Zulcan to host Bangladesh’s first bare-knuckle boxing bout

Zulcan Indoor Arena at Bashundhara Sports City is set to host “Zulcan Fighting Championship (ZFC) 2: Pride of Bangladesh”, featuring Bangladesh’s first-ever bare-knuckle boxing bout.

Organised by Tanvir Bashundhara Group (TBG), the mega combat sports event will bring fighters from seven countries to the ring for a night of 10 bouts, including five title fights.

The event on Friday is a continuation of ‘ZFC 1: The Takeover’, held in April. Following the success of the inaugural edition, ZFC is returning on a bigger scale, with the organisers aiming to establish Zulcan Indoor Arena as a permanent hub for combat sports in Bangladesh.

They also hope the event will help expand professional fighting in the country and provide a platform for local fighters to compete internationally.

The headline bout will see Bangladesh’s Masjedul Reza Amio take on Thailand’s Thanapat Titham for the WMO Asia Muay Thai title. Amio will be aiming to win the continental title in the five-round contest.

The biggest attraction, however, will be the country’s first bare-knuckle boxing bout, in which experienced American fighter Will Chope will face Iran’s Mostafa Ashouri in a three-round contest without gloves.

In the co-main event, Bangladeshi star boxer Sura Krishna Chakma will face Indonesia’s Kundimang in a six-round bout for the ZFC Boxing title.

Other title fights include Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rashed against Malaysia’s Erwandi Kalai for the ZFC Muay Thai title, while Sirajul Rabbi of Bangladesh will face Singapore’s Sean Rafael Sani for another ZFC Boxing title.

The undercard will feature an MMA bout between Bangladesh’s Manzur Alam and Indonesia’s Filipus Ranga.

In women’s professional boxing, Bangladesh’s Sanjida Jannat will take on Malaysia’s Meredy Michael in a six-round bout.

The fight night will begin with an all-Bangladeshi women’s semi-pro Muay Thai bout between Gazi Arnaz and Shampa Islam.

In other professional boxing bouts, Bangladesh’s Rakib Hossain will face Indonesia’s Dedi Imprax, while Ganadan Chakma will take on Singapore’s Donovan McIntyre.

Under the rules, each round will last three minutes except in the women’s professional boxing bout. There will be a two-minute interval between rounds in the main event and one-minute intervals in the other bouts.