RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (April 17, 2025) – Undefeated Canadian super lightweight prospect Eric Basran (7-0, 3 KOs) has drawn unbeaten Isaiah “Kyree-James” Johnson (11-0, 7 KOs) for tomorrow’s (Friday) preliminary round of the inaugural Riyadh Season/World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Johnson, 26, is a southpaw fighter from Philadelphia, who has also won 13 of 14 fights (0 KOs) in the Team Combat League.
“I’m ready for anyone,” Basran said. “I’m focused and this is my time to shine.”
Basran vs. Johnson is the co-main event as the 15th of 16 scheduled matches.
“Eric drew one of the toughest fighters in the first round, but that’s what we want,” Basran’s promoter Dan Otter (Three Lions Promotions) added. “We want Eric to fight the best to be the best.”
All winners of the 16 preliminary round bouts advance to the next round in June.
The single-elimination tournament is being streamed live exclusively on www.dazn.com/wbc, featuring a total of 128 fighters in four weight classes – featherweight, super lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight – and the preliminary round concludes this Sunday.
All fighters will be subject to random drug testing in compliance with the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program, as well as Riyadh Season’s commitment to VADA testing.
Basran, fighting out of Surrey, British Columbia, as an amateur was a four-time Canadian National Champion, who won the 2019 Canadian Olympic Qualifier, in addition to capturing a bronze medal at the 2019 Commonwealth Games.
The opening round of 32 matches are scheduled six-round bouts, which increases to eight for the final rounds in each division, and participating fighters represent more than 40 countries from around the world.
In addition to the $200,000 winner’s purse, the four divisional winners will receive the Jose Sulaimán Trophy, named after the late WBC President Jose Sulaimán, who first envisioned a prospect-based Boxing Grand Prix more than a decade ago.
There is open scoring after the second and fourth rounds, a buzzer sounds 30 seconds prior to the end of each round, instant replay may be implemented, and no draws are guaranteed.
INFORMATION:
Website: www.threelionspromotions.com
Facebook: /ThreeLionsPromotions /ericbasranboxing
Instagram: @3LionsPromotions @ericbasranboxing
