Boxing stars declare readiness for The Comeback night in Jeddah

A group of the world’s leading boxing stars confirmed their full readiness for The Comeback bouts during the official press conference held today at Jeddah Promenade, attended by a large media presence ahead of the highly anticipated matches set for Jeddah Super Dome on Saturday night.

Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua opened by affirming he is fully prepared to face Albanian boxer Christian Bringa, stressing that his focus extends beyond his opponent to the entire opposing camp. He explained that his current goal is to secure victory and continue progressing toward greater challenges in his professional career.

World champion Hamzah Sheeraz stated that winning the WBO super welterweight title has not changed his mentality, and that the short interval between his fights has helped him maintain focus. He emphasized his determination to defend his title at every opportunity, noting that having a complete team led by coach Andy Lee has contributed to his development both inside and outside the ring.

Strong showdown between Kelly and Aguiarco

Eddie Hearn, Chairman of Matchroom Boxing, described the bout between world champion Josh Kelly and Irish boxer Caoimhin Agyarko as one of the evening’s most exciting matchups. He noted that Kelly cemented his status with his win over Murtazaliev, while Agyarko enters the ring with a perfect record of 18 wins and no losses, making the outcome wide open. Hearn added that the winner will earn a chance to face one of boxing’s biggest names, and that staging the fight in Jeddah gives it even greater global significance.

Josh Kelly said that winning the title has brought a major transformation in his character and self-confidence, and that he will enter the bout with great assurance to prove the difference in levels. He expressed his ability to compete with the division’s elite and promised fans an outstanding performance in the ring.

His opponent, Caoimhin Agyarko, stressed that his team requested this fight as soon as his previous bout fell through, emphasizing that this is an early mandatory challenge rather than a voluntary title defense. He expressed confidence in claiming the belt and achieving the biggest win of his professional career.

The Face Off moment saw a heated verbal exchange that nearly escalated into a physical altercation between the two boxers, before organizers quickly intervened to defuse the situation.

Event week activities and final preparations

The press conference is part of The Comeback Week, which features a series of accompanying events leading up to Saturday night, when Jeddah will host one of the world’s top boxing evenings. The event brings together a lineup of stars led by Anthony Joshua, alongside several world champions and Saudi boxers, in a night eagerly awaited by boxing fans worldwide.

On Friday, the official weigh-in for the boxers will take place, followed by the final face-offs between all participants at Jeddah Promenade at 8 p.m., marking the last stop before the decisive fight night when boxers will confirm their official weights.