All photos by Chantelle D’mello

Twenty of the top pro boxers from across Asia and the Middle East region will square off tonight at the Doha International Boxing Tournament finals.

The competition, which is being held at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena behind the Al Sadd Sports Club, saw over twenty matches over its four-day run. Boxers have been going for three rounds a match, in two groups daily – from 3:30pm to 6pm, and from 7pm onwards.

Day one saw Qatar’s Yahea al-Rafeek score a win for the team in the “light fly” 46-49kg division. Al-Rafeek beat Sri Lankan Prabashwara Muththukarage Malith in a unanimous 3-0 defeat.

Two other Qatari boxers, including Sonday Qlement, who beat Hakan Nuraydin in a unanimous 3-0 defeat, have qualified for the semi-finals of their respective weight divisions.

“I am happy with the result from this fight. Everything is in the hands of God. I want to do as good as possible. God has blessed me with this victory,” he told the Peninsula.

However, no locals made it in the final rounds.

This week’s tournaments comes ahead of the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championship, which will held from Oct. 2 to 18 in Doha.

It is one of 89 major sporting events that Qatar will host through March 2016.

Do you plan to go tonight? Thoughts?