Kickboxing world champion from Iraq Riyadh Al-Azzawi is announced to defend his WKN world championship belt this year in England.

Baghdad-born Iraqi-British kickboxer Al-Azzawi is a three-time WKN kickboxing (full contact rules) world champion, as well as European and British champion. He is the first-ever Arab world champion to win the title in the heavyweight class.

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Al-Azzawi earned his belt in 2008 by beating a former three-time champ Tomasz Borowiec from Poland. In 2011 he outlined that first world title clash as his hardest challenge.

“My hardest fight was a World title in 2008 when I broke my nose and my hand in second round and the doctor wanted to stop the fight because I was bleeding pretty bad. I refused and I continued the fight and I knocked him down in the 10th but he got up and I beat him and I won on points.”

Al-Azzawi hit kickboxing scene at the age of 13. Prior moving to England where his professional career kicked off, he gained six national titles in Iraq, and was a two-time Arabic champion. In UK he became a two-time National champion as well as European and Intercontinental title holder.

“I wanna keep defending my title against anybody who comes in the future. I got offered to fight for K-1 many times but I’m happy to fight for WKN. I been fighting for WKN for long time and we can see it keeps rising every year more and more, with great fighters and great shows all around the World.”

“My goal is to defend my title in my country Iraq, being among my people and deliver a message from Baghdad to the World, that we are champions and we love peace.”

Unbeaten in 47 bouts, Riyadh Al-Azzawi is set to defend his WKN world title for the fifth time. Over the years he has defeated 35 of his opponents prior the final bell. Among everything, Al-Azzawi has claimed notable defenses of his belt against Yavor Marinchev and Slavi Stoilov. His next title challenger is yet to be revealed. This morning, the WKN world office advised that the date is penciled for March. We will have more on this story as it develops.