Abdul Kabbani Aims Even Higher at May Day Mayhem

Dubai, April 28, 2014, Syrian Brawler Abdul Kabbani (3-2) must be either completely insane or just about the bravest boxer on the face of the planet. Kabbani, a heavyweight boxer living in Dubai has decided to challenge and take on Fatih Ulusoy (Debut), the very man that mauled and TKO’ed in one round UAE Lion Heart Boxing Productions’ own and UAE 2012 Fighter of the Year Mohammad Ali Bayat (4-0). Bayat has beaten Kabbani twice. Despite this reality, Kabbani wants to fight Bayat’s conqueror Ulusoy as part of the May Day Mayhem boxing extravaganza scheduled for May 1, 2014 at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai by Lion Heart Boxing Productions.

Dubai resident and boxing debutante Fatih “The Ottoman” Ulusoy (Debut) is an accomplished MMA fighter and kickboxer as well as a two-time DIFC Champion. While Fatih Ulusoy has had one boxing fight in his career, it is the stuff of legend–the first round destruction of cruiserweight prospect Mohammad Ali Bayat on March 7, 2014. Ulusoy’s win over Bayat is not on Fatih’s official boxing record as the fight was not properly sanctioned by the organizer. However, everyone in the UAE was shocked by the result. Says Fatih, “The Bayat fight may not be on my record but everyone in Dubai knows that I beat him easily. I jumped on him and knocked him out in less than one minute. So I don’t understand why Kabbani wants to fight me since Bayat beat him twice.”

Kabanni is supremely confident even though he has lost to Bayat. On December 19, 2013 and at another Lion Heart Boxing Productions Thursday Night Fights event, the Bayat-Kabbani rivalry reached what people all thought was its logical conclusion when Kabbani fought Bayat for UAE bragging rights on Thursday Night Fights @ Yas Island and came short again. The fight was exciting and did not disappoint. The brave warriors went at it for four grueling rounds and the fight could have gone wither way. However, just as it was in the first fight between Kabbani and Bayat (an unsanctioned fighter not on either fighter’s record), Kabbani came up short. Kabbani’s extant coach and corner, Anthony Chill, stopped the fight by throwing a towel at the end of the fourth round of a scheduled six rounder.

Kabbani does not dispute the outcome or offer an excuse for his second loss to Bayat. However, people, including Kabbani, could not help but wonder what would have happened if Kabbani was in better shape and went the whole distance in both Bayat losses. Kabbani sees a win against Ulusoy as the vindication he needs to both redeem himself and reestablish his reputation as the bad boy of UAE boxing. Most importantly, Kabbani hopes that a win against Ulusoy would earn him a third shot at Bayat. But first, Kabanni must take on and beat Ulusoy, a seemingly impossible task.

Boxing fans in the UAE are salivating at the matchup. Says, Lion Boxing Productions CFO, Edward Mendy, “This may very well be the fight of the night. At first blush, I didn’t think it was smart of Kabbani to take this fight considering the fact that Ulusoy handily beat Bayat, a fighter who has defeated Kabbani twice. Looking at it closer, however, I really like Kabbani’s chances. Ulusoy will not have the weight advantage that he had on Bayat. More importantly, Kabbani has a point to prove, is the more seasoned boxer and his style is dynamic. Kabbani’s head movement is one of the best I have seen. Thus, it should not be that easy for Ulusoy to jump him as he did Bayat. If Kabbani is in shape, Ulusoy may be in for a rude awakening event though Ulusoy handiliy beat our star fighter Bayat. I love watching Kabbani fight. He has amazing grit, an intoxicating style and the liveliest of personalities.”

Kabbani v. Ulusoy is one of eight or more exciting professional boxing bouts that will be featured at May Day Mayhem, a version of the acclaimed Thursday Night Fights series that will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at the 5,000-capacity Emirates Golf Club Lawns, in Dubai. May Day Mayhem is promoted by Lion Heart Boxing Promotions, Ltd., and is the Dubai encore and follow-up to its successful promotion of the first-ever live professional boxing event in Abu Dhabi history, Thursday Night Fights @ Yas Island. May Day Mayhem will feature former IBF Heavyweight Champion and multiple-time Heavyweight Contender Francois “The White Buffalo” Botha (48-11) in the main event as well as an undercard with boxers from the international scene and local superstars.

Tickets are reasonably priced: VIP Table of Ten with F&B, AED10,000; VIP Ringside, AED500; Ringside, AED400; Premium Seating, AED300; General Admission Seated, AED150; and General Admission Standing, also AED150. Tickets are being sold by all major ticket sellers in the UAE: List Platinum, all Ticketmaster locations, Timeout Tickets, TixBox and all Virgin MENA Megastores.

The event will be televised live in the UAE and MENA Regions by Dubai Sports.

Thursday Night Fights-May Day Mayhem will be broadcasted live in the UAE and MENA Region by Dubai Sports and other Dubai Media properties. Additionally, Thursday Night Fights-May Day Mayhem will be rebroadcast on a delayed basis in the MENA Region and via regional sports channels in the USA, which reach over 150 Million American cable homes. Lastly, Thursday Night Fights-May Day Mayhem will be syndicated regionally and in other markets, worldwide as feasible.