Boxers left stranded in Dubai after promoter vanishes

Dubai‘s growing reputation as a boxing venue took a hit over the weekend when a planned bout between heavyweights Lucas Browne and Mahmoud Charr was abruptly canceled, leaving the fighters unpaid and stranded in the United Arab Emirates.

The two former WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight champions claim the organizer, Iconic Promotions Dubai, did not pay for either fighter’s hotel room, as was promised. Furthermore, a string of alleged safety issues led The Middle East Professional Boxing Commission to cancel the bout, according to multiple reports.

Speaking with Boxing UK, Browne, a 43-year-old Australian, and Charr, a 38-year-old from Lebanon, shared their disappointment, with Charr specifically calling out promoter Andre Spencer.

Dubai ‘s growing reputation as a boxing venue took a hit over the weekend when a planned bout between heavyweights Lucas Browne (left) and Mahmoud Charr (right) was abruptly canceled, leaving the fighters unpaid and stranded in the United Arab Emirates

‘I’m so sad what’s happened,’ Charr said. ‘What kind of promotion does this to us? We are all here, having flown from all over the world. We trained, we sparred, we are ready to fight. But what’s happened now – Andre Spencer f****d up. He didn’t make the fight happen, he lied to all of us, the fighters, the promoters, the managers. And now, I come to this hotel, and some of the fighters here are on the street because the hotel was not paid. We signed the contracts, everyone was ready.’

Iconic Promotions Dubai has not responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment and multiple reports claim boxers have been unsuccessful in tracking down the company, which is now banned from working in the region.

‘At this point, there is not even a promoter in charge and it would be impossible to go ahead with the event and comply with the safety and medical standards to run a safe event,’ noted a MEPB spokesperson. ‘We are hereby officially informing that MEPB won’t be sanctioning the show or working with the promoter here after.’

The MEPB commissioner also revealed that the promoter failed to provide proper permits and neglected to secure a venue. 

‘The way the promoter handled the event have damaged the good will of the sport and multiple complaints have been received,’ the statement continued. ‘There is no proper venue secured nor government permits provided till date.’ 

The fight was scheduled to take place on December 17 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

Browne, too, expressed his displeasure, saying that the canceled bout will taint his holiday season.

‘I have a lot of plans for the kids, and I’ve got birthdays and all that sort of stuff, as well,’ Browne said. ‘It really does put a dent in all of it. Let alone my boxing career.

‘I was looking forward to fighting Manuel [now Mahmoud],’ he continued. ‘We’ve spoken very gentlemanly-like over the years. He’s an absolute gentleman of a bloke and a champion.

‘We were really looking forward to having a good fight, along with obviously everyone else who is here as well [undercard fighters].

‘The way we’ve been treated, I’m just not happy with at all. It’s very unprofessional, and it shouldn’t happen. Dubai is an absolutely beautiful place. It’s a diverse, clean, and absolutely gorgeous place. And this puts a, yeah, it’s no good.’

Lou DiBella, a promoter who works with Browne, was furious over the debacle, demanding that his fighter deserves to be ‘compensated for his time and participation.’

‘Fighters deserve to expect better than this,’ DiBella told DailyMail.com. ‘This isn’t someone flying to a third-world nation. It’s an extremely wealthy kingdom.’

Lucas Browne celebrates after defeating Junior Fa during their heavyweight fight, at Marvel Stadium on June 5

The MEPB is investigation the allegations. 

DiBella put a spotlight on the situation on social media on Sunday. 

‘Many in boxing think the new holy grail of sites and big purse opportunities is in Dubai,’ DiBella tweeted. ‘Well, not for a bunch of fighters who just went there for a fight card that was an organized scam. They were basically left stranded in Dubai. No one protected them.’

The fighters were left out of pocket for the trip and had to find their own ways home. Browne, for one, was on a flight back to Australia on Monday, DiBella told DailyMail.com.

In recent years, Dubai has become a destination for some mid-level fights. 

Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather had an exhibition at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai in September and a super flyweight bout between Sultan Al Nuaimi of the UAE and Sahil Rahman N of India was held at that venue earlier this month. 

Charr (pictured) was ‘so sad’ about what happened and called out promoter Andre Spencer