MUSCAT: Oman’s Muneer al Mishaykhi claimed victory in the headline bout as the third edition of the Spark Fighting Championship concluded at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC), with 24 fighters competing across 12 bouts in front of more than 2,000 spectators.
Held on Friday as part of Sports Spark, presented by Sohar International, the championship was staged in collaboration with Scorpionest Martial Arts and Sabco Sports, bringing together fighters from Oman and abroad under the supervision of accredited international officials. The event was attended by Eng Said al Shanfari, CEO of OCEC, alongside officials, guests and combat sports enthusiasts.
Al Mishaykhi capped the night by defeating Sina Yadollahifard in the headline boxing contest, while El Sayed Ayman al Mahdi overcame Antonio Tabacon Siesmundo in the other Main Card bout.
The championship also marked an important development for the event, with organisers announcing its official accreditation by the World Boxing Foundation (WBF), alongside a strategic partnership with Highland Boxing Promotion aimed at creating pathways for Omani fighters to enter professional competition across Asia and the Middle East.
Wadhah al Harthi, founder of Scorpionest Martial Arts, said the accreditation represented an important step in the development of professional boxing in Oman and would provide local fighters with greater opportunities to compete internationally.
“The accreditation opens a new pathway for boxing in Oman,” Al Harthi said. “It gives us the opportunity to attract international boxers to compete here, while Omani fighters can pursue professional opportunities abroad through internationally recognised licences and take part in competitions at a higher level.”
WORLD BOXING ACCREDITATION
Al Harthi said Omani boxers had previously been largely exposed to amateur competition, making the move towards internationally recognised professional opportunities an important progression for the sport.
He added that securing the accreditation was the result of joint efforts involving OCEC, Scorpionest Martial Arts, Sabco Sports, sponsors and the teams working behind the championship.
“This is an important achievement for Omani fighters and for the development of the sport,” he said. “Our aim is to continue building the platform, develop local talent and provide Omani boxers with opportunities to progress towards international competition.”
On the competition front, the preliminary youth boxing bouts saw Ihsan Hassan Saddam defeat Mehdi Marvahzadeh, Gurniwaj Singh Virdi overcome Haitham Saud and Omar bin Abdulrahman Mabkhout beat Omar bin Mohammed al Zadjali.
In the remaining preliminary contests, Hassan bin Issa al Balushi defeated Hazza bin Nasser al Mahrazi, Ahmed al Samri overcame Mulham bin Khamis al Adawi and Neeraj beat Abdullah al Abri. Abdul Rahman Mustafa prevailed over Malek Hanif, Ahmed Ali defeated Mohammed al Gassani, Sheikh Samer al Ashkar overcame Emad bin Bakhsh Al Balushi and Saif al Ayash beat Egyptian national team boxer Mohammed Abdou.
The Main Card then saw El Sayed Ayman al Mahdi defeat Antonio Tabacon Siesmundo before Al Mishaykhi closed the night with victory over Yadollahifard in the headline bout.
The third edition represented another step forward for Spark Fighting Championship after last year’s event featured 20 Omani and international fighters across 10 bouts and attracted nearly 2,000 spectators. This year, participation increased to 24 fighters across 12 contests, while attendance surpassed the 2,000 mark.
The organisers said the championship will continue to serve as a platform for identifying and developing Omani talent, while the new international accreditation is expected to provide a pathway for local fighters seeking to progress from domestic competition towards the professional international stage.
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