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Fujairah: The second day of the sixth round of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship continued at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah on Saturday, with Baniyas topping the overall standings after competitions in the U-14 and U-16 divisions.

The end of the day saw the Sharjah self-defense sports club in second and the Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club in third.

Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al-Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said that the second day of the tournament showcased a bright generation of talent that bodes well for the future of jiu-jitsu in the UAE.

He also highlighted that Fujairah’s hosting of this round represents the emirate’s expanding prominence on the national sporting map.

Ghazi bin Shikhan, jiu-jitsu supervisor at Al-Wasl Club, stated that “participation in this championship provides players with an exceptional experience and a genuine opportunity to test their readiness in the midst of fierce competition and strong fan support.

“These conditions help them improve their talents and gain confidence,” he added. “The goal goes beyond winning medals; it is about developing a generation capable of constant improvement and reaching the podium at higher levels.” 

Meanwhile, Mohammed Saeed Al-Baloushi of Al-Ain Club, who took gold in the under-14 / white belt 34 kg division, commented: “I won today because of constant training and the encouragement of my family and coaches. My dream is to join the national team and represent the UAE at world championships, and I will work hard to make that happen.”

LAS VEGAS: Terence Crawford became the first male boxer to capture three unified division titles when he defeated Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision on Saturday night to win the super middleweight championship before an announced record crowd of 70,482.
Two judges awarded Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) the match 115-113 and the third 116-112. The Associated Press scored the fight 118-110 in favor of the 37-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska.
Crawford, who moved up two weight classes, went down to a knee even before the decision was announced and then wept after he was named the winner.
He won before a pro-Alvarez crowd, but there were significant chants of “Crawford” in the bout’s later rounds, and even Canelo backers didn’t try to boo them down.
This was the first defeat for Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 knockouts), the 35-year-old champion from Mexico, since losing by unanimous decision to Dmitrii Bivol on May, 7, 2022.
This fight already was being compared with some of the greatest in Las Vegas’ rich history well before the two contestants tapped gloves.
The setting of Allegiant Stadium itself separated this bout because it was the first match at this venue. Never in question was the attendance record for a Las Vegas fight — 29,214 in 1982 for heavyweight champion Larry Holmes’ 13th-round knockout of Gerry Cooney at Caesars Palace’s specially constructed outdoor stadium — would fall on this night.
It also surpassed the largest attendance for a sporting event in the 5-year-old stadium. The previous record of 63,969 was set Sept. 1 of last year when Southern California defeated LSU 27-20 to open the college football season.
There was plenty of star power in the stands, including boxing Hall of Famers, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Thomas Hearns and Julio Cesar Chavez. Actors Sofia Vergara, Michael J. Fox and Charlize Theron, comedians Dave Chappelle and Tracy Morgan, and ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith — who was booed — were among the fans.
But this fight’s impact went beyond Las Vegas. Because it was on Netflix rather than pay-per-view, promoters hoped the card would draw in viewing numbers not seen since perhaps the 1970s when big-time bouts often were on broadcast networks.
This could be more the norm going forward now that UFC President and CEO Dana White is involved in boxing, this being his first card in collaboration with fellow promoter Riyadh Season. The UFC reached a seven-year deal with Paramount last month, choosing to puts its product on the streaming service rather than the PPV model that combat sports have used for their most important events.
There was not much action through the first eight rounds, at least not enough to keep a casual boxing fan tuned into the broadcast, though Crawford was the quicker, more athletic and better boxer to that point.
The action picked up significantly in the ninth. Crawford went after Alvarez early with several combinations. His momentum got stopped when Alvarez headbutted Crawford, causing a brief timeout 41 seconds into the round. Crawford, nevertheless, was the superior fighter the rest of the way.
That didn’t change the rest of the fight.
In the co-main event, Ireland’s Callum Walsh (15-0, 11 KOs) easily defeated Fernando Vargas Jr. (17-1, 15 KOs) of Las Vegas by scores of 99-91, 99-91, 100-90. Hall of Famer Vargas Senior was a IBF, IBA and WBC super welterweight champion.
Also, WBC interim super middleweight Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) of France retained his title after a draw with Lester Martinez (19-0-1, 16 KOs) of Guatemala. Judges Patricia Morse Jarman scored the fight 97-93 for Martinez, Chris Migliore 96-94 for Mbilli and Glenn Feldman 95-95.