Glory 103 main eventer Jamal Ben Saddik challenges two boxing superstars

Jamal Ben Saddik (38-10, 29 KOs) will face Levi Rigters (19-3, 9 KOs) in the main event of tonight's Glory 103 which is live tonight on DAZN PPV. 

A place in the next round of The Last Heavyweight tournament is at stake, and Saddik has huge future plans for his career as revealed in an exclusive interview with DAZN News.

DAZN News: How was Glory 100? What did you learn from that?

Jamal Ben Saddik: What I can say about it, doctor stoppage. It's never good to have that, but that's a tournament. Something like this happens. It was crazy because I had a good, strong preparation. After that, I needed to stop like this. I'm very disappointed about that. But everything Allah planned, so move forward and don't look back on what happened.

DN: How is your chin?

JBS: At this moment, good. Because I had a few weeks, so I've done a good rest. For now, I train with it. I have no problems with it, so I don't see it as a problem.

DN: Why did you decide to return right now?

JBS: I want to stay in the tournament because that was the goal for this year. I'm happy that Glory gave me the chance to return in the tournament. I'm happy I need to show the people what I didn't show last time, so I have my chance to prove it again. And so is it.

DN: What did you think of the performance of Sofian Laidouni? Can he one day be champion?

JBS: He's good. But I didn't face him really because I didn't fight with him, so I don't know how he will survive with me in the ring. That's why I say it was very disappointing for me to see that happen. But yeah, again, something like this happened. I think he's a good fighter, but I didn't really face him, so I can't say much about that fight.

DN: Do you want a rematch against him?

JBS: Well, it will come. For this moment, I have other opponents where all my focus is on. So maybe in the future, maybe in the future, when he stays in the tournament and I stay in the tournament, we will face each other this year, insha’Allah.

DN: You're going up to face Levi Rigters. What do you think of him?

JBS: Very technical fighter, tall fighter, gained a lot of experience last year. Yeah, I think that's it.

DN: Any prediction?

JBS: Any prediction? Like I told him before, he's there, he has his big fights, but he never had a hard fight like me. I don't think any of his opponents in his last fight gave him a hard fight, what I will give him next week. It will not pass the second round, so it will be fireworks.

DN: He didn't fight since December. His last fight was against Rico Verhoeven. Are you the favorite?

JBS: He had that last fight for the belt. I was there, so I saw the fight. I saw also the little mistakes that he made and the chances he didn't finish. So I saw that also. But in the end, I have a long run at the moment. I have my fighting rhythm with me, and he hasn't fought for a couple of months. So you can say I am in a favorite position about my fighting spirit from this year. I hope it will turn in my favor next week.

DN: In a Glory interview, you said that you want to take on Francis Ngannou or Tyson Fury. Why?

JBS: Because I had that question and they told me, who do you want to fight? Any combat rules, any sport discipline, who do you want to fight? I said, I want to fight the best. I have two people in my mind who are in my eyes, two of the best. You have Tyson Fury, a spectacular fighter. You have Ngannou, a powerful fighter. I want to compare myself against them because we can talk in any combat sport, but when you give me one of these two guys inside my sport discipline, inside my ring, they don't last for a long time. I will finish them both.

DN: Do you think that you have a chance in boxing against them?

JBS: Only boxing, I will make a chance. I need to compare myself against the best and to see who is the best. I'm available in any sport discipline. When they come in mind, they have a big, big problem, both of them.

DN: There are two other moroccans in the same card. Nabil Khachab on the card, one of the 16 in the tournament. There is also Mehdi Ait El Hadj who is going to take on Chico Kwasi for the welterweight belt. Two young talents. What do you think of the new generation of Moroccans?

JBS: It's great to have a Moroccan on the cards. It's nice to see. I'm happy to see that our Moroccan flag will rise next week, insha'Allah. I wish them very good luck because when they fight, we are fighting all together. When Moroccans fight and they win, we all win together. I wish them very good luck to win their fights. It makes me happy. It makes a lot of Moroccans happy. That's the most important thing, that the Moroccan flag will rise next week, insha’Allah.

DN: Who are the two favorites to reach the final in December for you?

JBS: Myself. 100%, I will do everything that's needed to win, to win this tournament, and I am dedicated to it. I will give everything to win it. When I see the last months, I didn't do anything, only training, resting, eating, training, resting, eating. I know this will be my year, insha'Allah, and I have my fighting rhythm with me, and nothing can go wrong, insha'Allah. So I see myself winning this tournament, insha'Allah, at the end of December.

DN: Any other fighter ?

JBS: Well, for me, it doesn't matter. They will all get the same treatment. For me, really, it doesn't matter because we're standing on the other side of the bracket. That's not my problem. They will get the same treatment.