Moroccan kickboxing champion Mohamed Touchassie receives letter from King Mohammed VI

The letter arrived directly in his mailbox in The Hague. Mohamed Touchassie had just won the world title in Rotterdam when he received a letter from the Moroccan embassy, sent on behalf of King Mohammed VI. In an interview published Sunday, November 1, by Sportnieuws.nl, the fighter looks back on this special moment.

On Bladi.net : Mohammed VI Congratulates Kickboxing Champion Mohamed Touchassie

“It was a tremendous honor for me and my family,” he says. The champion explains that the recognition meant the most to his family. He speaks of the respect his family has for the monarch and the importance they attached to this mark of esteem.

On June 13, Touchassie won three fights in one night to claim the light heavyweight world title. The tournament left him with scratches and bruises on his face. He was even taken to hospital by ambulance after his victory. A few months later, he says he has fully recovered.

The young champion also discovered a new kind of popularity during a stay in Morocco after his victory. He says people recognized him in the street and were proud to see a fighter representing their country at this level.

Sportnieuws.nl draws a comparison between his story and that of Badr Hari, who had also received a royal letter praising his sporting achievements. Touchassie, already nicknamed “Baby Badr,” thus joins another major name in Moroccan kickboxing to have been honored by the monarch.

On December 12, Touchassie will defend his world title for the first time against compatriot Tarik Khbabez, a former champion in the division, at GLORY Collision 10 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. The bout has been confirmed by organizer GLORY. Touchassie admits he expected to become world champion, but did not expect to face Khbabez so soon in his first title defense.