DUBAI // Boxing fans will be up early and late to work today in order to watch Timothy Bradley challenge Manny Pacquiao in a welterweight title fight.
Some restaurants are expected to open earlier than usual so they can show the highly anticipated bout, which is expected to start after 8am.
Many Filipino expatriates will be looking on with pride as Pacquiao tries to hold off the American challenger.
Nilo Sipalay, the supervisor at Goto King, said his Abu Dhabi restaurant turns wild when the fights come on. He expects 250 fans to turn up and said the staff will start to prepare around 4am.
Goto King, in Khalidiya Mall, will be open for the first fight - at 5am - between the Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux and the American Teon Kennedy. The fight will be in Las Vegas.
"When the customers are watching the boxing, it's like they are the ones fighting," Mr Sipalay said. They get so excited."
Although Filipinos will make up the majority of the crowds, they are not the only boxing fans in the country.
"There will be mixed nationality," he said. "We will see Americans, Australians, Arabic and boxing fans from everywhere. Lots of them will be skipping work for the morning and other people have booked the day off in advance."
Mr Sipalay said the atmosphere is the main draw.
"Most people feel bored when they watch it at home. There is not as much excitement with one or two people but watching with more than 200 is more fun."
Elmer Villanueva, assistant manager at Tipanan Restaurant in Al Rigga in Dubai, said plans have been in place since last week.
"We already worked out the layout of the tables and we've had a few bookings too," he said,
There is always a full house for fights, he said. Guests gather around one of the four 32-inch televisions that will broadcast the fight on a Filipino channel.
Mr Villanueva expects 120 fans to turn up by 8am, but said Tipanan will be open to accommodate the earlier fights.
eharnan@thenational.ae
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
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Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
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Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
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Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
