By Patrick Cusik

At 105 pounds, they are the lightest fighters in professional boxing.

But the title defence of Xiong Zhao Zhong, the only professional world boxing champion in China, against Denver Cuello in Dubai on June 28 will be one of boxing's hottest events.

It will be the first world boxing championship to be held in the Middle East and now boxing suddenly has become a primary focus of sports discussion in the Gulf states in general and the United Arab Emirates in particular.

The event has been given five-star status and will be staged in the Dubai's World Trade Centre.

Zhong and Cuello, currently the world's most outstanding strawweight, will spend a week in Dubai in temperatures soaring beyond 50C taking part in promotional activities similar to what is normally scheduled for the annual Formula One and Dubai Tennis Open events.

Dubai boxing promoter Zack Taumafai, who will stage the first world boxing championship in the dessert city hub, said the event will begin a new era for professional boxing in the UAE.

"For many years, there has been a lot of speculation of a world championship coming to Dubai. All that talk is now a reality," he said.

"This world championship will be special as there are thousands of Filipinos working in the hotels and there's a whole shopping mall filled with Chinese traders.

"So it's gonna be a real boxing sensation for Dubai."