GRASSROOTS Boxing made its return to Dubai on Saturday, September 20th, with its fourth instalment at The W on the Palm.
The event delivered a compelling mix of emerging amateur and professional talent, capped by two exciting title fights. Anees Taj captured the WBC Middle East Cruiserweight crown with a win over Wagdy Attia, while Anahit Aroyan claimed the women’s WBA Bantamweight Continental title by defeating Stumi Muki Paulo.
This edition felt like a statement of intent from the promotion, a swing at the big leagues as it seeks to establish its reputation as the Middle East’s leading grassroots platform. The event drew VIP names such as Nick Ball, Hamzah Sheeraz, and Amir Khan, and was streamed live on IFL TV and Triller.
The pacing was another strength. The 3 p.m. start proved ideal for those wanting a Saturday event without a late finish. Seven amateur fights ran through in just two hours, with eight professional contests following at a similar rhythm—keeping the action brisk and avoiding lulls.
Promoter Jamie Cormack explained the genesis of the organisation: “I want to bridge the gap that I have seen between emerging pros and talented pros within the region. It gives them a platform to regularly box and get noticed not just locally, but globally.”
“What I’ve noticed in the region is that amateurs typically sell a lot more tickets than pros. They have the network. You have guys who are on football teams, who have large friendship groups at work, who can bring a base crowd down. They get to see their friends box at a good level. Then, as we saw on Saturday, they stay for the professional card.”
Looking ahead, Cormack outlined his plans: “We intend to run about two more shows this year.”
“In the future, we want to keep “Grassroots Boxing” as the amateur and entry-level/ mid-pro level. We also want to be launching a larger promotion for higher-level pro fights for the UAE – local fighters that everyone knows.”
“I feel like there hasn’t been a high-level production since Dimitry Bivol fought Gilberto Ramirez here. We want to stage events at venues that haven’t featured boxing before. We want to engage the Pakistani, African, Filipino crowds, get the whole city involved – not just the western ex-pats. It’s better for the sport.”
Saturday, he added, was a milestone: “It was magical. From start to finish, the place was full and stayed that way all night. The crowd was electric all night. Hamzah Sheeraz, Nick Ball and Amir Khan added a lot of credibility to the night and everyone was buzzing to take photos with them.”
“The boxing on show was unreal. There were no mismatches; all of the fights were good match-ups; everyone was very entertained.”
“Overall, it was a great success and the best event we’ve done. It’s made me hungry to get back on the laptop and start planning the next one.”
Grassroots has also provided opportunities for fighters who entered the professional ranks comparatively late but are now finding themselves in the throes of new careers.
Farren Morgan (2-0-0), 31, has been building an impressive highlight reel as an amateur and has every intention of maintaining this momentum as a professional.
Earlier this month, he scored a first-round KO in Thailand in his debut performance. On Saturday, he delivered high drama in his sophomore bout, recovering from a first-round knockdown to stop his opponent in the fourth.
In the gym two days later, he remembered the fight with his characteristic passion.
“As a fighter, it doesn’t really matter your background, how much money is in your bank account, what country you’re born in or your race. I like boxing because it’s a fair game.
“It takes everyone—from the fighters to the promoters to the event organisers and the people in Dubai—we all have to do our part. Even in my fight just now, I’ve never heard the crowd cheer so loudly after my second round. The crowd was going crazy.”
“I got knocked down in the first. I didn’t even sit down; I stood up in the corner, came out, and dominated the second round. That showed something about myself. Everyone has seen me put people down in the first round, but now they’ve seen I can cope when things don’t go my way.”
“I’m already back in camp—one day off and then straight into an eight-week cycle. We’re growing the sport here in Dubai, and I owe it to the community to crack on.”
Michael Roos (4-1-0), 35, co-promoter and professional boxer, added his own proclamation on the night with a quick first-round knockout.
Balancing boxing with running his own construction dispute practice, Roos is proving it’s never too late to chase a dream.
“I wanted to box on my own time, without any external pressure. Initially, it was to get fit and lose a bit of weight. The first time I walked into a boxing gym was January 2021 and I got quite good, quite quickly I guess. It’s mental that I’m now in the top 40 in the UK – It’s a dream come true.”
“There were no shows for me to fight on, so me and Jamie said, right then, let’s put our own show on. You’re gonna turn pro, I’m gonna fight amateur – and it just spiralled from there. We’re riding the wave of enthusiasm for boxing in the Middle East. Hopefully, the next one will be even bigger and the one after that.”
Mikael Hussain (1-0-0), 19, made an impressive splash on the professional scene, earning a finish in his pro debut – under the watchful gaze of his cousin, Hamzah Sheeraz.
“Making my pro debut and getting the third-round TKO was a surreal experience. It’s something you dream about as a kid and to finally live it out is incredible.”
“Getting the finish and hearing the roar of the crowd made it even more special. It was one of the best moments of my life. This is just the beginning. I can’t wait to keep climbing and keep improving myself at every level in boxing.”
In recent years, Dubai’s boxing scene has struggled with inconsistency, as many promotions failed to gain lasting traction. But by identifying gaps in the market and responding directly to the needs of both fighters and fans, Grassroots Boxing is positioning itself as a sustainable and exciting force — a promotion well worth keeping an eye on in the Middle East.
