World Muay Thai Champion Thwarts Pickpocket in Brussels, Faces Assault Charges

A theft that didn’t work out for him. A pickpocket was caught red-handed stealing a mobile phone in Brussels, Belgium. His bad luck: he ran into Youssef Boughanem, 29, a three-time world muay thai champion.

Nicknamed "Terminator", the boxer, who was waiting for a friend in a restaurant, pushed the pickpocket back a first time, with "two slaps". They apparently didn’t dull the thief’s ardor. As he was reaching into the pocket, the boxer "thought he was going to pull out a blade" and beat him up.

The thief was admitted to a hospital with a skull fracture. As for the sportsman with 205 wins in 240 fights, he was charged with assault and battery. His lawyer intends to plead provocation, Sudinfo reports.