GBM revives Heist tournament after global plan collapses
Sheffield promoter Izzy Asif had hoped to take the short-format boxing concept around the world
GBM Sport's Heist tournament is set for a comeback after international expansion plans collapsed amid unrest in the Middle East.
Sheffield promoter Izzy Asif had hoped to take the short-format boxing concept around the world in 2026, with events planned across four continents and an initial launch pencilled in for the UAE.
But those ambitions were shelved after instability in the region forced GBM to abandon the proposed Middle East show.
Instead, the promotion will now focus on a scaled-back domestic version of The Heist, with events planned for Sheffield, the North West, the Midlands and the south of England.
The competition is expected to begin at the Park Community Arena in Darnall and will feature four separate weight divisions.
The Heist debuted in Hull last November and quickly gained attention for its fast-paced format, which compressed an entire knockout tournament into a single evening.
An eight-man super-middleweight field competed through quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final all on the same night, with each contest scheduled for just three, three-minute rounds.
Fighters potentially had to win three bouts in one evening to secure the £30,000 winner's prize.
Asif believes the concept's success lies in its unpredictability and relentless pace.
"Fans love it. The concept just seems to work and I am surprised nobody else does this show format," he said.
"It is a great night of boxing, it is quick and has a lot of drama.
"The response from everybody since our last one is always the same: 'When are you bringing The Heist back?' The fans just want to see it."
The condensed structure leaves little room for cautious tactics, with fighters forced to make an impact almost immediately or risk elimination.
GBM Sport currently promotes and manages a stable including Tysie Gallagher, Gradus Kraus, Sean McComb, Hughie Fury, Shakan Pitters, Naphtali Nembhard, Amaar Akbar, Taz Nadeem, Tiernan Bradley and Naz Younis.
Other than The Heist programme, Asif currently has no further show plans for the remainder of the year.