Two prestigious WKN World Championship belts are at stake this Saturday, June 25 in Liege, Belgium. The annual “La Nuit Des Gladiateurs” event features some of the best representatives of the country-host up against international opponents in the five-round battles in Muay Thai.
In one of the title bouts Moroccan-Belgian Youssef Boughanem defends his WKN super welterweight Muay Thai belt against Spain’s Toni Romero. Boughanem earned the title by TKO in the fourth round against Joe Craven of the UK in April 2019 in Brussels. Romero is the Spanish champion with the victory over Ignasi Larios.
In another championship clash local star Madani Rahmani and Georgia’s Nika Nozadze battle it out for the WKN super light heavyweight Muay Thai belt. The latter replaces previously announced Jean Simon Mendes Bass of Spain, who was forced to withdraw due to COVID, World Kickboxing Network announced via its Twitter page (@WKNkickboxing).
Rahmani is the winner of WKN Intercontinental super light heavyweight title by unanimous decision against Jurij Orlov at the previous edition of “La Nuit Des Gladiateurs” last November in Soumagne. Nozadze is a three-time champion of Georgia and two-time Asian champion.
“‘La Nuit Des Gladiateurs’ marks a return of spectacular Muay Thai events to Belgium, that have always produced a high level competition,” said President of World Kickboxing Network, Stephane Cabrera. “World champion Youssef Boughanem and Intercontinental champion Madani Rahmani are two internationally recognized athletes. These fights promise to be explosive, and may the best win.”
The championship supervisor is Osman Yigin.
The rest of the card will see a series of local and international bouts.
WKN World Super Welterweight Muay Thai title, 5 rounds
Youssef Boughanem (Belgium / Morocco) vs. Toni Romero (Spain)
WKN World Super Light Heavyweight Muay Thai title, 5 rounds
Madani Rahmani (Belgium) vs. Nika Nozadze (Georgia)