahtani, the organization may well have the ideal fighter with which to lead its inaugural venture into the Gulf, thanks to his standout personality.
“I’m representing the whole boxing world, the Gulf region, the Arabian Peninsula,” Al-Qahtani said in an interview with Arab News.
“I’ve got ONE Championship now. This is the start of a great journey. We’ve got the perfect opponent, a perfect candidate for this fight with an excellent resume. It’s a historical event, a historical moment, in a historical fight.”
Speaking via Zoom and sporting a slick pair of sunglasses, the trailblazing pugilist is clearly well-versed in the “fight game” and knows how to promote a bout.
“I aim to please the fans,” he said. “The fans are my number one objective. And I look at this like Maximus from ‘Gladiator’ (2000) in the Colosseum, asking, ‘Are you not entertained?’ This is what I look for. This is what I want the fans to bring. And this is what I want to give to the fans.”
The 34-year-old is relishing the opportunity to showcase his skills against a man with over 120 fights, making his pro boxing debut at 40.
“It’s a completely different ball game. He’s going to come in unexpectedly, throwing wild, crazy punches. So, I do expect him to do some unexpected stuff. I just hope he doesn’t kick me.”
Frenchman Zatout, a veteran in Muay Thai with two national titles in France, a European championship, and two world titles, presents an unknown challenge in the sweet science, but Al-Qahtani sees a kindred spirit in the veteran who will be returning to competition after initially retiring in 2022.
“We are both entertainers. We’re both there to please the crowd. I’m here to entertain the fans, to make excitement ... Mehdi is a great man. He deserves full respect. However, he made one mistake — he picked the wrong opponent.”
Al-Qahtani was born in Jeddah and later moved to London, where his journey to the ring began after facing adversity as a young man trying to find his way in a sometimes harsh and unfamiliar environment in the capital.
“I left Saudi at a young age to come to England to study. I faced bullying, harassment, attacks. My brother taught me the basics of self-defense. Then, my mum advised my brother to take me to Fitzroy Lodge, the most notorious gym in London. ‘Here you’ll be rewarded for your ability to use it,’ my brother said. I stuck to it.”
Formative experiences lacing up the gloves lit a fire in the youngster, and an opportunity to make history only enhanced his resolve.
“I started looking through the history book of boxing to see if there’s any fighter from Saudi or the Gulf region. To my sadness, I didn’t see anyone achieving a gold medal in the Olympics or a world champion. I felt alone. I sacrificed everything to be the first Saudi to win anything. As an amateur, I had 55 fights: five losses and 50 wins. I knew then I was good, something different. I was born a fighter, but I was molded in London.”
For Al-Qahtani, achieving several objectives, including becoming Ƶ’s first professional boxer and winning a WBC title, is just a stepping stone to greater ambitions, and opportunity knocks at ONE 166.
