In last week's inaugural Thursday Night Fights event on Yas Island – the first professional boxing event in Abu Dhabi – deadline requirements caused us to miss the main event between British-born Yemeni boxer Nasser Al Harbi and Georgian fighter Giorgi Ungiadze.
It was a good fight, too, with both boxers going toe-to-toe for a full eight rounds before Al Harbi was declared winner by unanimous decision.
So we e-mailed Al Harbi, a 24 year old who owns a 16-1-1 record and whose only loss came in a 2012 WBC International light middleweight title fight, to get his impressions of the event.
His responses, below:
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself:
A: I am 24 years old. I am British, born in Birmingham, UK and I am of Yemeni descent. My father was a major boxing fan, and had all the old DVD's which I watched with him. Hearns, Hagler, Duran and my favourite fighter of all time Leonard. We would also stay up all night to watch Prince Naseem Hamed. At that time he was the man. There will never be another Naz. I started boxing when I was about 11, when I was young I was always getting into fights and loved it. I was always in trouble at school, getting suspended on a regular basis. I was a nightmare for my parents. One day a mate from around the area invited me to go to the gym, and I'd say I was a bit cocky going to the gym, thinking I knew it all. That very day they gave me a 2-round spar with a kid half my size. I was in shock when I got my head beat in and I couldn't hit the kid at all. I became obsessed with the skill involved and never left the gym from that day. I was a great ameteur, ranked No 2 in the UK, just missing out on a shot to go all the way to the Olympics. In my 11 pro fights I won the WBC International Challenge title right here in Dubai by a 7 round KO. The fans were amazing and I was determined to fight here again one day. I think the UAE fans are great. My record is now 16-1-1. My only defeat came at the hands of (WBC Super Welterweight world No 5 Emanuele) Della Rosa, who may be facing Canelo Alvarez in his next fight.
Q: What were your first impressions of Abu Dhabi and the event itself?
A: Abu Dhabi is an amazing place, and the people are lively fun people, with a great sense of humour. I would live here any day of the week. I thought the promoter Edward (B Mendy) did an amazing job and congratulate him, and take my hat off to him. The event was a brilliant set up.
Q: Describe yourself as a fighter:
A: I'm the real deal, I'm a confident, flashy, fast fighter with skills to burn, great reflexes with a bit of power. The best is yet to come of me in that ring.
Q: Were you satisfied with your fight on Thursday?
A: You know in boxing there is always room for improvement. And I am always critical of my performances because I know the best is yet to come. I was satisfied considering the long lay off I have had outside the ring. But there are always mistakes made, that need to be adjusted.
Q: What was the key for you in your fight?
A: The key in this fight was to use my skills, movement, speed and range against my opponent who was smaller, slower and more compact. I also knew that my opponent could not go punch for punch with me as my work rate is superior to his.
Q: What's up next for you?
A: There is a possibility I will be back out in the UAE for the IBF Intercontinental title fight against former WBA World Champion Vivian Harris. This is a great step up for me. And I would be honoured to do it all here again in the UAE in front of all these amazing fans.
Q: What are your larger boxing goals?
A: I would love to win the world title, possibly and in different weights, this would be a great achievement. I would also love to become the first boxing PPV attraction in the UAE.
I would just like to say to the UAE people and fans you have been great. And I will be boxing in the UAE regular so please look out for my return. Thanks.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
What%20is%20cystic%20fibrosis%3F
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20genetic%20disorder%20that%20affects%20the%20lungs%2C%20pancreas%20and%20other%20organs.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIt%20causes%20the%20production%20of%20thick%2C%20sticky%20mucus%20that%20can%20clog%20the%20airways%20and%20lead%20to%20severe%20respiratory%20and%20digestive%20problems.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPatients%20with%20the%20condition%20are%20prone%20to%20lung%20infections%20and%20often%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20coughing%2C%20wheezing%20and%20shortness%20of%20breath.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELife%20expectancy%20for%20sufferers%20of%20cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20now%20around%2050%20years.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Project Power'
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback
Director: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rating: 3.5/5
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
