Iraq crowned Muay Thai world champion
Shafaq News- Kuala Lumpur
Iraq’s Mustafa Al-Tikriti won the 81kg gold medal at the 2026 Muay Thai World Championships in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, defeating a Russian opponent in the final to claim a world title for Iraq.
Al-Tikriti sealed the title with a 30-27 victory after a flawless knockout-stage run that included wins over Brazilian and Ukrainian opponents. He opened his campaign by defeating a Brazilian fighter in the quarterfinal before edging his Ukrainian opponent 29-28 in the semifinal to book his place in the gold-medal bout.
The victory gave Iraq one of its biggest international Muay Thai achievements and crowned Al-Tikriti world champion at the 2026 IFMA World Championships, held in the Malaysian capital from June 16 to 26.
In 2025, he also won the 81kg gold medal at the Asian Muay Thai Championship in Hanoi, a result Iraqi Muay Thai Federation President Mustafa Jabbar Alak described at the time as a major achievement for Iraqi sport.
