Former world champion Kell Brook has revealed the offer to make a comeback against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai was a “godly moment” for him in the wake of his friend Ricky Hatton's death.
Al Dah was originally set to face British boxing legend Hatton on December 2, but the Manchester fighter died last month with an inquest later revealing he had taken his own life.
Instead, it will be Brook who faces the Emirati boxer in an eight-round middleweight contest rearranged for Friday, February 13, 2026, at The Agenda in Dubai.
A portion of the revenue will go to the newly created Ricky Hatton Foundation and the undercard will feature UAE-based fighters taking on boxers from Hatton's hometown.
Like many in British boxing, Brook was close to Hatton, and he said his death motivated him to accept Al Dah's challenge.
Brook, 39, has not fought since beating Amir Khan in six rounds in February 2022. He refused to rule out a full comeback and said a training camp and an eight-rounder would help gauge how much he has left in the tank.
“I want to thank Eisa and his team for picking me,” said Brook. “He could have picked an easier fight but I respect that he has picked me and wants to build boxing in Dubai and make a name for himself. It is going to be a real hard night's work for Eisa but I am sure that he will know this.
“It's such a shame what happened to Ricky Hatton, such a shame. Mental health and addiction … I want to make sure that if you are suffering out there then you can ask for help.
“Eisa reached out to me about a week after Ricky's passing and asked me if I would take this fight. It was a godly moment for me. I thought of Ricky Hatton and what he's done in this game, such a hero, done unbelievable things in this sport.
“I thought it's time to get out of my silk pyjamas and get back in the gym and start training for this magnificent fight in Dubai.”
He might be facing a former world champion on Friday the 13th, but the 46-year-old Al Dah insists this fight will be a “Rocky” story and not a horror movie.
Brook (40-3, 28ko) is a former IBF welterweight belt holder who has shared the ring with some of the greats of this generation, including Terence Crawford, Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr.
At a press conference to launch the bout on Wednesday night, Al Dah went to great lengths to stress that this will be a real fight and not an exhibition.
Al Dah was the first ever Emirati professional boxer and was active between 2007 and 2012 as a highly-regarded prospect. By the time he hung up his gloves, he was a respectable 8-2 (4ko) and had boxed on the undercard of a major US show featuring the former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall.
There was a brief return to the paid ranks for a four-round defeat to Pedro Alejandro Delgado in Mexico City in 2021, and since then Al Dah has focused on building the sport in the UAE and developing young fighters.
However, he says this is the big night under the lights he has always craved, and there was no way he would settle for anything less than a legitimate contest.
“This is a real fight,” Al Dah told The National. “Many people advised me to go for an exhibition. I don't want an exhibition.
“I don't want to choose [just] anybody [as an opponent]. Imagine, for 20 years, 2007 until today, all what I am suffering, all what I'm doing in my life about the boxing in the UAE, you think I will go for the easy one? No, I will not. Let me do something that is big.
“I said to Kell, 'I know your record. I know you are a great fighter. I know you beat a lot of big names, but please don't think it will be an easy fight for you'.
“I know I don't have a big name. I didn't fight a big name. I come from Dubai, this is my country. But trust me, on this day, I will not make it easy. For me, it's not a matter of who wins, who loses, but I want to put on a good show.”
Brook's trainer, Dominic Ingle, added: “Eisa is a brave man taking on this challenge. If you are going to do something then do it the hard way. Make a name for yourself.
“He's going to put UAE boxing on the map with this show. It will inspire and motivate young kids coming through, and that's what we need. We need role models like him to show the way.”
Tickets for Al Dah versus Brook, billed as “Destiny in the Desert” are available from www.theagenda.com.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Pathaan
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
