The all-British grudge match between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr could finally take place in Abu Dhabi later this year, according to reports.
Promoters Matchroom have previously stated their desire to hold the bout in the UK, with the Principality Stadium in Cardiff their preferred venue.
However, with Benn still unable to box in the UK because of an unresolved doping case, the Daily Mail reported that a deal has been lined up to bring the fight to Abu Dhabi on December 23.
The British rivals, both sons of famous boxers, were originally scheduled to fight at London's O2 Arena in October 2022 but the bout was cancelled 24 hours beforehand after it was discovered that Benn had tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug clomifene.
The event had gained significant public interest because of a bitter feud between their fathers that had produced two classic fights in the 1990s.
It later emerged that Benn had in fact failed two separate VADA-administered tests, but the 27-year-old has always maintained his innocence.
In July, a ruling made by the National Anti-Doping Panel saw his suspension lifted but UK Anti Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control lodged an appeal and Benn remains unlicensed and unable to fight in a UK ring.
A previous attempt to bring the fight to Abu Dhabi in September was shelved because of the ongoing uncertainty over Benn's situation.
Since then, the 34-year-old Eubank Jr posted an impressive 10th-round stoppage victory in a rematch with Liam Smith, while Benn made a low-key return to the ring with a points victory over the unknown Mexican Rodolfo Orozco in Florida last month.
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn this week reiterated his determination to make the fight, and with Benn's case still no closer to being resolved, that would appear to make Abu Dhabi a front-runner for hosting duties.
"We have every intention to make it happen,' Hearn told the BBC. "Our side with Conor Benn and the side of Kalle Sauerland and Chris Eubank want to move forward and make that fight.
"We feel that because of the situation with Conor Benn's suspension being lifted and winning that case that he should be allowed and able to fight in the UK.
"We're speaking to the British Boxing Board of Control. We think legally there's no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to fight in the UK but obviously it's their decision."
Hearn added that should the British board prevent Benn fighting domestically then the show would be taken abroad and could even feature heavyweight Anthony Joshua on the bill.
"If we are not allowed to do that, we will hold the fight internationally but it's our preference of course to bring that big fight to Britain.
"We also have a rather large heavyweight called Anthony Joshua who's saying, 'if I'm not fighting Deontay Wilder in January, I would quite like to fight in December as well'. So we're trying to work it all out but, quite frankly, I think it's very unlikely that we don't have a show on 23 December."
Matchroom last year signed a deal with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism to stage shows in the UAE capital, the first of which saw WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol defeat Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez at the Etihad Arena last November.
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
RESULTS
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EU Russia
The EU imports 90 per cent of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40 per cent of EU gas and a quarter of its oil.
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
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Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
