Azzopardi becomes two-style WKN World Featherweight champion

Gladiators Fight Night 23 results

Two WKN world titles were on the line at Gladiators Fight Night 23 held last night (June 29) at Corradino Sports Pavillion in Paola, Malta.

In the main event Keith Azzopardi of Malta faced Qurban Hosseini of Germany. The pair battled it out for WKN World Featherweight title under oriental rules. The scheduled for five rounds bout went the distance. The representative of the country-host claimed the win by a unanimous decision and as a result became a new champion in the division.

Furthermore, Keith Azzopardi made history as the first fighter from Malta to hold world titles in two disciplines of kickboxing simultaneously. Two weeks ago “Speed” earned WKN World Featherweight title in Full Contact when he defeated former champion Jonathan Pastorino of France, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision in Nice.

THE NEWLY-CROWNED #WKN FEATHERWEIGHT FULL CONTACT CHAMPION KEITH AZZOPARDI П‡²ÐŸ‡¹ DEFEATS QURBAN HOSSEINI TO TAKE WKN FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE UNDER ORIENTAL RULES AND BECOMES THE FIRST MALTESE FIGHTER TO HOLD WORLD TITLES IN TWO STYLES OF KICKBOXING SIMULTANEOUSLY П†ÐŸ† #SIMPLYTHEBEST PIC.TWITTER.COM/NMLPV09DGX

— WORLD KICKBOXING NETWORK (@WKNKICKBOXING) JUNE 30, 2019

In the co-main event Diane Schembri of Malta took on Pia Peters of Germany. The contest was for WKN European Bantamweight pro-amateur title.

The women’s kickboxing encounter also went the distance. The verdict heard Peters taking the win, as well as the belt, by split decision.

П‡©ÐŸ‡ª PIA PETERS DEFEATS DIANE SCHEMBRI П‡²ÐŸ‡¹ TO TAKE #WKN EUROPEAN BANTAMWEIGHT PRO-AMATEUR TITLE AT GLADIATORS FIGHT NIGHT 23 П† PIC.TWITTER.COM/AIXZQETYJB

— WORLD KICKBOXING NETWORK (@WKNKICKBOXING) JUNE 30, 2019

The undercard featured a series of bouts with local and international competitors. The event marked the second visit of World Kickboxing Network to Malta for 2019.

WKN World Featherweight title / Oriental rules / 5×3 mn
Keith Azzopardi (Malta) def. Qurban Hosseini (Afghanistan/Germany) by unanimous decision

WKN European Bantamweight amateur title / 4×2 mn
Diane Schembri (Malta) def. Pia Peters (Germany) by split decision

Gladiators Fight Night 23 in Paola, Malta was one of two back to back events held this past Saturday (June 29). The second show – “La Nuit du K1 – Les Défis du Sud” – took place at Gymnase Nelson Mandela in Saint Pierre, Réunion, marking the return of World Kickboxing Network to Indian Ocean.

In the headline-bout local Yasser Olivier Lagarrigue took WKN Intercontinental Super Lightweight title by TKO in the first round against Belgian Julien Schelkens.