YONKERS, NY – Undefeated CES Boxing prospect Iman Lee (12-0, 8 KOs) has been officially selected to compete in the WBC Grand Prix, a groundbreaking single-elimination tournament set to begin this week at the BLVD City Global Theater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and televised live worldwide on DAZN.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Iman,” said CES Boxing Founder Jimmy Burchfield, Sr. “This young man has the talent, the character and the skills to go all the way in this tournament. The sky’s the limit if he can bring home the trophy.”
The 25-year-old boxer from Yonkers, NY is among just 32 featherweights, mostly under 26, chosen to compete in the global boxing showcase.
“We knew just before my last fight, so I had about 2 to 3 months’ notice,” said an ecstatic Lee, who stopped Bernardo Uribe in 4 rounds on February 22. “I don’t know who we’re fighting yet. I believe we’ll find out when we get there, so we’re just preparing for any style.”
The world cup style tournament features 128 boxers from 41 countries competing across 4 divisions: heavyweight, middleweight, super lightweight and featherweight. It’s a massive opportunity for a young fighter to instantly make a mark in the sport.
“To be chosen as one of the 32 fighters in my division out of the entire world is an honor,” states Lee from his training camp at Champs Gym in New Rochelle, NY. “But I’m not just here to participate. I’m coming to win.”
The tournament will unfold in 4 segments throughout the year, with the first phase taking place this week from April 17-20. 64 6-round fights will take place over 4 days, with the winners moving on to fight again in June, August and October, culminating in a Grand Finale in December.
“We are bringing to life a tournament that will revolutionize the sport and unearth incredible new talent,” said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who added that the rules include open scoring and instant replay to ensure transparency and fairness. “This is the first ever event in which the young talents are going to have the opportunity to come out from unknown parts of the world to shine through the Grand Prix.”
New York, which used to be a hotbed of boxing, is having a resurgence with Teofimo Lopez and Richardson Hitchens claiming belts in the jr. welterweight division, Bruce ‘Shu Shu’ Carrington inching up the featherweight rankings and Edgar Berlanga establishing himself as a contender at Super Middleweight. While those New Yorkers have been in the spotlight for a few years, the Grand Prix figures to be the perfect conduit for Iman Lee to crash onto the world stage.
“Definitely,” says Lee when asked whether he would be ready to face the division’s best after the tourney. “If all goes well, we’re ready to compete for a world title.”
With 6-rounds to make a statement and no margin for error, every bout in Riyadh could be career defining. For Iman Lee, the path to championship greatness begins on April 17.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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