Sky Sports reported that Alistair Overeem will make his professional boxing debut against Jimi Manuwa on Jake Paul’s Christmas Eve fight card in Dubai.
The bout has been added to Paul’s comeback show on 24 December, giving the event another crossover name from mixed martial arts and strengthening its commercial appeal as an arena-scale sports entertainment night in the emirate, according to the broadcaster.
Dubai has increasingly hosted major live sporting and entertainment events, and the addition of high-profile fighters to a card in the city points to the kind of premium ticketed product that can support visitor spend on hospitality, travel and venue-led entertainment. Sky Sports did not provide further details on the venue or the rest of the undercard in its report.
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