The final step of an extraordinary journey is all that remains for Muhamet Qamili, known to friends as “Eti,” to fulfill the first of his boxing dreams by emerging victorious in the prestigious Boxing Grand Prix in the featherweight division. In the final showdown of the tournament organized in Saudi Arabia by the WBC in collaboration with Riyadh Season, our fighter will face the dangerous Mexican puncher Brandon Mejia. Live coverage of the finals will begin on DAZN at 4:00 p.m. Italian time.
An Electrifying Path to the Final
Qamili’s road to the final has been truly electrifying. The Italian-Albanian boxer, guided in his corner by coach Alessandro Elmoety, has had to deal with very different opponents in each round and has always managed to find the winning key, asserting himself with great authority.
In the round of 32, Eti was initially caught off guard by the fast start and awkward style of Ukrainian Ihor Semonchuk, but he made the right adjustments along the way, relying on his superior technical skills. In the round of 16, he brilliantly exploited the shortcomings of Ghanaian Holy Dorgbetor at close range, dishing out heavy punishment. In the quarterfinals, he eliminated tournament favorite Troy Nash by absorbing his best shots and wearing him down with relentless pressure. Finally, two months ago in the semifinals, our fighter stunned France’s Yoni Valverde Jr with a devastating left hook in the first round.
Brandon Mejia: A Young Tank, Mexican to the Core
The other finalist at 126 pounds, 21-year-old Brandon Mejia, fully embodies the typical traits of Mexican boxing. Mejia rarely takes a step backward—unless it’s to build momentum and launch another assault. He makes very limited use of the jab, preferring instead to rely on hooks and uppercuts thrown with maximum power.
That power is undeniable, as shown by his knockout percentage, which exceeds 83%, and by the conclusion of his semifinal bout, which he ended in the fifth round with a brutal left uppercut to the body. It would be a mistake, however, to label Mejia as a crude puncher lacking technique. Despite his fondness for battle, the Mexican displays solid fundamentals. Particularly impressive is his left uppercut to the head at the end of combinations, a naturally fluid punch that often slips through his opponents’ guard.
Brain, Heart and Legs: The Three Ingredients for Success
It would be foolish and presumptuous of me to explain to Qamili and his team, while comfortably seated at my desk, how to beat a ferocious opponent like Brandon Mejia. Our fighter, expertly guided by his coach, has undoubtedly completed meticulous preparation—enhanced by valuable sparring sessions in the United Kingdom—and knows exactly what to do once the bell rings. That said, I believe it is fair to highlight three elements that could prove crucial in shaping the dynamics of Saturday afternoon’s final.
The first is the brain. When facing an opponent with such overwhelming physical power, it is essential to keep emotions in check and rely on rational thinking to neutralize and limit brute force. At times during this tournament, Qamili has let his pride take over, absorbing shots he could have avoided with greater caution. This time, especially in the early rounds, it may be wise to rein in his fiery temperament to prevent Mejia from finding his rhythm and settling into his preferred territory.
The second element is heart. No matter how careful, prudent and strategically flawless Qamili’s performance may be, there is no doubt that sooner or later he will have to grit his teeth and accept a trip through hell in order—borrowing Dante’s words—to “see the stars again.” The ability to respond with grit and determination to moments of hardship will also be vital in discouraging Mejia, who is accustomed to intimidating and dominating his opponents through sheer power.
The third element, unlike the first two, concerns the technical-tactical aspect of the fight rather than the psychological one: footwork. Fighters like Brandon Mejia, who load up heavily on most of their punches, usually find it much easier to deal with static, predictable opponents who stay in front of them and offer a fixed target. Lateral movement, sudden in-and-out motions and sharp changes of direction could therefore be essential in disorienting the Mexican fighter, making him miss and forcing him to waste precious physical and mental energy.
Whatever Happens, Qamili Has Made Two Countries Proud
We will be cheering loudly for our Eti and sincerely wish him the best in reaching this prestigious milestone, which—beyond the $200,000 prize money—would earn him mandatory challenger status for the WBC Silver Featherweight title, opening the door to a glorious continuation of his career.
Regardless of how Saturday’s match turns out, we believe it is important to stress that Qamili has already done more than enough to make both of his countries proud: Albania, his land of origin, and Italy, his adopted homeland. Reaching the end of such a long and demanding tournament, featuring some of the best prospects on the planet, is a remarkable sporting achievement that, in our view, places Eti among the top five fighters in an Italian pound-for-pound ranking.
Now there is just one final step left at this stage—the hardest and most treacherous one. All that remains is to tune in to DAZN this Saturday afternoon and enjoy the spectacle that Qamili and Mejia are sure to deliver, with our fingers firmly crossed for our man.