The WBC is shaking things up in the boxing world with an exciting new Grand Prix tournament, and it’s set to be one of the biggest talent showcases the sport has ever seen. During the press conference for the upcoming Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol fight, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed the plans being launched in partnership with Riyadh Season.
This massive tournament hopes to serve as a true launchpad for rising talent. The goal? To discover and develop the next big thing in boxing, giving young fighters a high-stakes platform to prove themselves on the world stage. Here’s everything you need to know about the WBC’s latest game-changing initiative.
World Cup of boxing?
After more than a decade of planning, the WBC Boxing Grand Prix is officially set to launch in April, marking a huge moment for up-and-coming fighters.
Speaking at the final Beterbiev vs. Bivol II press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sulaimán reflected on his father’s lifelong passion for boxing and said, “He had a dream. He passed away eleven years ago when he was just going to start the Professional Boxing World Cup.”
Love this one . My father Jose Sulaiman of the Boxing World Cup is now a reality with the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix to take place in 2025 in Saudi Arabia @RiyadhSeason @Turki_alalshikh @WBCBoxing pic.twitter.com/eW8nMstzJH
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) January 19, 2025
Now, thanks to the rise of Riyadh Season and the support of Turki Alalshikh, that dream is becoming a reality.
But how does it work?
Format and Weight Classes
The entire tournament will take place in Saudi Arabia, featuring 128 fighters across four divisions—featherweight, junior welterweight, middleweight, and heavyweight.
Each weight class will have its own 32-man bracket, with the winner taking home the Jose Sulaimán Trophy, named after the late WBC president.
Fighters can’t be older than 26 years or have more than ten pro fights, keeping the focus on true prospects.
The WBC’s Clean Boxing Program and VADA testing will ensure a level playing field. And there’s a twist—no fights can end in a draw. If a bout is tied, an overtime round may be used to determine the winner.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has confirmed plans for a Boxing Grand Prix for rising prospects which is set to launch in April in partnership with Riyadh Season.
Four weight categories
32 Fighters per division
Age limit of 26
6-Round fights in Round 1
8-Round… pic.twitter.com/Qo0TGs8XF9— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) February 20, 2025
With open scoring, instant replay, and generous financial rewards, this tournament is a game-changer for young boxers looking to break into the big leagues.
“This is the first-ever event in which young talent from unknown parts of the world will have the opportunity to shine,” Sulaimán said.
And to make it easily accessible to fans, the tournament will be streamed on DAZN across the globe, much like a lot of the big PPV fights in boxing these days.
Both Sulaimán and Alalshikh have stated that their primary goal through this was to find the next big stars in the world of boxing and to continue to grow the sport.
While this is an interesting format and initiative, it will be interesting to see what effect it has on the sport and if it will really be able to provide a platform to launch the next Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, or Oleksandr Usyk.
